On March 27, Colin Stewart will be lecturing in North Vancouver on Conflict of Interest and Bias for the Capilano University diploma program in local government law.

The 2014 edition of the Guide for Municipal Council Members and Regional District Directors is now available on our website. Please click here to view the new Guide.

Peter Johnson will be presenting the Electoral Area Directors seminar on January 20, 2015 in Richmond, B.C.

Kathryn Stuart will be presenting the Local Government Law 101 seminar on January 28, 2015 in Parksville, B.C.

Colin Stewart and Michael Hargraves will be presenting the Local Government Law 101 seminar on January 29, 2015 in Parksville, B.C.

Kathryn Stuart and Peter Johnson are currently teaching the Local Government Law course at the School of Public Administration, Faculty of Human & Social Development at the University of Victoria.

On November 21, Colin Stewart will be lecturing in Kelowna on Conflict of Interest and Bias for the Capilano University diploma program in local government law.

Stewart McDannold Stuart’s Election Day Hotline will be available on Saturday, November 15.

Our lawyers will be available by telephone from 8am to 8pm to assist our clients’ Chief Election Officers and their staff.

Peter Johnson will be presenting a session on “Water Services and Drinking Water – Key Issues” at the Pacific Business & Law Institute’s “Local Government 2014: Recent Developments and Emerging Issues” seminar, being held on June 9, 2014 in Vancouver.

On June 12, 2014 Kathryn Stuart and Colin Stewart will be presenting a session on “Medical Marihuana: Ongoing Impacts of New Legislation” at the Local Government Management Association Annual Conference, in Vancouver.

Colin Stewart will be presenting a “Legal Update” at the LGMA Annual Conference, also on June 12.

Stewart McDannold Stuart is pleased to announce that Susan L. Beach and Michael J. Hargraves have joined the partnership effective January 1, 2014.

Susan Beach is an accomplished litigator and advocate, who has been with SMS for over two years.  Susan’s bio can be accessed here.

Michael Hargraves joined the solicitors department of SMS in 2007 and has since gained considerable experience advising local governments on all manner of issues.  Michael’s bio can be found here.

Stewart McDannold Stuart looks forward to serving local government in 2014.

On August 1, 2013 Stewart McDannold Stuart celebrated its 25th anniversary as a law firm. There have been many changes over the past 25 years. The law has changed and evolved. Members of this firm have changed, some retiring, others moving on to new adventures, new lawyers and support staff joining us. Our clients have seen many changes in the local government landscape as well, with broader local government powers, an increasingly complex demand for services at the local level, downloading of responsibilities from senior levels of government, difficult fiscal challenges, and looming environmental issues that most of us gave little thought to 25 years ago. In the face of those changes, however, we like to think that one thing has remained constant, and that is our dedication to providing the highest quality in legal services to our clients. We look forward to facing the challenges ahead with you, our clients and colleagues.

The Past

In the late 1970’s I was a 23 year old law school graduate looking to start my legal career. I had just spent three years learning that most of the law was all about money and property; how to help people acquire more of it; secure it for them; and keep others from getting any of it. So I knew what I did not want to do – spend my legal career doing the usual type of law with banks, businesses and insurance companies as my clients. I was fortunate to become partners with a group of lawyers who wanted to act for local government; a perfect match with the municipal law course and graduating paper on municipal expropriation that I had completed in law school. Together we set out on a course for the next 30 years to build something very special – a law firm with a legal practise restricted to clients who were working to make a real difference in our local communities throughout British Columbia. Being able to work with the dedicated professional staff in local government, assessment authority and health authorities provided all of the lawyers in our firm the opportunity to assist clients in carrying out their important statutory duties. What better clients could a lawyer choose to work for than those whose objectives are to act in the public and community interest; for the protection of people and the environment; while seeking to create safe healthy sustainable communities for everyone to enjoy the benefits of. I have been blessed to have been asked to work on a wide range of exceptionally interesting and challenging court cases during my legal career. It has been an honour and a privilege to have clients ask me to assist them in the important work that they do; and if over the last 31 years I have in any way been able to assist them to achieve their duties then the dreams and aspirations of that young 23 year old law school graduate so many years ago have been more than amply fulfilled. I thank all of the firms clients for giving me the opportunity to work with them and I wish all of you the very best for the future. (more…)