Our Approach

The Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal have courtrooms throughout Canada that hear challenges to actions or inaction on the part of the Government of Canada and its Boards and Tribunals, as well as some disputes involving federal legislation like the Indian Act. While that leaves the majority of court cases in Canada in the hands of provincial trial and appellate courts, there remains a vast jurisdiction of thousands of cases a year argued before the Federal Courts which have their own specialized sets of Rules and procedures.

Retaining the Firm for your Federal Court or Federal Court of Appeal needs will lead to you receiving personalized service, a custom-developed litigation strategy, and a timely implementation of that strategy, which will maximize your prospects of success regardless of the legal issues you need to bring before the Courts.

OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE FEDERAL COURT’S UNIQUE JURISDICTION

The firm’s Senior Barrister Gordon S. Campbell has three decades of experience dealing with the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal throughout Canada. He’s practiced law in every province and territory of Canada, holds degrees from McGill in both Quebec civil law (B.C.L.) and common law (LL.B.), and pleads cases equally in both French and English. He served for almost a decade with the Department of Justice Canada’s Ontario and Atlantic Regional Offices appearing before the Federal Courts for the Crown, and now provides his clients with custom-crafted Federal Court litigation solutions, including on Indigenous and Aboriginal law issues, Maritime and Admiralty law controversies, Intellectual Property disputes, Immigration and Citizenship challenges, and claims against the Crown in Right of Canada, including reviews of decisions of federal administrative boards, tribunals and decision-makers.

While most federal court cases start in the Federal Court’s trial division, some cases proceed directly to the Federal Court of Appeal, such as for appeals of Tax Court of Canada or Specific Claims Tribunal rulings. 

We regularly appear in the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal, and can help First Nations with any matter that needs to proceed there. Our commitment to you is a probing evaluation of a decision maker’s order, government action (or inaction), or trial judgment, a frank explanation of your judicial review, trial or appeal prospects for success, and tireless commitment devoted to the advancement of your case. 

We help clients advance their legal interests in all legal subjects adjudicated by the Federal Courts, including:

• Indigenous & Aboriginal law, including:

  • Aboriginal title, Aboriginal rights and treaty rights, and claims for damages against the Crown;

  • Judicial review of conduct and decisions of federal bodies and tribunals that affect First Nations;

  • Judicial review of Indigenous decision-making bodies, such as elections tribunals.

• Indigenous claims decisions from the Specific Claims Tribunal;

• First Nation Employment;

• Environmental Assessments;

• Environmental Assessments;

• Income Tax or HST/GST decisions from the Tax Court of Canada;

• Privacy and Access to Information;

• Copyright, Trademarks, Industrial designs, Integrated circuits, patents and Plant breeders’ rights, including Copyright Board rulings;

• Competition Tribunal decisions;

• We also help clients correctly interpret and advocate for their rights under the over 100 statutes which confer jurisdiction upon the Federal Courts (where the firm’s Senior Barrister has previously appeared as counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada on issues of statutory interpretation), including:

• Access to Information Act, RSC 1985, c A-1

• Canada Labour Code, RSC 1985, c L-2

• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, SC 2012, c 19, s 52

• Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, SC 1999, c. 33

• Canadian Human Rights Act, RSC 1985, c H-6

• Excise Tax Act, RSC 1985, c E-15

• Fisheries Act, RSC 1985, c F-14

• Indian Act, RSC 1985, c I-5

• Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, SC 2000, c 5

• Privacy Act, RSC 1985, c P-21

• Copyright Act, RSC, 1985, c. C-42

• Patent Act, RSC, 1985, c. P-4

• Trade-marks Act, RSC, 1985, c. T-13

THE FEDERAL COURT LAWYERS

Gordon S. Campbell as the firm’s Senior Barrister served for many years as counsel at the Department of Justice Canada where he represented Federal interests in the Federal Courts, and now offers that inside understanding of process and arguments to assist First Nations. His Federal Court practice includes Indigenous rights and treaty claims, admiralty and maritime law matters, intellectual property, and environmental assessments.

He has served as legal counsel to Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Environment Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Military Police Complaints Commission. He also served as lead negotiator of Comprehensive and Specific Claims with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Atlantic Canada. He has held specialized government roles such as Copyright Prosecutions Coordinator and Constitutional Issues Coordinator with the Federal Prosecution Service and Department of Justice, as well as served as Canada’s Director of Cryptographic Export Control Policy.

He is assisted by other experienced lawyers, law clerks and staff of the firm.