Dan has over two decades of litigation experience. His expertise extends across various facets of Family Law, including child advocacy.
Dan values open and honest communication and always tries to find ways to reach a resolution that meets the specific needs of his clients while at the same time being affordable.
As a qualified mediator, Dan brings a balanced and fair approach to dispute resolution as he believes in the potential of mediation and negotiation prior to resorting to litigation.
Dan’s extensive litigation experience ranges from his contributions to the Indigenous Residential Files to a successful appearance before the Supreme Court of Canada on a landmark case concerning child support. He has conducted trials successfully at the Court of King’s Bench and the Alberta Court of Justice, and has successfully conducted appeals at the Alberta Court of Appeal.
DBS v. SRG; LJW v. TAR; Henry v. Henry; Hiemstra v. Hiemstra, 2006 SCC, Henry v. Henry, 2005 ABCA 5, and Henry v. Henry, 2003 ABQB 717. Landmark child support case starting in 2002 through 2006, from the Court of Queen’s Bench, through the Alberta Court of Appeal, to the Supreme Court of Canada.
This case was reported on the front page of, The Lawyers Weekly, dated September 26, 2003, Vol. 23, No. 20, “Judge Orders Alberta Father to Pay $100,000 in Retroactive Child Support”, and on the front page of The Lawyers Weekly, Year in Review issue, dated December 22, 2006, Vol. 26, No. 32, “Retroactive Child Support a Big Victory for Manitoba and Calgary Lawyers”.
2006 SCC 37 (CanLII) | D.B.S. v. S.R.G | CanLII
2005 ABCA 3 (CanLII) | L.J.W. v. T.A.R. | CanLII
2006 SCC 37 (CanLII) | D.B.S. v. S.R.G | CanLII
2005 ABCA 5 (CanLII) | Henry v. Henry | CanLII
2003 ABQB 717 (CanLII) | Henry v. Henry | CanLII
Shields v. Shields, 2008 ABCA 213. Important spousal support appellate case with respect to the issues of quantum and duration of spousal support, and for providing a succinct review of the analytical framework of the issue of spousal support.
This case was spotlighted on the front page of The Lawyers Weekly, dated June 20, 2008, Vol. 28, No. 8, “Spousal Support Not Forever: Alberta Court of Appeal”.
2008 ABCA 213 (CanLII) | Shields v. Shields | CanLII
Lubiansky v. Gazdag, 2018 ABQB 290. Dan, and his co-counsel Brendan Miller, were successful in challenging the prohibition of common law unmarried couples dividing their pensions upon separation in Alberta, with the Court finding the legislation violated equality rights in section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Benefits Canada magazine, highlighted this seminal case, in their issue, dated July 18, 2018, “Alberta Common Law Couples Can Now Divide Pensions Upon Separation”.
2018 ABQB 290 (CanLII) | Lubianesky v Gazdag | CanLII
JWS v. CJS aka CJH, 2019 ABCA 153 and JWS v. CJS aka CJH, 2021 ABQB 411. Parenting litigation case where costs of $424,000 were awarded. Dan represented five children in a 19-day trial which also included 58 applications and substantive post-trial work including the Alberta Court of Appeal. It was specifically noted by the Court that Dan assisted the trial judge as what the real wishes of the children were.
2019 ABCA 153 (CanLII) | JWS v CJS aka CJH | CanLII
2021 ABQB 411 (CanLII) | JWS v CJS | CanLII
AGS v. RNS, 2024 ABKB 280. Litigation case involving a two-week trial at the Court of King’s Bench. Dan, and his co-counsel, Ryley Kunz and Megan Kunz, successfully argued all the issues of parenting, property, imputing income, child support, spousal support and the awarding of $158,000 in costs.