Our lawyers have deep expertise and experience responding to all issues facing local governments, including in the areas of:
- Administrative Law
- Construction & Development Law
- Employment, Labour & Human Resources Law
- Environmental Law
- Freedom of Information & Privacy Law
- Governance & Ethics Law
- Human Rights Law
- Indigenous Law
- Land Use & Planning Law
- Local Government & Municipal Law
- Procurement Law
- Real Estate Law
We call on our expertise to provide the following services to our valued clients:
Advice & Opinions
- Building permits and property standards
- Bylaws and official community plans
- Conflicts of interest
- DCCs
- Elections
- Environmental contamination and remediation
- Ethics issues
- Expropriation
- Freedom of information and privacy
- Governance issues
- Heritage conservation
- Homelessness
- Indigenous law
- Infrastructure development
- Jurisdiction issues
- Land use and planning law
- Latecomers
- Licensing of businesses and accommodations
- Municipal borrowing and finance
- Petitions, referenda, and alternative approval processes
- Phased developments
- Public notices, meetings, and hearings
- Public-Private Partnerships
- Real estate transactions
- Remedial action
- Rezoning, land development, and subdivision
- Riparian regulations
- Statutory interpretation
- Taxation and tax sales
- Tendering, procurement, and construction advice
Contact our advisory practice lead, Peter Johnson, for more:
Peter Johnson is a deeply experienced and trusted advisor to local governments. A partner in the firm’s solicitors group, Peter provides expert legal advice and assistance on the most critical and complex issues in BC municipal law.
Agreements & Instruments
- Business and finance agreements
- Bylaws and resolutions
- Construction contracts
- Covenants, easements, and statutory rights of way
- Expropriation-related agreements
- Finance agreements
- Land development agreements
- Leases and licences
- P3 agreements
- Parkland disposal
- Phased development agreements
- Real estate agreements
- Real estate conveyancing
- Road closures
- Servicing agreements
- Tenders and RFPs
Contact our agreements practice lead, Ryan Bortolin, for more:
Ryan Bortolin is a partner with Stewart McDannold Stuart and a member of the firm’s solicitors group. He has a wealth of expertise in bylaw drafting, construction projects, procurement and tendering, development matters, privacy, real estate transactions, and governance issues.
Disputes & Defence
- Appeals
- Arbitrations and mediations
- Charter claims
- Construction, lien, and design disputes
- Environmental Appeal Board proceedings
- Homelessness
- Human Rights Tribunal complaints
- Insurance coverage disputes
- Judicial reviews and administrative law proceedings
- Land use and development matters
- Liability defence
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner proceedings
- Ombudsperson investigatons
- Real property litigation
- Small claims and Civil Resolution Tribunal
- Statutory compensation claims
- Supplier and service provider disputes
Contact our disputes practice leads, Josh Krusell and Jeff Locke, for more:
Josh Krusell is the Managing Partner of Litigation with SMS. He regularly acts on behalf of local governments in complex liability actions, construction and insurance claims, contractual and regulatory disputes, administrative proceedings, and land use and injunction-related matters.
Jeff was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1997 and is widely recognized as an experienced and effective litigation counsel to local governments. Jeff has appeared extensively in hearings, trials, and appeals, and is known for his strategic approach to urgent challenges faced by local governments, offering practical advice, effective communication strategies, and focused problem-solving.
Enforcement & Injunctions
- Civil injunctions
- Direct enforcement
- Long-form prosecutions
- Municipal Bylaw Forum
- Notices on title to land
- Offence notices and tickets
- Remedial action requirements
Contact our compliance practice lead, Josh Krusell, for more:
Josh Krusell is the Managing Partner of Litigation with SMS. He regularly acts on behalf of local governments in complex liability actions, construction and insurance claims, contractual and regulatory disputes, administrative proceedings, and land use and injunction-related matters.
Labour & Employment Relations
- Civil litigation
- Employment Standards Branch matters
- Grievances
- Human rights issues
- Industry Troubleshooter hearings
- Labour arbitrations
- Labour Relations Board matters
- Privacy and disclosure requirements
- Regulatory compliance
- Workplace investigations
- Workplace policy and contract drafting
- WorkSafeBC and WCAT appeal matters
- Wrongful dismissal claims
Risk Management & Crisis Response
- Emergency and Disaster Management Act advice
- Internal and regulatory investigations
- Risk avoidance, abatement, and transfer
- Risk identification and analysis
- Strategic crisis and incident response
Contact our risk and crisis practice lead, Jeff Locke, for more:
Jeff was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1997 and is widely recognized as an experienced and effective litigation counsel to local governments. Jeff has appeared extensively in hearings, trials, and appeals, and is known for his strategic approach to urgent challenges faced by local governments, offering practical advice, effective communication strategies, and focused problem-solving.