Lawyer Profile
Jeff G. Cowan
Toronto, Ontario
Overview
Jeff has argued many of the leading cases – including in the Supreme Court of Canada – in the areas of tribunal jurisdiction and independence, Ministerial discretion, standard of judicial review, equality rights, constitutionality and interpretation of taxation and valuation legislation and remedies, freedom of information, Indigenous peoples’ land claims and remedies, ownership of waterfront property, and the interpretation of commercial leases.
C.U.P.E. v. Ontario (Minister of Labour) – Jeff was co-counsel, along with WeirFoulds partner Greg Richards, for the Canadian Bar Association in its successful intervention before the Supreme Court of Canada in this leading case in administrative law involving judicial review of the Minister’s discretionary decision to appoint retired judges as chairs of interest arbitration panels in the health care sector.
Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point v. Canada and Chippewas of Sarnia v. Canada – Jeff was successful counsel in these important decisions on aboriginal law and remedies in land claims, in the Supreme Court of Canada and the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
M. v. H. Jeff was counsel for the United Church of Canada in this leading Supreme Court of Canada decision on equality rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Municipal Property Assessment Corp v. BCE Place Ltd. and Nesse Holdings Inc. v. Regional Assessment Commissioner – Jeff was counsel in these leading Court of Appeal for Ontario decisions on the interpretation of property assessment legislation.
Tranchemontagne v. Ontario (Director, Disability Support Program, Ministry of Community and Social Services) – Jeff was counsel for the Social Benefits Tribunal in this leading Supreme Court of Canada decision on the jurisdiction of tribunals to deal with challenges to their decision-making based on human rights legislation.
Orlando Corp. v. Zellers Inc., and CT Securities Ltd. v. Oxford Properties. Ltd. – Jeff was successful counsel in these two Court of Appeal for Ontario decisions involving the interpretation of commercial leases.
Hewat v. Ontario – Jeff acted as counsel for the Canadian Bar Association as an intervenor in this Court of Appeal for Ontario decision dealing with the independence and appointment of members of the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
Practice Areas
Bar Information
Called to the bar: 1978 (ON)