John’s practice focuses on serving the needs of a sophisticated group of major institutional, public and private real property clients and entrepreneurs including owners, commercial property advisory services, in house counsel and their asset managers and property managers.
John’s role usually emphasizes problem solving what his clients consider to be difficult, sensitive and complex matters with a view to expeditiously and cost effectively achieving targeted business objectives and advancing business interests. This involves:
- Commercial contract interpretation and enforcement, particularly with a litigation emphasis; and
- Crisis, risk and reputational management & strategic advice
John’s experience has earned him the respect of a coveted group of top tier real estate professionals who consider him a member of their legal team and a trusted and valued first rate business advisor and strategist whom they look to and rely upon to develop creative interest based resolutions that meet their carefully analyzed business objectives.
John’s clients have described him as “a brilliant strategist”, “always thinks outside the box to develop strategies other lawyers often would never think of”, “a key strategic advisor on one of Canada's most complex real estate portfolios”, as someone who “oozes integrity, humility and wisdom”, a “core part of our risk and strategic decision making process” , and "completely trusted" and “invaluable”. John’s highly-esteemed career earns him many referrals and recommendations from other field-leading practitioners. A 25+ year client recently described him as “an individual that takes pride in his work, takes time to educate his clients and a true top notch professional in his field”.
John’s experience in commercial, industrial and office lease matters includes: tenancy negotiation, amendment, interpretation and enforcement; monetary default remedies including distraint and collection strategies; non-monetary defaults such as environmental contamination and repair and restoration issues; rights and remedies in Bankruptcy and CCAA restructurings; labour and employment issues, construction liens, provincial offences, and any other matter related to the ownership of real property and commercial contracts. In particular, John has developed considerable expertise assisting clients to manage crises, especially where reputational risk exists.
John’s practice has taken him to a variety of Courts and Tribunals. He is also admitted to practice law as a solicitor in England and Wales, and is involved with alumnus of the London School of Economics where he earned a Master of Laws.
John is frequently sought after to speak on commercial tenancy issues at numerous conferences including those hosted by the Law Society of Ontario and ICSC. John is also invited to attend the Georgetown University Law Center's Advanced Commercial Leasing Institute an event which is by invitation only to the most senior commercial tenancy lawyers in the United States and Canada.
John has been requested by his partners to be: the Chairman of the firm’s Conflict Committee; the firm’s Ethics and Risk Management Committee; the firm's Senior Lateral Recruitment Committee (2014) as well as Chairman of the firm's 2019 Governance Committee. He is a past member of the firm’s Executive Committee.