Queen’s Marque
600-1741 Lower Water Street
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 0J2
Language(s) spoken: English
Bar Admission(s): Nova Scotia, 1985
Legal Assistant(s): Heather Bruce
Providing legal services through a professional corporation.
For Geoff’s clients, the stakes involved in litigation are quite significant and affect their bottom line. He works with national and multinational commercial insurance companies, building contractors, building suppliers, directors and officers of corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Chartered Banks and regional business interests involved in litigation disputes. Key cases that represent Geoff’s commitment to success for his clients include:
- Leading the successful defense of a major Canadian Chartered Bank against multimillion dollar claims of breach of contract, fiduciary duty and related allegations.
- Representing a major Canadian insurer in resisting the constitutional challenge to the auto insurance cap legislation in Nova Scotia.
- Acted on a team that successfully represented the former CEO and Chairman of a publicly listed mining company in a multiparty directors and officers liability case involving over $100 plus million and other damages.
- Representing a Regional Municipality in the successful defense of a high profile statutory immunity case.
- Representing other leading regional business interests in private alternative dispute proceedings in relation to construction or commercial claims.
Education & Career
Education
Directors Education Program (DEP), Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, 2014
University of New Brunswick, LL.B., 1984
Dalhousie University, B.A. in Economics and Political Science, 1981
Activities
Past Chair, Partnership Board, Stewart McKelvey
Member, Partnership Board, Stewart McKelvey, 2005 to 2020
Member, Canadian Bar Association
Past Chair, Canadian Bar Association Construction Group (Nova Scotia Branch)
Past Editor, Nova Scotia Law News, Construction Law
Past Lecturer (Part time), Commercial Insurance, Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University
Past member, Board of Governors, Halifax Grammar School, 2009 to 2013
Past board member and chair, Governance Committee, Symphony Nova Scotia, 2009 to 2013
Chair, Board of Directors, Halifax Port Authority, 2012 to 2015
Board of Directors, Halifax Port Authority, 2006 to 2015
Vice chair, Board of Directors, Halifax Port Authority, 2008 to 2012
Director, Wildbrain Inc (TSX, NASDAQ)
Chair, Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, Wildbrain Inc Media Ltd (TSX, NASDAQ)
Member, Wildbrain Inc Human Resources and Compensation Committee
Member, Wildbrain Inc Special Strategic Review Committee
Member, Board of Directors, Organigram Holdings Inc (OGI: TSX/ NASDAQ)
Chair, Governance and Nominations Committee, Organigram Holdings Inc
Member, Human Resources and Compensation Committee, Organigram Holdings Inc
Strategic Marketing Partner, Stewart McKelvey, 2011 to 2014
Member, Human Resources and Governance Committee, Partnership Board, 2012 to present
President, Board of Governors and Executive Committee, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, 2022 – present
Co-Editor, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers Law Journal, 2014 to present
Graduate, Intensive Directors Education Program (DEP), Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, 2013-2014
Member, Institute of Corporate Directors
Awarded Institute of Corporate Directors ICD.D Designation, November 2015
Speaker and participant in various Director’s Governance related programs locally and nationally
Involvement in community charitable endeavours for various organizations including United Way of Halifax, Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia and Arthritis Society of Nova Scotia
Accolades
King’s Counsel, 2003
Best Lawyers: Construction Law, 2012 – 2025
Best Lawyers: Insurance Law, 2006, 2008 – 2025
Best Lawyers: Personal Injury Litigation, 2006, 2008 – 2025
Best Lawyers: Product Liability Law, 2013 – 2025
Benchmark Canada, local litigation star (Commercial Litigation, Insurance, Personal Injury) 2012-2014
Benchmark Canada, litigation star – Canada, Product Liability, 2013 – 2014
Benchmark Canada, local litigation star (General Commercial, Insurance, Personal Injury), 2015
Benchmark Canada, local litigation star (Energy and Natural Resources, General Commercial, Insurance, Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury, Product Liability), 2016
Benchmark Canada, local litigation star (General Commercial, Insurance, Product Liability and Recall), 2017 – 2022
Lexpert rating: Construction Law, 2021, 2023 – 2024
Lexpert rating: Litigation – Directors’ and Officers’ Liability, 2012 – 2023
Lexpert rating: Litigation – Commercial Insurance, 2008 – 2022
Martindale-Hubbell rating: AV Preeminent® (highest peer rating)