Ian is a member of the firm’s Business Disputes, Transportation and Logistics, and Maritime Practice Groups.
Ian is a commercial litigator and transportation lawyer. He takes a principled but pragmatic and business-focused approach to solving his clients’ legal issues and disputes.
Ian acts as counsel in litigation and arbitrations involving cargo, warehousing, casualty, construction, and contract claims relating to maritime and all other modes of transportation. He also assists shippers, intermediaries, and carriers with drafting and negotiating transportation-related contracts and standard form documents. Ian also advises on compliance with regulatory requirements, as well as customs and tariff-related issues.
In addition, Ian defends manufacturers and distributors in numerous product liability matters. He advises manufacturers and distributors with reporting defects, adverse reactions, and incidents to regulatory authorities and helps navigate clients through recall processes and any related litigation.
Ian also has ample experience in the energy sector, including representing midstream, energy, and oilfield services companies in commercial and construction-related disputes.
In the course of his varied commercial litigation practice, Ian regularly represents clients in business disputes and insolvency proceedings. In that context, Ian has experience in a variety of areas and industries, such as banking and securities, construction, municipal, and administrative law.
Ian has appeared before all levels of the Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Federal Courts, and has litigated in all Canadian common law provinces.
Before joining Alexander Holburn, Ian practiced in Calgary, Alberta, at one of Canada’s leading business law firms, where he primarily practiced energy, insolvency, and transportation law. Prior to that, he practiced at a major regional firm in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where his transportation practice included several years as a protection and indemnity club correspondent. He articled at that firm and then clerked at the Federal Court of Canada with one of the Court’s justices who hears maritime cases.
Ian volunteers with Pro Bono Ontario and sits on the board of directors of a registered charity. He has also acted as pro bono counsel for refugee claimants before the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court, and he has volunteered with Pro Bono Law Alberta’s Civil Claims Duty Counsel and Queen’s Bench Amicus programs.