Archives: Lawyers

Céline Bégin completed her articles with McCuaig Desrochers LLP and became an Associate in 2014. She later became a Partner at the firm in January 2020.

Céline graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Laws in 2013 after achieving a Bachelor of Arts (with distinction) in Sociology and Environmental and Conservation Sciences from the University of Alberta in 2010.

Céline is currently working in various areas of the law offered by the firm, but most often in the areas of wills and estates (planning, administrating or litigation), immigration law, general litigation matters including personal injury, and administrative law.

Having grown up in a rural Franco-Albertan community, Céline is also fully bilingual and a member of the Canadian Bar Association and the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Alberta (AJEFA). She also volunteers as an evening clinic lawyer and public legal education provider for the Edmonton Community Legal Centre and for AJEFA information events.

Shaun Wetmore became an associate at McCuaig Desrochers LLP in July 2014 after completed his articles with the firm. Shaun later became a Partner at the firm in January 2020. He practices in a wide range of areas of law including, civil litigation, construction, family, estates, agribusiness, and commercial law.

Shaun was born and raised in rural east central Alberta and obtained both his Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and his Juris Doctor from the University Of Alberta. Throughout Law School Shaun was heavily involved in Student Legal Services of Edmonton (SLS). He worked as a Criminal Project Dayleader at SLS representing low income individuals in Provincial Court. Afterwards, he continued to serve on the Executive Committee of SLS as the Pro Bono Students Canada Project Coordinator, working with local and remote not-for-profit organizations.

Shaun is an executive member of the Canadian Bar Association’s Construction Section and regularly volunteers with the Edmonton Community Legal Centre. Shaun is also a member of the Edmonton branch of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors.

In his spare time, Shaun enjoys a variety of activities including volleyball, golf, cycling, downhill and cross-country skiing, and hiking.

Megan Dawson joined McCuaig Desrochers LLP as an associate in July of 2012 after articling with the firm.  She practices primarily in immigration and family law. She became a partner at the firm in January 2018.

Megan is a member of the Canadian Bar Association’s Immigration Law, Family Law, and Women Lawyers’ Forum sections. She is a past chair of the Immigration Law (Alberta North) section of the Canadian Bar Association.

Megan completed a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with Distinction at the University of Alberta in 2007 and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Alberta in 2011. Megan was formerly the Family Law Coordinator of Student Legal Services of Edmonton, and a student dayleader from 2009 to 2011, assisting the low-income community in Edmonton with access to the civil justice system for various legal issues.

Prior to attending law school, Megan worked as a private investigator for nearly a year in the insurance/personal injury industry. She also gained a passion for books and reading growing up in her family’s bookstore, where you could find her selling books and reading on the job over the years.

Outside of the office, Megan volunteers with the Edmonton Community Legal Centre, and formerly sat on the Board of Directors for Student Legal Services of Edmonton. She has for the past few years coached moot teams of law students at the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta, in the areas of family law negotiations, and in 2024, immigration law. She enjoys reading, diamond painting, hiking and skiing (both very poorly and casually), and spending time with her favourite boys (husband, son and tiny dog Sumo).

Justin Kingston’s practice is focused on corporate and commercial, will and estate planning, estate administration, real estate, and employment law.

Justin completed his Bachelor of Arts in Canadian Studies and Political Sciences with distinction at the Campus Saint-Jean of the University of Alberta in 2007, and his Bachelor of Laws at the University of Ottawa, in the French Common law program in 2010.

He is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, the Edmonton Bar Association, and the Canadian Bar Association’s Wills and Estates, Business Law, and Real Estate sections. He was a member of the CBA Alberta’s provincial council. Justin also volunteers as an evening clinic lawyer in his areas of practice at the Edmonton Community Legal Center.

He has taught as a sessional instructor the Introduction to Business Law course to students in Bilingual Business Program at the Campus Saint-Jean of the University of Alberta and the Introduction to Language Rights course at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law.

Justin is fluent in both English and French. He is part of the French-speaking Members of the CBA, and member and director of the Association des juristes d’expression francaise de l’Alberta (AJEFA). He has a strong interest in constitutional minority language issues within Canada.

