Background
David Sherriff-Scott is a partner in the Ottawa office. David received his Bachelor of Arts from St. Francis Xavier University in 1985 and his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ottawa in 1989. David was called to the Ontario Bar in 1991 and is a member of the Litigation Group.
Areas of Practice
· David has extensive experience in procurement litigation before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Federal Court Trial Division, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal. He regularly advises service vendors, municipalities and other institutions in procurement construction disputes and during the construction process.
· A significant part of David's practice involves professional liability defence work for engineers, architects and construction-related professionals. In this context he has acquired broad-based experience in large, multi-party construction litigation.
Rankings and Recognitions
· Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2012 (Public Procurement)
· Martindale-Hubbell BV Peer Review Rating
· Recognized in Benchmark Canada - The Definitive Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys (Commercial Litigation; Professional Liability)
Professional Experience
· Routinely acts in defamation litigation both for plaintiffs and defendants. He acts for local and national based media with respect to defamation litigation, pre-print review, access to court and publication bans. He also acts as an adviser to publishers and provides media relations and strategic media advice to clients involved in public litigation.
· Has significant experience in judicial review of government action, both before the Ontario Divisional Court and the Federal Court of Canada.
· Is frequently involved in litigation both before the Superior Court and the Ontario Special Education Tribunal with respect to the educational rights of disabled children.
· Regularly appears before all levels of Courts including, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, its Divisional Court branch, and the Ontario Court of Appeal, as well as the Federal Court Trial Division, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He also appears before a wide variety of both provincial and federal tribunals and boards.
Professional and Community Activities
· Member of the Canadian Bar Association, the County of Carleton Law Association and The Advocates' Society.
· Guest lecturer and seminar leader, University of Ottawa Law School, Trial Advocacy course.
· Has published a variety of papers and delivered presentations to various groups, particularly in the areas of defamation and professional liability.
· He has been a director of the Ottawa School of Art, the Ottawa School of Dance, the Autism Society of Ontario, and a member of the Ottawa-Carleton School Board's Special Education Advisory Committee.
· He routinely provides pro bono advice, litigation services and community legal education services to organizations involved in giving assistance to persons with disabilities.