Eugene Meehan, K.C.
Having been both a professor and Executive Legal Officer to Chief Justice Lamer, Eugene serves his clients with a unique blend of legal knowledge and practical experience. He’s most at ease strategizing for an appeal or on his feet arguing before multiple judges. Eugene is recognized for both his appellate law expertise and advocating the wearing of kilts.
Bar admissions.
Ontario
Alberta
N.W.T.
Yukon
ᓄᓇᕗᑦ (Nunavut)
Saskatchewan (Hon.)
Arizona
District of Columbia
Supreme Court of the United States
Education.
McGill University, D.C.L. (Doctor of Civil Law), 1984
University of Ottawa, LL.B., 1978
McGill University, LL.M., 1976
University of Edinburgh, LL.B., 1975
Details.
After graduating from the University of Edinburgh (LL.B.), I was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to pursue an LL.M. at McGill University. In the Québec milieu, I (mis)treated Montréalers to French spoken with a Celtic accent. People thought I was from northern Québec … way north (some actually figured I came from Abitibi Temiscamingue). I did a second LL.B. at the University of Ottawa, and then a Doctorate in Civil Law back at McGill.
A teaching opportunity drew me to Edmonton where I was a Law Professor at the University of Alberta. During eight years in Western Canada, I also articled and practised law in Edmonton (Parlee McLaws LLP, as it now is). After that, Law Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Ottawa, when Chief Justice Lamer asked me to be his (first) Executive Legal Officer. Following my time at the Supreme Court of Canada, I left academia and joined a national law firm. For over 25 years I have practised appellate law and since 2012 I have had the pleasure to do so at a boutique law firm.
Select Cases as SCC Agent:
- Prairie Risk Management Inc., c.o.b. as Prairie Insurance Group, et al. v. Marsh Canada Ltd., 41724 – Fiduciary duty
- Robert Marcus Hirschfield v. His Majesty the King, 41712 – Civil Procedure, class actions
- Ryall v. R., 41709 – Criminal law, evidence
- William Tataryn, et al. v. Diamond & Diamond Lawyers LLP, 41686 – Civil procedure, class actions
- Arcamm Electrical Services Ltd. v. Avison Young Real Estate Management Services LP, et al., 41673 – Contracts, contract for service
- Gerard Michael Egan v. Harbour Air Seaplanes LLP, 41432 – Employment law; contracts
- Megan Walker, et al. v. Marcel Marcellin, 41425 – Tort law; defamation
- Don Neustaedter, et al. v. His Majesty the King in Right of Alberta as Represented by Occupational Health and Safety, et al., 41394 – Administrative law; boards and tribunals
- Ryan Alford v. Canada (Attorney General), 2026 SCC 14 – Constitutional law; Canadian institutions
- Steelhead LNG (ASLNG) Ltd., et al. v. ARC Resources Ltd., et al., 41323 – Intellectual property; patents
- GSI Global Shelters Developments Ltd. v. Rural Municipality of Last Mountain Valley No. 250, 41267 – Administrative law; judicial review
- Saskatchewan Power Corporation v. Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, et al., 41226 – Civil procedure; pleadings
- City of Vancouver v. Pender Lodge Holdings Ltd., et al., 41198 – Municipal law; bylaws
- GreenBlue Urban North America Inc. v. DeepRoot Green Infrastructure, LLC, et al., 41194 – Intellectual property; patents
- Gollon v. R., 41185 – Provincial offences; Fish and Wildlife Conservation
- Métis Nation of Alberta Association v. His Majesty the King in Right of Alberta as Represented by the Minister of Indigenous Relations, 41184 – Aboriginal law; Métis
- Karen Fraser, et al. v. Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, et al., 40920 – Charter of Rights and Freedoms; freedom of expression
- Elaine Lois Nairne v. Andrew Ian Mackenzie Nairne, 40913 – Family Law; support
- Gateway Bible Baptist Church, Pembina Valley Baptist Church, Thomas Rempel, Grace Covenant Church, Slavic Baptist Church, Bible Baptist Church, Tobias Tissen, and Ross Mackay v. His Majesty the King in Right of the Province of Manitoba, Dr. Brent Roussin in his capacity as Chief Public Health Officer of Manitoba, and Dr. Jazz Atwal in his capacity as Acting Deputy Chief Officer of Health Manitoba, 40903 – Charter of rights; Constitutional justification for severe restrictions and prohibitions on religious worship and outdoor assembly
- Jordan Peterson v. College of Psychologists of Ontario, 41168 – Administrative law; boards and tribunals
- Aleka Jennifer Stobo v. Reid Gordon Cohoon, 41123 – Family law; spousal support
- Alem Birhane, Fekre Gabreselassie and Yohannes Ghebrenedhin v. Medhanie Alem Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, Andeberhan Kidane, Futzum Aitzegheb, Samuel Tekie Kelete, 41116 – Courts; jurisdiction
- Sir Corp., US S.I.R., llc and/or subsidiaries and/or franchises and/or affiliated and/or associated firms and/or other interests as Directed by Sir Corp. v. Aviva Insurance Company of Canada, 41092 – Insurance; contract
- Kenneth Wayne Muzik v. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, et al., 41091 – Torts; defamation
- The Honourable A. Brian Peckford, et al. v. Attorney General of Canada, 41082 – Administrative Law; Judicial Review
Select Cases as SCC Counsel/Co-Counsel:
- Ian Runkle, et al. v. Attorney General of Canada, et al., 41778 – Administrative Law – Co-counsel for the Applicant
