Investigations & Defence

• International anti-corruption investigations for multinational clients relating to allegations of improper payments to government officials in Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia

• International sanctions investigations relating to alleged violations of Canadian and US sanctions and export laws

• International and domestic investigations related to conflicts of interest, fraud, and kickbacks

• Domestic investigations related to insider trading and other securities offences

• Defending companies against environmental charges

• Defending financial institutions in litigation arising from allegations of investment negligence

Compliance

• Key member of the Compliance Monitorship team for SNC-Lavalin pursuant to the Probation Order imposed by the Quebec Court as part of its sentencing on charges of fraud in Libya

• Key member of the Compliance Monitorship team for SNC-Lavalin pursuant to its Remediation Agreement to resolve charges related to misconduct associated with the Jacques Cartier Bridge project that occurred between 1997 – 2004

• Conducting robust global and local anti-corruption and sanctions risk assessments of client operations in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, with particularly significant experience in the technology and mining and extractive industries

• Evaluating, designing, enhancing, and implementing robust anti-corruption and sanctions compliance programs for a number of Canada’s largest companies

• Advising various companies with respect to compliance with anti-corruption, sanctions, conflicts of interest and lobbying laws

• Advising various companies with respect to anti-corruption and sanctions transactional due diligence, including transactions involving targets or assets in high-risk jurisdictions in Africa, Eastern Europe, South America and Asia

John is recognized as a leading lawyer in the following publication:

• Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business – 2023–2024 (White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations)

John is a member of the Law Societies of Ontario and Alberta. He also maintains an active pro bono practice, including recently assisting a pro bono client that was the victim of serious fraud. After an internal investigation and interaction with police and Crown counsel led by John, the pro bono client received court ordered restitution for approximately 80% of the total fraud.

• Co-author : Key Amendments to Canadian Sanctions Legislation Now in Force
  Blakes Bulletin on Financial Services Regulatory, July 12, 2023.
• Co-author : Canada Sees Its Second-Ever Remediation Agreement
  Blakes Bulletin on Business Crimes, Investigations & Compliance, June 12, 2023.
• Co-author : Ontario Superior Court Provides Key Guidance About the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act
  Blakes Bulletin on Business Crimes, Investigations & Compliance, March 21, 2023.

Admitted to the Ontario Bar – 2022
Admitted to the Alberta Bar – 2017
JD (With Great Distinction), University of Saskatchewan – 2016
BA (With Great Distinction, Political Studies), University of Saskatchewan – 2016