JSS Barristers

Andrew Wilson is the former Managing Partner of JSS Barristers and is currently Firm Chairperson. Andrew’s focus is on civil trial and arbitration advocacy, as well as representing clients before various administrative and regulatory tribunals.

Andrew’s practice focuses on complex commercial disputes, corporate and shareholder disputes, securities litigation, corporate governance, class actions, construction disputes, and representing individuals and corporations charged with regulatory offences - in both the administrative and criminal context.

Civil Litigation Career

Upon graduating from Dalhousie, Andrew clerked at the Alberta Court of Appeal and the Alberta Court of King's Bench. This experience has given Andrew unique insight into how judges assess the matters that come before them - insight that he has incorporated into his practice. He completed his articles at Bennett Jones LLP.

After completing his LLM, Andrew returned to Bennett Jones, and practiced as a litigation associate until 2010. During that time, Andrew gained significant trial and arbitration experience, with a focus on corporate commercial litigation, securities litigation, oppression claims, intellectual property, and construction litigation.

Andrew has significant trial, court, arbitration, and regulatory experience. He has appeared successfully as lead counsel before all levels of Court in Alberta, including the Court of Justice criminal division, and has significant experience before the regulatory tribunals of the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). He has also appeared as counsel before the Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, and the superior courts of other provinces. Andrew also has experience dealing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission, and the British Columbia Securities Commission. Further, Andrew has acted as lead counsel in both domestic and international arbitrations

Securities Litigation Experience

In 2010, Andrew joined the ASC as Enforcement Counsel, Litigation. In his role as Enforcement Counsel, Andrew prosecuted offences under the Alberta Securities Act, in both the administrative/regulatory and quasi-criminal contexts.

Andrew prosecuted all manners of securities offences while with the ASC, with a particular focus on illegal insider trading, fraud and illegal distributions. During this time, he was lead counsel on some of Alberta's (and Canada's) most significant illegal insider trading cases. Key matters where Andrew was counsel are set out in the experience section below.

Over the course of his career, Andrew has also advised clients on securities compliance and corporate governance matters. He has also assisted clients by running internal investigations into potential legal or regulatory breaches.

Awards and Recognitions

Since 2017, Andrew has been named Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, every year. Recently, he was recognized by Best Lawyers for his work in Corporate and Commercial Litigation. In 2021, Who's Who Legal named Andrew Future Leader in Arbitration Canada. Additionally, he has been recognized as Repeatedly Recommended in Litigation - Securities by Lexpert (2020-2021) and as Future Star by Benchmark Litigation (2016).

Andrew was appointed Queen’s Counsel (now King's Counsel) in July 2022.

Community

Andrew has written papers and given seminars and presentations on securities litigation matters, given seminars and presentations to both private practitioners and regulatory bodies throughout North America. Additionally, he has presented on class actions, oppression claims and construction litigation matters. Also involved in the local law community, Andrew has also previously acted as a tutor in Civil Procedure at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law and has given seminars to law students on cross-examination and trial advocacy.

English

Canadian Bar Association

The Advocates Society

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Waterloo (Dean’s List standing), a Bachelor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University and a Master of Laws degree from Queens' College, Cambridge University, England.

Andrew was called to the Alberta bar in 2002 and joined JSS Barristers in 2014.

In his spare time, Andrew enjoys running, playing soccer, skiing, travelling and home brewing beer. Andrew is a board member and current Chair of the Calgary Humane Society.

Both Andrew and his wife volunteer with Beagle Paws, a beagle rescue organization.