Stephen provides legal counsel to all participants in the land development and construction industries, including governmental agencies, hospitals and other health care providers. As a partner in the firm's Construction Law Group, Stephen is primarily involved in providing advice and advocacy, including litigation and other forms of dispute resolution, to the development industry. Stephen's legal career began in criminal law, which he practiced until 1981. His legal training and experience has been buttressed by an extensive involvement in the corporate world. In 1982, Stephen co-founded The Rose Corporation, a land development and investment company. Stephen served as president and in-house legal counsel to the company until 1999. The Rose Group diversified its activities and, at various times, owned or controlled private and publicly-traded enterprises in automotive parts manufacturing, telecommunications, general insurance, oil and gas exploration, carpet manufacturing, adult living facilities, hotels, film studios, mini-warehousing, and financial services. Having gained valuable practical and legal experience in all facets and dimensions of these activities, including land acquisition, development approvals, construction contracting, environmental matters, joint venture arrangements, and public/private partnership structures, Stephen brings a unique combination of legal skills and a practical business perspective to the negotiation of deals and the settlement of disputes. In addition to his efforts on behalf of private industry, Stephen regularly acts for public sector agencies and non-profit entities where he has been involved with major projects involving courthouses, correctional facilities, and hospitals. Stephen speaks regularly to industry and professional groups and serves regularly as a mediator and arbitrator. As a result of his combined business and legal background, Stephen has a unique ability to fashion practical resolutions to complex disputes. He understands that the parties prefer workable solutions to protracted litigation. As a mediator, Stephen brings a facilitative and imaginative approach to the resolution of difficult conflicts. A good listener, he helps each party to identify and rank its needs. A creative thinker, he assists the parties to find inventive ways of meeting those needs. A persistent facilitator, he is unrelenting in his pursuit of an agreement. And, as someone who loves a challenge, Stephen especially enjoys cases involving complex, multi-party disputes. In his role as an arbitrator, Stephen understands that the parties are entrusting to him the fair resolution of a dispute that they have been unable to settle themselves. Second only to his determination to render an equitable and legally correct decision is Stephen's commitment to ensuring that, regardless of the outcome, all parties feel confident that they have been heard and understood. He delivers clear, well-reasoned, and timely written decisions. Stephen joined Cassels Brock in 1999. Achievements · The Best Lawyers in Canada 2012 (Construction Law) · The Best Lawyers in Canada 2011 (Construction Law) · The Best Lawyers in Canada 2010 (Construction Law) · The Best Lawyers in Canada 2009 (Construction Law) · The Best Lawyers in Canada 2008 (Construction Law) · Martindale-Hubbell, BV Distinguished™ rating Associations · The Advocates' Society · Canadian Bar Association · Ontario Bar Association · Toronto Lawyers Association Articles Stephen Morrison's Article When Mediation Fails Appears in Condo Business, 05/10/2011 Construction Canada Publishes Stephen Morrison Article, 05/10/2011 Stephen Morrison Talks About Deal Mediation: Resolving Issues as They Arise, 05/10/2011 The ABCs of ADR, 03/16/2011 In The News 09/20/2011, 23 Cassels Brock Lawyers Included in Best Lawyers® in Canada 2012 05/25/2011, Smartpens for Smart People: Stephen Morrison Featured for Pioneering Use of Digital Pens 08/25/2010, 24 Cassels Brock Lawyers Included in Best Lawyers® in Canada 2011 08/20/2010, Stephen Morrison Provides Advice for Resolving Disputes in the Construction Sector Presentations Stephen Morrison to speak June 29 on Arbitration Heresy Cassels Brock Lawyers to Speak on Contract Law and Procurement Issues |