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Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Curtis A. Cusinato

Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Vice Chair and Partner

Vincent M. de Grandpré

Intellectual Property Litigation and Strategy Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner

Eighteen Bennett Jones lawyers are ranked in the July 2025<em> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lexpert.ca/special-editions/health-sciences-law" target="_blank">Lexpert Special Edition: Health Sciences</a></em>. The annual feature profiles Lexpert-ranked lawyers in Health Sciences and related practices.

Eighteen Bennett Jones Lawyers Ranked in Lexperts Special Edition on Health Sciences

Eighteen Bennett Jones Lawyers Ranked in Lexpert's Special Edition on Health Sciences

Katherine Booth

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Lamont Bartlett

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Gannon Beaulne

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

<p>Thirty-seven Bennett Jones lawyers have been recognized in the <em><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://benchmarklitigation.com/Firm/Bennett-Jones/Profile/111070#lawyers" target="_blank">Benchmark Canada</a></em><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://benchmarklitigation.com/Firm/Bennett-Jones/Profile/111070#lawyers" target="_blank"> 2025 rankings</a>, including 30 Litigation Stars and 10 Future Stars. Five of our lawyers were also named among the Top 50 Trial Lawyers in Canada.</p>

Bennett Jones Lawyers Named Among Canadas Top Litigators By Benchmark Canada

Bennett Jones Lawyers Named Among Canada's Top Litigators By Benchmark Canada

James J. Heelan KC

Commercial/Securities Litigation, Employment and Professional Negligence Lawyer and Mediator at Bennett Jones Edmonton

James Heelan spoke at The Advocates’ Society program on Litigating Contract Disputes.

James Heelan at The Advocates Society

Litigating Contract Disputes

Laura Inglis

Sarah J. Huot

Litigation, Professional Negligence, Health, Employment and Estate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

<p>Employee restrictive covenants are often a contentious issue, especially when employees leave to form (or join) competing firms. A recent Alberta Court of King’s Bench decision, <em>People Corporation v Quinn et al. </em>(<a rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abkb/doc/2024/2024abkb711/2024abkb711.html" target="_blank">2024 ABKB 711</a>), offers valuable insights into how courts balance the enforceability of restrictive covenants, employee rights, and employer interests. This case revolves around allegations of breach of restrictive covenants and the legal intricacies involved in assessing their validity.</p>

Legal Precedent on Restrictive Covenants in Employment Agreements A Case Study

Legal Precedent on Restrictive Covenants in Employment Agreements—A Case Study

Mahnaz Jan Ali

Financial Services Lawyer at Bennett Jones Montréal

Andrée-Anne Tremblay

Articling Student at Bennett Jones in Montréal

Articling Student

<p>A recent Quebec Court of Appeal&rsquo;s decision in <em>S&eacute;questre de Bois BSL inc. /</em> <em>BSL Wood Products Inc.</em>, 2025 QCCA 993, builds on the Superior Court&rsquo;s ruling&nbsp;and revisits the dissenting opinion in <em>Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG</em> c. <em>Canadian Fidelity Mills Ltd.</em>, 2005 QCCA 1033. It clarifies the legal treatment of ownership claims in the context of receivership and the consequences of late registration of security under Quebec law.</p>
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Whose Tractor Is It Anyway Quebec Decision Clarifies Ownership Claims in Receivership

Whose Tractor Is It Anyway? Quebec Decision Clarifies Ownership Claims in Receivership

Luke Morrison

Energy Project Development, M&A, and Commercial Transaction Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Ashley M. White

Corporate, Commercial Transactions, Power & Energy Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Pamela Clark

Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary 

Associate 

<span>On June 6, 2025, the federal government introduced Bill C-5, <em>An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act</em>, which proposes new legislation aimed at strengthening Canada's economy by removing interprovincial trade and labour mobility barriers and advancing major projects.</span>

Wind In The Sails of Canadian Energy Project Development

Wind In The Sails of Canadian Energy Project Development: Major Projects Office Open For Business, and Details of Fast-Tracked Projects Emerging

Robert W. Staley

Commercial, Securities and Class Action Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Cheryl M. Woodin

Commercial Litigation, Product Liability & Class Actions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Ciara J. Mackey

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

In <em data-start="65" data-end="94">Sinclair v. Venezia Turismo</em>, 2025 SCC 27, the Supreme Court of Canada clarified that jurisdiction must be assessed for each defendant individually. A plaintiff cannot rely on one defendant&rsquo;s contract or weak connecting factors to extend jurisdiction to others. The decision strengthens the principles of corporate separateness in cross-border disputes.

The SCC Clarifies Approach to Jurisdiction Against Multiple Defendants in Cross Border Disputes

Sinclair v. Venezia Turismo: The SCC Clarifies Approach to Jurisdiction Against Multiple Defendants in Cross-Border Disputes

Matthew Flynn

Technology Transaction Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

J. Sébastien A. Gittens

Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

<span>AI transcription tools offer efficiency and accuracy in the boardroom but create risks to confidentiality, privacy and legal privilege. Organizations should adopt clear policies, safeguards and training to ensure responsible use and compliance with governance standards.</span>

AI Notetaking in the Boardroom

Lorelei Graham

Food and Agribusiness Lawyer, IP Lawyer, Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

<p style="text-align: left;">The United States Patent and Trademark Office's decision to cancel its Climate Change Mitigation pilot program for patents has not gone unnoticed in Canada. For Canadian policymakers and agri-tech innovators, this move by the United States raises two big questions: (1) How might this affect Canada&rsquo;s own intellectual property&nbsp; strategy for green tech, and (2) could it create opportunities for Canada (and others) to take the lead in certain climate-tech domains?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">A particular area of interest is carbon-capture agri-tech, technologies that help farming not just reduce emissions but actively capture carbon (for instance, special crops or soil treatments that lock away carbon dioxide or farm machinery that traps greenhouse gases). These innovations are crucial for meeting climate goals and could become a competitive arena internationally.</p>

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part IV

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part IV: Shifting Gears: How the United States' Exit from Climate Protection Fuels Canada's IP Advantage

6 Ways to Avoid Legal Peril

Authors


Bennett Jones Article 6 Ways to Avoid Legal Peril January 16, 2018 Authors James J. Heelan KCPartner James Heelan authors "6 Ways to Avoid Legal Peril" in BMO Insights. Share by Email Social Media Download Download Subscribe Republishing Requests For permission to republish this or any other publication, contact Amrita Kochhar at kochhara@bennettjones.com. For informational purposes only This publication provides an overview of legal trends and updates for informational purposes only. For personalized legal advice, please contact the authors. Authors James J. Heelan KC, Partner • Co-Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department Edmonton • 780.917.4275 • heelanj@bennettjones.com