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E. Bruce Mellett KC

Energy, Insurance, Professional Liability and Construction Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner 

Blair C. Yorke-Slader KC

Leading Corporate, Commercial and Energy Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Vice Chair and Partner

Canada's reputation as a politically and financially stable supplier of energy has made it both a highly desirable source of supply and an increasingly frequent investment target. The substantial commercial activity which these attributes have produced has resulted in various forms of energy related litigation, including operatorship issues, title and land concerns, competition and foreign investment challenges and accounting disagreements. It has also produced a number of litigation counsel, particularly in western Canada, who have developed considerable expertise in energy related litigation and in the workings of the energy industry. Blair C. Yorke-Slader, QC and E. Bruce Mellett, published in Legal Media Group's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.benchmarklitigation.com/" title="Benchmark Canada 2012">Benchmark Canada 2012</a>.

Energy Litigation in Canada

A pithy review of several recent appellate decisions reflecting the
balancing of societal interests, and the judicial exploration for
fairness and the true intention of the parties, in the face of
apparently plain contractual language. Originally presented at the
2010 Legal Education Society of Alberta 43rd Annual Refresher
Course (Business Law).

Freedom of Contract Revisited

An entertaining and informative history of Ponzi schemes and of extraordinary relief available to victims. Originally presented at the 2010 Legal Education Society of Alberta/Canadian Bar Association Alberta Law Conference.

Ponzi Schemes and Other Really Bad Investments

Ponzi Schemes (and Other Really Bad Investments) - and What to Do About Them

A review of principles of effective oral appellate advocacy for
practitioners. Blair Yorke-Slader and Jolaine Antonio, originally prepared for the April 2007 Legal
Education Society of Alberta (LESA) Appellate Advocacy seminar.

How to Sway the Undecided and Feel Good About It

Oral Argument - How to Sway the Undecided and Feel Good About It

Drew C. Broughton

Corporate Commercial and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Jie (Kevin) Zhou

M&A, Private Equity and Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Jesse Fontaine

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Associate

The Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that earn-out acceleration clauses are to be interpreted contextually, with materiality turning on a transaction&rsquo;s impact on the earn-out regime rather than its size or value. The decision reinforces the exceptional nature of earn-out acceleration remedies and the importance of precise drafting in share purchase agreements.

ONCA Affirms Denial of Claim for Earn Out Acceleration

ONCA Affirms Denial of Claim for Earn-Out Acceleration

J. Sébastien A. Gittens

Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Ahmed Elmallah

Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Counsel, Patent Agent, Trademark Agent

Shadow AI is increasingly present in workplaces as employees adopt unauthorized AI tools to improve efficiency, often without organizational oversight. While these tools may offer short-term productivity gains, they create significant compliance, governance, privacy and liability risks. This post examines the drivers of shadow AI, the risks it poses and practical strategies organizations can implement to manage and mitigate those risks.

Hiding in the Shadows The Perils of Shadow AI on Your Organization

Hiding in the Shadows: The Perils of Shadow AI on Your Organization  

Denise D. Bright

Public and Private Company Financial Transactions and Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Keely Cameron

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Chyna Brown

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary 

In Royal Bank of Canada v Patterson Dental Canada Inc, the Alberta Court of Appeal clarified how PPSA priority rules apply where assets used in a corporate business are personally owned by a director. The Court confirmed that ownership and registration against the correct debtor are decisive in priority disputes, and provided guidance on the treatment of leases and the proper distribution of holdbacks in insolvency sales.

Alberta Court of Appeal Clarifies PPSA Priorities in Insolvency Sales

Michael A. Eizenga L.S.M.

Leading Canadian Class Action Litigator at Bennett Jones Toronto

Pascale Dionne-Bourassa

Civil and Commercial Litigator, Construction Law Lawyer at Bennett Jones (Québec) LLP

Montréal Managing Partner

Katherine Booth

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Bennett Jones partners <a href="/People/E/Eizenga-Michael">Michael Eizenga</a>, <a href="/People/D/Dionne-Bourassa-Pascale">Pascale Dionne-Bourassa</a>&nbsp;and <a href="/People/B/Booth-Katherine">Katherine Booth</a>&nbsp;have co-authored The Canadian Class Actions Handbook, published by LexisNexis. Building on The Class Actions Handbook released in 2022, this new edition brings together the core principles of class proceedings law and provides essential coverage of recent developments across Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and the Federal Court.

The Canadian Class Actions Handbook

Nina Butz

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

In RateMDs Inc. v. Bleuler, 2025 BCCA 329, the BC Court of Appeal overturned certification of a proposed privacy class action, finding that the plaintiff's novel claims that use of health professionals' names violated their privacy and amounted to commercial exploitation under provincial privacy statutes were bound to fail.

BC Court of Appeal dismisses proposed privacy class action

BC Court of Appeal Dismisses Proposed Privacy Class Action; Finds Use of Professionals' Names Was Not Commercial Exploitation 

Appellate Advocacy Seminar for Legal Education Society of Alberta (LESA)

From the Same Authors