Profile

David is well-known as one of Canada’s leading internet, technology and privacy lawyers. He regularly advises a range of clients – from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies – on all aspects of technology and privacy laws.

David advises private and public sector clients to implement compliance programs for Canadian privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada), the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Nova Scotia) and the Privacy Act (Canada). He regularly provides opinions on privacy laws for both Canadian and international clients and is a frequently invited speaker on this topic. David also acts for complainants and respondents in matters referred to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. He is the author of the popular Canadian Privacy Law Blog (blog.privacylawyer.ca).

David is widely recognized as one of Canada’s foremost authorities on privacy law and other legal issues associated with cloud computing. He regularly advises vendors and customers in connection with implementing cloud computing projects, in both the public and private sectors. David is particularly known for his ability to cut through the seemingly intractable issues related to cross-border data flows and law enforcement/national security access to customer data. For example, David advises and has represented Google Inc. before the Privacy Commissioner of Canada in connection with a range of matters, including Google’s inadvertent collection of WiFi payload information when driving Street View cars in Canada.

In addition, David is the Past President of the Canadian IT Law Association and the former Chair of National Privacy and Access Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. David was honoured to be included in the inaugural (2006) and each subsequent edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada in the category of Information Technology law. He is listed among the world’s leading lawyers in Internet and eCommerce Law in the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers. In the spring of 2006, David was a recipient of an Outstanding Young Canadian Award by the Junior Chamber of Commerce International – Halifax Chapter.  In 2009, David was named as one of Canada’s “Top 40 Lawyers Under 40” by Lexpert.

David has served on the Research Ethics Board of the Capital District Health Authority. He is currently a member of the Joint Data Access Committee of the IWK Health Centre for Women and Children in Halifax, which reviews applications for research access to personal health information. In 2002, David was invited to be an associate of the Institute of Law and Technology. He is a member of the faculty of Dalhousie Law School, where he teaches Internet and Media Law, Law and Technology, and Law and Policy for Electronic Commerce. He is on the editorial board of the Canadian Journal of Law and Technology. Active in the Halifax technology community, David is secretary and director of advocacy for the Information Technology Industry Alliance of Nova Scotia (ITANS).

Education

• LL.B., Dalhousie University (1999)
• M.A., Saint Mary’s University (1996)
• B.A., (Hons.), University of British Columbia (1993)

Bar Admissions

Nova Scotia (2001)