Partner
304 - 8 Avenue SW, Suite 800
Calgary, AB, T2P 1C2
+1 403 571 0746
Litigation Star
Called to Bar: 1993
Bryan obtained his business degree from the University of Regina along with the University Prize for the highest average marks in the faculty. In 1992, he then obtained his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. At that point, Bryan began his legal career by articling in Calgary with the major international law firm, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. After 5.5 years as an associate, he continued resolving disputes for a further 10 years as a Blakes partner. Bryan then joined the partnership of Jensen Shawa Solomon Duguid Hawkes LLP in January of 2009, serving as the Managing Partner from 2013 to 2014 and the Firm Chairman from 2015 to 2019.
In early 2014, Bryan was appointed King’s Counsel, a Fellow of the UK-based Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a Litigation Star by Benchmark.
Bryan’s practice focuses exclusively on advocacy and the resolution of corporate & commercial disputes. As lead or sole counsel, he has represented international and domestic corporations (commonly the largest and leading in their industries), but also privately held start-ups and individuals.
Bryan has extensive experience as an advocate and advisor, including as a trial lawyer and appellate counsel on high-stakes and high-profile matters before all levels of the Courts of Alberta, the Alberta Utilities Commission, arbitral tribunals, and applications for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
In addition to substantial experience in the arbitral context (as counsel and as arbitrator) and in the power regulatory area, Bryan litigates as lead counsel on disputes involving construction projects such as pipeline, oil sands and facility construction disputes over tens of millions of dollars of complex claims about delay, cost overruns, lost profits, project cancellation, liens and other issues.
Bryan’s practice includes a focus on the resolution of international disputes and related issues of jurisdiction and proper forum, parallel proceedings, complex comparative law questions, the recognition and enforcement of international arbitral awards and foreign court judgments and making or defending against applications for letters rogatory.
In the oil and gas context, Bryan has been counsel on disputes including long-term natural gas agreements, technical issues regarding the transportation and blending of heavy oil, gas processing fees, operatorship issues and challenges, royalty agreements, the misuse of confidential information, CO & O and JV agreements, ROFRs, drainage disputes, joint interest billings, and seismic data.
Bryan publishes and presents frequently on international, power regulatory, arbitral, construction, and oil and gas topics, and he has often appeared in the media through comments on judicial developments and decisions.
Updated March 2023