Litigation & Dispute Resolution Lawyer.
Helping clients navigate disputes and litigation to achieve
business objectives
Practice Areas.
Year of Call.
Alberta
1991
Bio
Tom is a founding partner at Blue Rock Law LLP. He understands that disputes are an inevitable part of doing business and that early and frank assessment of the dispute and a clear strategy based on that assessment brings the best results, whether in negotiation, mediation, arbitration or a courtroom. He enjoys helping clients resolve disputes in a way that maximizes benefits and minimizes harm to their business.
Tom has over 30 years of experience in advising and representing businesses, non-profits and individuals involved in disputes. His expertise is in prosecuting and defending commercial claims. This includes contract, construction, shareholder, environmental, regulatory and insurance coverage claims. He has also advised on and defended a number of class actions, and regularly represents other lawyers and professionals in professional discipline proceedings. He has advised and represented some of Canada’s leading corporations in significant and complex matters before trial and appellate courts, as well as in arbitrations, mediations, and regulatory proceedings. These clients include businesses at all stages of the energy supply chain, real estate developers and investors, power generators, and investment dealers.
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He is consistently recognized as a leading commercial litigation lawyer in national publications, which have also recognized his specific expertise in oil and gas law. He recently became qualified by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada (ADRIC) to act as a neutral independent arbitrator and has completed one arbitration in this role. Tom is also trained as a mediator through Harvard Law School. This diversity of skills helps Tom better serve clients as an advocate and to help resolve disputes when retained as a mediator or arbitrator.
Tom was born and raised in Calgary, spending his time playing competitive sports, and getting to the mountains to ski or hike whenever possible. He attended university in Ontario and British Columbia but his passion for Calgary and Alberta brought him home after law school and has kept him in Calgary ever since. Tom is dedicated to his community, volunteering extensively coaching youth sports, serving as a trial advocacy instructor to other lawyers, spending 10 years as a Director of the Calgary Stampede and currently serving on the Board of Governors of Mount Royal University. When not on the run, Tom golfs, plays tennis, heads to the mountains to hike or ski, and tries to force his family to watch old movies with him.
Career Highlights
Appointed King’s Counsel, 2022
Honorary Life Director, Calgary Stampede 2020
Qualified Arbitrator, ADRIC, 2024
Education
University of British Columbia, 1990, LLB
University of Western Ontario, 1987, BA
Institute of Corporate Directors – Not-for-Profit Governance Essentials Program, 2021
Harvard Program on Negotiation, Intensive Negotiation Workshop: “Tools for Preparing and Negotiating Effectively", 2011
Foundations of University Governance Workshop 2023, Strategic Governance Consulting Services
The Program of Negotiation at Harvard Law School - Harvard Intensive Mediation Course, 2023
Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada - Correspondence Course in Arbitration, 2023
Community
Member of Mount Royal University Board of Governors (2019-present)
Member of the Calgary Stampede Board of Directors (2010-2020)
Director, Elbow Park Residents Association (2005-2010, 2018-2020)
Recognition
The Legal 500 Canada: Dispute Resolution
Chambers Canada: Litigation: General Commercial
Lexpert Special Edition – Canada’s Leading Lawyers: Litigation; Energy
The Best Lawyers in Canada: Alternative Dispute Resolution; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Energy Law
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Litigation: Corporate Commercial; Energy: Oil & Gas
Representative Work
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Midstream company: Successful in obtaining dismissal at the Alberta Court of Appeal of a class action brought with respect to an accidental pipeline rupture and spill
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Confidential client: Representing an oil and gas marketing firm in arbitration proceedings based on shareholder oppression;
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Confidential client: Representing a plaintiff claiming over $100m in arbitration over a failed industrial development
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Confidential client: Defending class proceedings based on claims of improper administration of an employee stock incentive plan
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Confidential client: Successful recovery in arbitration against a negligent insurance broker of all business interruption losses arising from the 2013 Southern Alberta floods
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Oil and gas company: Defending producer claims of improper netbacking practices under oil transportation agreements
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Multi-national oil and gas company: Advising in connection with force majeure rights and obligations arising from pipeline service disruptions
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Confidential client: Successful dismissal, at the Alberta Court of Appeal, of a multi-million dollar claim arising from a failed real estate transaction
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Confidential client: Representation of a property developer in arbitration proceedings related to historical pollution, mitigation of same, and contractual entitlement to a $20 million contingency fund
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Confidential client: Representing an individual before the Alberta Securities Commission in connection with sanctioning for illegal trading
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Confidential Client: Advising and negotiating settlement of a dispute between partners in connection with a series of significant commercial real estate developments
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Oil and gas companies: Defending claims relating to transfers of interests and operatorship under joint operating agreements
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Confidential client: Advising on force majeure, insurance, and indemnity aspects of a major facility development contract
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Investment Dealer: Successful defense at trial of a multi-million dollar claim for wrongful dismissal, and bad faith by a former employee
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Lawyers: defending lawyers facing disciplinary proceedings airing from complaints of professional misconduct
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Confidential clients: advising and representing various companies and shareholders on claims of shareholder oppression