Owen has extensive experience before all levels of courts in Ontario, the Federal Courts, the Supreme Court of Canada, and administrative tribunals. He represents companies, individuals, and public authorities. He has been recognized as a leading lawyer by Lexpert in public law litigation, and as a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in Canada in the areas of administrative and public law, and appellate practice.
In regulatory and public law litigation, Owen acts as counsel before administrative tribunals and on appeals and judicial reviews. He has particular expertise in professional regulation, regulatory investigations and prosecutions, human rights, and constitutional law. Owen has advised and represented a broad range of federal and provincial public authorities on public law matters.
In civil litigation, Owen represents clients in commercial cases, investment advisor/dealer disputes, and employment cases. He is experienced in seeking and resisting injunctive relief.
Owen served three years (2012-15) as the Executive Legal Officer to the Chief Justice of Canada, the Rt. Hon. Beverley McLachlin, P.C., acting as the principal advisor to the Chief Justice and assisting her with the administration of the Supreme Court of Canada, the Canadian Judicial Council, and the National Judicial Institute.
Earlier in his career, Owen served as a law clerk to Mr. Justice LeBel of the Supreme Court of Canada and was a college lecturer in the University of Oxford. He has been an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School and at Queen’s University’s Faculty of Law, where he taught administrative law.
In addition to his litigation practice, Owen is active in the profession and the community. In 2012, the Canadian Public Health Association awarded him the National Public Health Hero Award for making a positive difference for the public’s health at the national level. Owen has served on Legal Aid Ontario’s Group Applications and Test Cases Committee (2010-12). He co-founded and was an Executive Director of the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute (2007-11), which assists counsel appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada. In recognition of this, Owen was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by the Governor General of Canada for improving access to justice. He served three years as the Secretary to the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute (2012-15). In 2016, he was appointed to the Council of the International Commission of Jurists Canada.
In 2017, Owen was appointed as a part-time member of the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board and the Health Services Appeal and Review Board. He also serves as a Board member of the Ottawa International Writers Festival. In 2018, he was awarded the Justice Thomas Cromwell Distinguished Public Service Award by Queen’s University’s Faculty of Law.
EDUCATION
B.C.L. – University of Oxford
LL.B. – Queen’s University
B.A. – McGill University
BAR ADMISSION
2003 – Ontario
AFFILIATIONS
The Advocates’ Society
County of Carleton Law Association
National Advisory Committee, Supreme Court Advocacy Institute
Council, International Commission Jurists Canada
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