June 2, 2009

The 12th Annual Canadian College of Construction Lawyers Conference

The Twelfth Annual Conference of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers was held at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago, Illinois on May 28 – May 31, 2009.

Guest speakers included Steven Richards, Senior Vice President, Nuclear Procurement Project, Infrastructure Ontario, (Toronto, ON), Winnie Shi, CA, CFA of KPMG Vancouver, (Vancouver BC), John Hastings, RBC Capital Markets (Boston, MA), Ray Bassett, Travelers Guarantee Company of Canada (Toronto, ON), Jim Moye, Moy O’Brien, Orlando Florida (Maitland, FL) and Phil Bruner, JAMS Global Engineering & Construction Group (Stilwater, MN).

The College is comprised of a small group of nominated senior lawyers (“Fellows”) from across Canada, who have highly distinguished and reputed practices in construction law. According to its by-laws, the purpose of the College is to:

“facilitate and encourage the association of outstanding lawyers who are distinguished for their skill, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice or teaching of construction law and who are dedicated to excellence in the specialized practice of construction law.”

The prominent topics at the conference focused on “Public-Private Partnerships”, or P3s, including structuring, financing, insuring, and payment mechanisms.

A new format for the conference included a series of speakers from the College together with guest speakers on the Friday morning followed by an Architectural Boat Cruise along the blue green waters of the Chicago River highlighting various local landmarks of distinction in the downtown area. Hot Topics on selected issues were presented at the Saturday morning session. The Annual General Meeting of the College was also held on the Saturday morning just prior to the Hot Topics segment.

The Fellows and their spouses were entertained at the Friday luncheon by Lorence H. Slutzky of Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd. of Chicago who spoke about The Great Chicago Fire. The dinner on the Friday evening was held at The Library Club in downtown Chicago.

The Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremony for New Fellows was held on the Saturday evening in the dining room of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The dinner speaker was Neil Steinberg of The Chicago Times.

The Canadian College of Construction Lawyers extends its congratulations to the following new Fellows inducted at the Twelfth Annual Conference:

  • Kenneth Crofoot
  • Karen Martin
  • E. Jane Sidnell
  • Scott J. Hammel
  • Donald C. I. Lucky
  • Bernard P. Quinn
  • Glenn W. Ackerley and
  • Kerry A. Short

The Canadian College of Construction Lawyers is pleased to announce that the following Officers were elected at the Twelfth Annual Conference:

President:
William L. (Mick) Ryan, Q.C.
Stewart McKelvey
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Immediate Past President:
Daniel Ayotte, Q.C.
Borden Ladner Gervais
Montreal, Quebec

Vice President:
W. Andrew McLauchlin
McLauchlin & Associates
Toronto, Ontario

Secretary:
Louis-Michel Tremblay
Miller Thomson Pouliot LLP
Montreal, Quebec

Treasurer:
Howard M. Wise
Goodmans LLP
Toronto, Ontario

Program Co-Ordinator:
Derek A. Brindle, Q.C.
Singleton Urquart
Vancouver, British Columbia

The Board of Governors of the College includes the Officers listed above, as well as:

Olivier F. Kott
Ogilvy Renault
Montreal, Quebec

David I. Marr
Campbell, Marr LLP
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Kenneth B. McCullogh, Q.C.
Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales
Saint John, New Brunswick

Joel Richler
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Toronto, Ontario

Marina A. Pratchett Q.C.
Fasken Martineau DuMolin LLP
Vancouver, British Columbia

Richard H. Shaban
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Toronto, Ontario

The following Past Presidents of the College are also ex-officio members of the Board of Governors:

Harvey J. Kirsh
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (Toronto)
(President, 1997 – 1999)

D. Robert Beaumont
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (Toronto)
(President, 1999 – 2000)

David H. Kauffman
De Grandpré Chait (Montreal)
(President, 2000 – 2001)

J. Stephen Tatrallyay
(Toronto)
(President, 2001 – 2002)

R. Bruce Reynolds
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (Toronto)
(President, 2002 – 2003)

Helmut K. Johannsen
Fasken Martineau DeMoulin LLP (Vancouver)
(President, 2003 – 2004)

Stanley Naftolin, Q.C.
Goldman Sloan Nash & Haber, LLP (Toronto)
(President, 2004 – 2005)

Duncan W. Glaholt
Glaholt LLP Barristers & Solicitors (Toronto)
(President, 2005 – 2006)

George W. MacDonald, Q.C.
McInnes Cooper (Halifax)
(President, 2006 – 2007)

Jean C. van der Lee, Q.C.,
Field LLP (Calgary)
(President, 2007 – 2008)

Daniel Ayotte, Q.C.
Borden Ladner Gervais (Montreal)
(President, 2008-2009)


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