About Gary

Gary’s practice is focused on business law, corporate finance, commercial real estate transactions and immigration law. Gary represents local, national and international clients in PEI in matters involving financings, mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investments, startups, reorganizations, commercial real estate development and business immigration law.

Gary has been consistently recognized as a leading lawyer in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for his practice in the areas of Corporate Commercial Law, Corporate Finance & Securities and Property Development. He has also been listed in the 2018 Lexpert Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Corporate Lawyers published in The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Magazine. Gary has also been ranked by Best Lawyers™ in Canada for his immigration law practice. Some of Gary’s recent significant transactional experience includes the following:

  • Acquisition of a district energy heating and cooling facility by a publicly traded company
  • Representing a publicly traded real estate investment trust in connection with its property development initiatives in PEI
  • Acquisition and financing of a PEI-based bioscience company by a multinational pharmaceutical company
  • Advising lenders on various international revolving credit private equity funds established under the limited partnership laws of PEI
  • Secured financing transaction for a company with operations in Atlantic Canada, involving borrowers and guarantors in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.

Gary has served in leadership positions within McInnes Cooper, including Office Lead Partner for PEI. Gary is actively involved in his community, and has served on a number of community and charitable organizations.

Awards & Recognitions

  • Repeatedly Recommended by The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory for Corporate Commercial Law (2023)
  • Repeatedly Recommended by The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory for Immigration Law (2023)
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers® Canada for his practice in Immigration Law (since 2021).

Memberships

  • Member, Law Society of Prince Edward Island
  • Member, Law Society of New Brunswick
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, International Bar Association

    Appointments & Community Involvement

    • Council Member, Law Society of Prince Edward Island
    • Member, Rotary Club of Charlottetown
    • Past Chair, Board of Governors, Law Foundation of PEI
    • Past President, Rotary Club of Charlottetown Literacy Foundation
    • Past Branch Chair (PEI) and National Executive Committee Member, Canadian Bar Association Immigration Law Section
    • Past Regional Ambassador (PEI), Atlantic Cancer Research Institute
    • Past Chair, Provincial Easter Seals Society Fundraising Campaign
    • Past Director, Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce
    • Past Director, PEI Division of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – Young Canadians Challenge
    • Past Director, Music PEI
    • Past Director, Indian River Music Festival
    • Past Director, United Way of PEI
    • Past Member, PEI Division of the Canadian Red Cross Capital Campaign Cabinet

    Education

    • LL.M., London School of Economics (1993)
    • LL.B., University of New Brunswick (1992)
    • B.Sc. (Bio.), Bishop's University (1988)

    Bar Admissions

    • Nova Scotia (1994)
    • Prince Edward Island (1995)
    • New Brunswick (2018)

    Languages

    • English