Partner
Richard's focus is on employment and labour.
Richard appears before all levels of Court in Alberta and the Federal Court of Canada. He also appears before the Alberta Labour Relations Board, the Canada Industrial Relations Board, the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board and the Alberta Human Rights Commission. He regularly:
Richard is a member of the Executive Committee at BD&P and is the employment and labour group leader.
Richard completed his Articles of Clerkship at the Alberta Court of Appeal, serving as a clerk to Justice Anne H. Russell from 1996 to 1997.
Counsel for plaintiff class in successful settlement agreement with the City of Leduc for systemic sexual abuse, harassment, and assault against female city employees, including firefighters. Terms of settlement include the highest per-person monetary compensation in a Canada class action settlement for workplace misconduct. The per-person settlement amounts combined with the non-adversarial claims process, non-monetary remedies, and the lengthy claimant eligibility time period, arguably makes this settlement the most progressive workplace class action settlement in Canadian history. This is the first settlement of a class action involving sexual misconduct and sexual assault in a fire department or municipality in Canada. The individual compensation in this settlement exceeds that provided by Canada’s most notable workplace harassment class action settlements to date. This settlement was approved by the Court on July 4, 2023.
Co-counsel in a $40 million claim and counterclaim, alleging misappropriation and misuse of confidential and proprietary information, unfair competition, wrongful solicitation of employees and customers, breach of fiduciary duties, conspiracy, defamation and oppression.
Counsel in a $5.5 million claim asserting breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, misappropriation and misuse of confidential information, inducing breach of contract, wrongful solicitation of employees, customers and suppliers, and interference with contractual relations and economic interests.
Counsel representing a defendant employer in two human rights complaints alleging discrimination based on gender, equal pay, and retaliation, which matters were heard before the Alberta Human Rights Commission, before the Court of Queen's Bench and twice before the Alberta Court of Appeal.
Co-counsel in a multi-million dollar claim and counterclaim between an ex-CEO and a large organization, alleging breach of contract, wrongful dismissal, negligence, fraud and deceit, which claim and counterclaim proceed to a lengthy trial before the Court of Queen's Bench.
Counsel in a $2.5 million claim alleging wrongful dismissal and unlawful withholding of retention bonus funds.
Counsel in Alberta Labour Relations Board hearing, and judicial review to the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, in relation to successorship and common employer applications.
Counsel in a Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench Judicial Review of a Saskatchewan Labour Board decision relating to certification and the "build-up" principle in the Saskatchewan construction industry.
Counsel and co-counsel in numerous hearings before the Alberta Labour Relations Board and the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board in relation to certifications, revocations, determinations, unfair labour practice complaints, successorship and common employer declarations.
Counsel in individual, group, policy and interest grievance arbitrations.
Counsel representing a federally regulated employer in defending unjust dismissal complaints, including adjudications under the Canada Labour Code.
Counsel representing two defendants in a $25 million claim brought by 21 plaintiffs and involving seven defendants relating to freehold petroleum and natural gas leases in Alberta, including a lengthy trial before the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta and appeal to the Alberta Court of Appeal.
Counsel in a $9.5 million claim brought by an operator against a well-control company retained to control a well blowout, which claim proceeded to a lengthy trial before the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta.
Named in Best Lawyers in Canada as a recommended lawyer in labour and employment law (annually since 2008)
Named in Chambers Canada as a leading lawyer in Employment & Labour (2019-2025)
Awarded the National Impact Case Award by Benchmark Litigation (2024)
BD&P Employment & Labour Group named 2023 Reader's Choice in the Employment & Labour Law – Full Service Firm category by Canadian HR Reporter
Named as a Litigation Star in Benchmark Litigation Canada (2023, 2024, 2025)
Named in Chambers Canada as a leading lawyer in Employment & Labour (2019-2025)
Recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer in the area of employment law (employer and employee) (2017-2024) and Labour (management) (2023, 2024)
Named as a Litigation Star in Benchmark Canada, the Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys in the areas of Employment and Labour, Energy and Natural Resources and Securities, 2017-2022
Future Star in Benchmark Litigation Canada (2014-2016)
September 20, 2021
June 27, 2025
March 11, 2025
September 26, 2024
August 29, 2024
May 9, 2024
May 1, 2024
March 6, 2024
September 28, 2023
August 24, 2023
June 21, 2023
June 16, 2023
April 26, 2023
March 1, 2023
September 29, 2022
August 25, 2022
April 28, 2021
April 23, 2021
September 9, 2020
August 27, 2020
April 29, 2020
April 14, 2020
August 21, 2019
May 3, 2019
March 26, 2019
September 21, 2018
August 21, 2018