Vincent Kurata has a general litigation practice with an emphasis on employment law, insurance & personal injury law, and commercial disputes. He has represented clients before all levels of court in Alberta (i.e. the Alberta Court of Justice, the Court of King’s Bench, and the Court of Appeal), and he has litigated claims before numerous administrative tribunals, including the Alberta Human Rights Commission, the Alberta Labour Relations Board, and in adjudication proceedings under the Canada Labour Code.

Although Vincent has an extensive background in litigation, he is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution processes, including commercial arbitration, judicial dispute resolution, and mediation (he has worked alternately as a neutral mediator and as an advocate for clients).

Prior to joining the firm in 2008, Vincent articled at the Court of Appeal of Alberta (2007-2008), and he was the valedictorian of his graduating class from the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law (2007). During his time as a student, Vincent won numerous scholarships and awards, and worked as an Articles Editor for the Alberta Law Review.

Vincent is active in the legal profession. He is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, the Law Society of the Northwest Territories, and several sections of the Canadian Bar Association (Civil Litigation, Insurance, and Labour & Employment). He also sits on the management committee at McCuaig Desrochers LLP.

Although he is not a francophone, Vincent speaks French and welcomes French-speaking clients.

Nathan is the head of our Immigration Law Practice Group and is recognized as a leader in the field of Immigration Law.  He is a past Chair of the Immigration Law (North) Section of the Canadian Bar Association’s Alberta Branch and was also a long-time elected executive member of the National Immigration Law Section of the CBA.  Nathan is frequently invited to present to immigration lawyers from across the country at the Canadian Bar Association’s National Immigration Conference.

Since 2018, Nathan has been selected by his peers from across the country to be listed in The Best Lawyers^™ in Canada directory in the field of Immigration Law, and is currently the only immigration lawyer in Edmonton to hold that honour.  He is ranked as a leading practitioner in immigration law in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.

Nathan has an undergraduate degree in Computing Science and also enjoys using his technical expertise to assist businesses in navigating legal issues that relate to intellectual property, technology and software.

As a native Edmontonian, Nathan gives back to the community through his work on the Board of Directors of the Edmonton Community Legal Centre and his involvement in minor soccer. He served on the founding steering committee of the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association.

Nathan is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association.

Terrence Lysak has a general legal practice with a focus on helping businesses navigate a broad range of legal issues.  He has a variety of experience working with individuals and businesses to achieve their goals in corporate/commercial, franchise, mergers & acquisitions, privacy, real estate, leasing, employment, construction, financing, creditors’ rights, and litigation matters.

Terrence is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and of the Canadian Bar Association including Business Law and Commercial Property and Leasing sections.

While a student, Terrence received numerous academic scholarships and awards, graduating Summa Cum Laude (BMus) and with Distinction (LLB).

When not practicing law, Terrence enjoys volunteering with various Edmonton organizations and has a passion for music.  He has served on boards of local musical and religious organizations.  He is an accomplished performer as a trombonist, pianist, and violinist in the classical and jazz genres.  He also enjoys singing and is an active member of the Greenwood Singers.

Mike Simons carries on a busy practice in corporate and commercial matters including corporate structuring, incorporations and reorganizations, business purchases and sales, new business start-ups and mergers and acquisitions.

Working with both Business and AgriBusiness clients, Mike also helps families address business succession planning challenges including intergenerational transfers of business and wealth.

Mike enjoys working with clients in all areas of Estate Law including Grants of Probate to allow for the proper administration of an estate. First-hand knowledge of the strains and stresses of this process helps Mike foster communication among parties seeking to address and resolve issues before they grow into conflict.

When conflict is unavoidable, Mike applies his knowledge of Estate Law to Estate Dispute and Litigation matters including Family Maintenance and Support claims.

Mike is a proponent of proactive Estate Planning, from the preparation of straightforward Wills and related Trusts, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Personal Directives, and enjoys working with other professional advisors to implement more complex tax-planned strategies when needed.

Mike deals extensively with clients working on the purchase and sale of both commercial and residential real estate and related financing.

As an active member of the legal community, Mike is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian Bar Association including the Business Law and Real Property Law sections and is a Past Chair of the Wills, Estates and Trusts section.  Mike also enjoys volunteering as a speaker with the Edmonton Community Foundation.

