Richard F. Steele
Partner
Experience
Richard's focus is on:
- Employment and labour
- Commercial and general litigation
- Energy litigation
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:
- Advises clients regarding termination and layoff strategy
- Drafts collective agreements, employment agreements, independent consultant contracts, change of control and retention agreements
- Advises clients concerning personnel procedures and policies, drug and alcohol policies, restrictive covenant obligations and site access issues
- Advises clients on downsizing, corporate transactions, defending employment-related litigation and discrimination complaints
- Advises clients relating to union matters, including collective agreements, unfair labour practice complaints, duties of fair representation, certification and revocation, and successor and common employer applications
- Represents parties at grievance arbitrations
Professional involvement
Richard is a member of the Executive Committee at BD&P and is the employment and labour group leader.
Professional associations
- Member, Law Society of Alberta
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Calgary Bar Association
Presentations
Richard has also presented at various conferences, panels, seminars, and other events, including:
- Employment Termination Best Practices Seminar, Calgary, 2010
- Employee Termination and Restructuring Conference, Calgary, 2009
- In an Economic Downturn are Less Reasons Needed and Fewer Second Chances Granted?, presented at the Incisive Media Western Canada Employee Terminations & Restructuring Conference, September 2009
Representative work
$40 million employment-related dispute
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.
$5.5 million breach of contract dispute
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.
Discrimination and human rights disputes
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.
Employment dispute before the Court of the Queen's Bench
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.
$2.5 million wrongful dismissal claim
Counsel in a $2.5 million claim alleging wrongful dismissal and unlawful withholding of retention bonus funds.
Hearing before the Alberta Labour Relations Board
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.
Review of a decision relating to the "build-up" principle in the Saskatchewan construction industry
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.
Hearings before the Alberta Labour Relations Board and the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board
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.
Advice to individuals and companies regarding employment and labour arbitrations
Counsel in individual, group, policy and interest grievance arbitrations.
Defending unjust dismissal complaints
Counsel representing a federally regulated employer in defending unjust dismissal complaints, including adjudications under the Canada Labour Code.
$25 million freehold lease dispute
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.
Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta trial over a well blowout
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.
Awards
Recent honours and recognition
Named as a Litigation Star in Benchmark Litigation Canada (2023)
Named in Chambers Canada as a leading lawyer in employment and labour (Alberta) (2019-2023)
Recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer in the area of employment law (employer and employee) (2017-2023) and Labour (management) (2023)
Litigation Star in Benchmark Litigation Canada in the areas of employment and labour, energy and natural resources and securities (2017-2022)
Named in Best Lawyers in Canada as a recommended lawyer in labour and employment law (annually since 2008)
Future Star in Benchmark Litigation Canada (2014-2016)
Publications
September 20, 2021
Mandatory vaccinations in the non-unionized workplace – considerations for employers
News
April 26, 2023
BD&P ranked highly by 2023 Benchmark Litigation Canada
March 1, 2023
Recognition from Lexpert celebrates BD&P lawyers as recommended leaders in Canada
September 29, 2022
Chambers Canada recognizes fourteen BD&P lawyers for legal expertise in 2023 edition
August 25, 2022
Thirty-five BD&P lawyers recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada, 2023 edition
April 28, 2021
Fifteen BD&P litigation lawyers ranked in Benchmark Canada 2021
April 23, 2021
Twenty BD&P lawyers recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2021
September 9, 2020
Sixteen BD&P lawyers recognized in the 2021 edition of Chambers Canada
August 27, 2020
Thirty-four lawyers recognized in the 2021 edition of the Best Lawyers in Canada guide
April 29, 2020
Twenty-three lawyers ranked in 2020 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
April 14, 2020
Thirteen BD&P litigation lawyers ranked in Benchmark Canada 2020
August 21, 2019
31 BD&P lawyers included in 2020 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada
May 3, 2019
Twenty-one lawyers ranked across seventeen practice areas in 2019 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
March 26, 2019
Ten litigation partners ranked in the 2019 edition of Benchmark Canada
September 21, 2018
BD&P lawyers recognized as leading practitioners in 2019 edition of Chambers Canada
August 21, 2018