Regulated Professionals and Freedom of Expression
Boards, Tribunals & Administrative Law
<< servicesWe have extensive experience advocating before boards and tribunals. We also train administrative decision-makers and act as their independent legal counsel.
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Administrative Law in everyday life and business
As an individual or in business, you interact with Administrative Law every day. From obtaining a business license to applying for permits, complying with environmental regulations, to ensuring you renew your professional designation. The principles of Administrative Law apply to all of these situations and countless others.
Decades of skilled experience
We have practiced Administrative Law for over 60 years. No matter your administrative issue, we can assist you with:
- Statutory interpretation
- Notice requirements
- Jurisdictional issues
- Procedural and substantive aspects of hearings
- Evidentiary issues
- Allegations of bias
- Challenges related to the Canadian
- Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- Remedies, including judicial review and appeals
Our experience spans a number of areas:
- Property and Industrial Assessments
- Energy rates and related proceedings
- Expropriations
- Privacy issues, including those under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP), the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and the Health Information Act (HIA)
- Human rights issues
- Labour relations
- Natural Resources Conservation Board
- Professional disciplinary hearings
- Subdivision and Development appeals and other administrative processes related to Municipal Law
- Surface rights issues
- Matters related to K-12 and post-secondary education
- Judicial Review by the Courts
We have appeared before a wide variety of administrative tribunals spanning many sectors and contexts. We have also appeared before all levels of Court in Alberta and the Supreme Court of Canada.
Governments delegate the authority to administer programs, rules, and processes to a number of departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and other bodies. Administrative Law is the system of legal principles that apply when these public authorities exercise their power.
Working with all parties
We represent parties in administrative proceedings. This includes both individuals or organizations who are subject to administrative decisions, as well as the public authorities who make those decisions.
However, we also act as independent legal counsel for appeal bodies and tribunals – the adjudicators who preside and decide on a matter when a dispute arises. When we act for these adjudicators, we help them understand their responsibilities so that they are able to discharge their duties in a way that is legally sound.
Leaders in education
Our experience makes us leaders in Administrative Law education. We provide full-spectrum training to decision-makers on administrative law, on a number of topics:
- The foundations of Administrative Law
- Understanding governing legislation and the authority it grants
- The principles of natural justice and procedural fairness
- Conducting a fair hearing, including rules related to evidence and witnesses
- Effective decision-making and deliberating;
- Preparing a written decision; and
- Understanding processes of appeal, including appeals to the Courts and other review bodies, as well as judicial reviews by the Courts.
We offer comprehensive online Webinars designed to help tribunal members understand their roles and discharge their duties in a way that is legally sound. Learn more here.
Members of our team also teach Administrative Law at the post-secondary level and teach on behalf of the Foundation of Administrative Justice, a non-profit organization that provides board member training.
Learn more
We would welcome the opportunity to speak with you about your needs. If you would like to learn more, please reach out to us.