Prior to law Mike had a six-year career in the retail and wholesale wine and spirits industry and has been active in several political organizations and campaigns. As a partner with McCuaig Desrochers LLP Mike serves as Chair of the Management Committee and continues to assist clients with practical advice drawing upon his broad base experience.

Frank Friesacher practices primarily as a litigator focused resolve their legal disputes, representing their interests at all levels of the Alberta court system. Frank addresses a broad range of legal disputes, including in the fields of estate litigation, divorce and family law, employment law, and business litigation. In estate litigation, Frank deals with family maintenance claims brought against estates, as well as addressing issues of mental capacity and undue influence in wills and property transfers, including under a power of attorney. In the family law field, Frank has deep experience in spousal and child support, matrimonial property division, child custody and access, and separation agreements; his family law practice also includes drafting pre-nuptial and marriage agreements. In the employment law field, Frank has acted for both employers and employees to resolve disputes either through agreement or by recourse to the court system. Finally, in business litigation, Frank understands that small-to-medium businesses need expert and timely advice and representation to avoid disrupting operations and to ensure the viability and prosperity of the parties involved.

A member of the Law Society of Alberta since his admission to the bar, Frank has also been long active with the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) and completed his service on the Executive of the Alberta branch (CBA Alberta) from 2015-2021 including as President for the 2018-2019 term, where he represented the interests of its over 5,300 members and advocated for improvements in the administration of justice, for support for the rule of law in this province, and for adequate resources for the justice system. Frank remains active on CBA Alberta’s Agenda for Justice Committee, focusing on the Branch’s advocacy efforts. He is a member of the Legislative Review Committee, and he is a long-time coordinator for the Inns of Court, an Edmonton mentor project for junior lawyers dear to his heart.

Before commencing with the firm of McCuaig Desrochers LLP in 2000, Frank held a clerkship position at the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench and the Court of Appeal from 1999-2000. As a student-at-law he summered with ALRI (the Alberta Law Reform Institute) and served as Articles Editor for the Alberta Law Review, a wholly student-run organization. Before entering his legal studies, Frank obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and his Bachelor of Commerce (International Studies/German) with Distinction.

Frank became a partner at the firm in 2008, and uses his legal skills, training and broad experience to guide clients through the often-complex issues and decisions they face when encountering legal disputes. On 6 April 2022, Frank was appointed Queen’s Counsel in Alberta (now King’s Counsel after the demise of the Crown on 8 September 2022).

Frank is active in the province’s robust German community, having served on the executives for the German Canadian Associate of Alberta and the German Canadian Cultural Association of Edmonton, and including his long-term involvement with a local dance group, The Bavarian Schuhplattlers of Edmonton. He is an avid reader (especially the works of Haruki Murakami and John D. MacDonald, and he finds Moby-Dick the greatest novel ever written); a loping cross-country skier; a fair-weather cyclist; and a poor-weather frequenter of Edmonton’s profusion of locally-owned-and-operated cafés. He endorses the use of European date format, the semi-colon, and the series comma.

Bryon Baltimore conducts a general practice focusing on civil litigation and insurance law.

Bryon was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1989 after having obtained his LLB (Dean’s List) from the University of Alberta and articling with McCuaig Desrochers LLP. Bryon has a successful general litigation practice with an emphasis on insurance-related litigation, general civil litigation, personal injury, contract disputes and estate litigation.

He has appeared at all levels of Court in Alberta as well as having significant experience with Alternate Dispute Resolution including mediation, negotiation and Judicial Dispute Resolution.

Bryon has always been involved in sports having played hockey for the U of A Golden Bears and professionally for 9 years. He then managed and coached teams for an additional four years in both the US and Canada. He remains actively involved in professional sports and sports law and has represented professional hockey players as a registered agent through the NHLPA for many years.

Bryon is a member of the Insurance and Civil Litigation Sections of the Canadian Bar Association and the Canadian Defence Lawyers Association.  He is a member of the Edmonton Oilers Alumni Association, a member of the U of A Golden Bears Alumni Association and sat on the board of KIDS, a volunteer group that built and established an outdoor skating facility and related programs for inner city kids in the McCauley district.