- Ultracuts Franchises Incorporated, et al. v. Christopher R. Cawston, et al., 40980 – Torts, intentional torts – Co-counsel for the Applicant
- Oz Merchandising Inc. v. Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association et al., 39841 – Torts, negligence – Counsel for the Applicant
- The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John’s v. John Doe (G.E.B. #25), et al., 39343 – Torts, vicarious liability – Co-counsel for the Respondents
- Office of the Independent Police Review Director v. Faye Stanley, et al., 39211 – Administrative Law, boards and tribunals – Counsel for the Applicant
- Phillips Legal Professional Corporation, et al. v. Cowessess First Nation No. 73, et al., 39135 – Constitutional law, division of powers – Co-counsel for the Applicants
- Health Genetic Center Corp. o/a Health Genetic Center, et al. v. Peter Aldhous, et al., 39047 – Co-counsel for the Applicants
Notable Appellate Work:
- Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John’s v Guardian Insurance Company of Canada, 2025 NLCA – Co-counsel for proposed Intervener
- John Doe v. The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John’s, 2020 NLCA 27
- Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada et al. v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, 2019 ONCA 39
- Satyam Patel v. Dr. George Carson (Regina Qu’Appelle Regional Health Authority Senior Medical Officer), 2018 SKCA 98
- Board of Governors, University of St. Paul, Ottawa, 1994-2007
- Appointed King’s Counsel, 1999
- National President, Canadian Bar Association, 1999-2000
- Executive Legal Officer, Supreme Court of Canada, 1990-1992
- Board of Governors, University of Ottawa, 1988-1992
- Director of Graduate Studies, University of Ottawa, 1988-1990
- Professor of Law, University of Ottawa, 1986-1990
- Professor of Law, University of Alberta, 1978-1986
- Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario
- Ontario Bar Association
- Canadian Bar Association
- Advocates Society
- Supreme Court of Canada Manual: Practice and Advocacy (Thomson Reuters, 2011, loose leaf and updated to 2024) Co-author
- Supreme Court of Canada Manual (Canada Law Book, 2024) Lead co-author
- “Getting In, Getting Heard, Getting Practical: Intervening in Appellate Courts Across Canada” Advocates Quarterly (2017) 46 Advocates’ Q 3, co-author
- The Law of Criminal Attempt in Canada (Carswell, 3rd ed. 2015) Lead co-author
- Creditors’ Remedies in Ontario (Lexis Nexis, 3rd ed., 2013) Lead co-author
- Canada’s Constitutional Law in a Nutshell (Carswell, 4th ed., 2013) Co-author
- Supreme Court of Canada Manual (Canada Law Book, 2011) Lead co-author
- Creditors’ Remedies in Ontario (Lexis Nexis, 2nd ed., 2009) Lead co-author
- Canadian Constitutional Documents Consolidated (Carswell, 2nd ed., 2007) Co-author
- Injunctions Practice Guide (Carswell, 1996) Lead co-author
- Creditors’ Remedies in Alberta (Carswell, 2nd ed. 1996) Co-author
- Charter of Rights Annotated (Carswell 1995 & 1996) Lead co-author
- Sept. 27, 2024 – Hot Topics in Insurance Conference, “Significant S.C.C. cases of interest to the Personal Injury bar The Last Five Years”
- Sept. 27, 2024 – Hot Topics in Insurance Conference, “Developing an Appealing Personality” and “Getting Leave at the Supreme Court of Canada (or Responding to One)”
- Sept. 20, 2024 – Lakehead University, “Legal Writing & Strategy: 50 Do’s & Don’ts”
- Sept. 13, 2024 – Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, “Civility as a Tactical Tool”
- July 20, 2024 – American Association for Justice, Canadian Caucus, “Significant S.C.C. Cases of Interest to the Personal Injury Bar – The Last Five Years”
- April 3, 2024 – Indigenous Law Issues 2024, Law Society of Ontario, “Significant S.C.C. Aboriginal Law Cases: The Last Seven Years”
- Sept. 29, 2023 – Hot Topics in Insurance Conference, “Significant S.C.C. cases of interest to the Personal Injury bar, 2022-2023”
- Sept. 29, 2023 – Hot Topics in Insurance Conference, “30 Ways to Lose (at the Court of Appeal by Oral Argument plus 15 more do’s and don’ts)”
- Sept. 25, 2023 – Lakehead University, “Legal Writing & Strategy: 50 Do’s & Don’ts”
- Sept. 22, 2023 – Law Society of Newfoundland & Labrador, “Legal Writing & Strategy: 50 Do’s & Don’ts”
- Sept. 22, 2023 – Law Society of Newfoundland & Labrador, “Civility: Dealing with Porcupines in the Practice of Law”
- July 15, 2023 – American Association for Justice, Canadian Caucus, “Significant S.C.C. Cases of interest to the Personal Injury Bar, 2022-2023”
- July 15, 2023 – American Association for Justice, Canadian Caucus, “30 Ways to Lose (at the Court of Appeal by Oral Argument plus 15 more do’s and don’ts)”
- June 22, 2023 – The Art of Advocacy, “Significant S.C.C. Cases of interest to the Personal Injury Bar, 2022-2023”
- May 30, 2023 – Brazeau Seller LLP, “Legal Writing & Strategy: 50 Do’s & Don’ts”
- April 8, 2022 – Indigenous Law Issues, Law Society of Ontario, “Significant S.C.C. Aboriginal Law Cases: The Last Five Years”
- Oct. 26, 2022 – Canadian Bar Association, “Using Civility as a Strategic Tool”
- Sept. 27, 2022 – University, of Ottawa, “Legal Writing & Strategy: 50 Do’s & Don’ts”
- Sept. 26, 2022 – Lakehead University, “Legal Writing & Strategy: 50 Do’s & Don’ts”
- July 16, 2022 – American Association for Justice, Canadian Caucus, “Significant S.C.C. Cases of interest to the Personal Injury Bar, 2021-2022” – Presented by Lauren Harper, Wagners LLP