JEFFREY H. MORRIS, LL.B.
104-2171 Avenue Road 
Toronto, ON M5M 4B4 Phone: 416.518.8774
Email: Jeff.morris@rogers.com
Former Legal Practice
Over twenty years’ experience practising as a business savvy corporate lawyer and serving as law firm Managing Partner. Legal background includes advising business owners on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and banking security, shareholder agreements and disputes, tax reorganizations, estate freezes and family trusts, wills and estate planning, succession planning and implementation, contractual matters and disputes. Proven experience successfully managing and expanding law firm business and professional operations.
Mediator
Acting currently as a Roster Mediator for the Ontario Mandatory Mediation Program-Toronto. Formerly served as a mediator for the Small Claims Court of Nova Scotia. ADR Experience includes mediating partnership and shareholder disputes, workplace conflicts, contractual disputes, construction-related claims, residential and commercial landlord and tenant disputes, accident claims and wrongful dismissal cases.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
MORRIS & HIRSCHEIMER – Toronto, ON
Mediation and dispute resolution services for Superior Court litigation matters, business relationship disputes and other commercial conflicts.
Partner, 2004 - Current
Practice includes: serving as a Roster Mediator under the Ontario Mandatory Mediation Program in Toronto mediating cases filed in the Superior Court of Ontario; niche practice mediating workplace conflicts and business relationship disputes between partners and shareholders of both family and non-family owned businesses.
BOYNE CLARKE - Halifax, NS
Leading law firm in Atlantic Canada with 37 professionals and 150 fee earners and support staff.
Managing Partner, 2003 to 2004; Partner, 2000 to 2003
Decision making and for all areas of the law firm relating to human resources, marketing, strategic planning, compliance, professional development, recruiting, and client relations. Prior to becoming Managing Partner, carried on practice in the areas of commercial, corporate, real estate, foreclosure and insolvency law. Key Contributions:
Implemented new Team Practice re-organization of the law firm. Worked with a group of development organization and legal resource consultants to complete this work.
Responsibility for firm growth and new business development including lateral transfers of partners and associates, establishment of two new teams for developing areas of law and expansion of firm’s administrative department for a major institutional client.
Vice-Chair of the Marketing Committee involving structuring and executing firm’s marketing budget and initiatives.
Major project management concerning the design and implementation of the firm’s new corporate identity and corporate web site.
Crisis management of firm operations after closure from Hurricane Juan.
Executive Committee member. Participated in the major firm management, finance, human resource and expansion decisions.
Strategic Planning committee member. Assisted in the firm’s positioning in the marketplace and implementation of the strategic plan.
Team Leader of group serving the firm’s largest institutional client.
Chair of the firm’s corporate commercial group.
MORRIS AULD & O’HARA - Halifax, NS
Small law firm serving family and non-family owned businesses, professional and general partnerships and institutional lenders, real estate and estate planning clients
Partner, 1989 to 2000
Founding partner and responsible for day to day management of the law firm, including staffing, computer systems, trust and general accounting and marketing.
GREEN PARISH - Halifax, NS
Mid-sized law firm offering services in all areas of law.
Associate lawyer, 1983 – 1989
Associate lawyer and Chair of the Corporate/Commercial Section of the law firm .
KITZ MATHESON GREEN MACISAAC - Halifax, NS
Large law firm offering services in all areas of law.
Associate lawyer, 1982-1983
First year Associate in the Corporate Commercial Group.
PRACTICE AREA SUMMARY
Corporate/Commercial: Experience includes advising business owners on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and banking security, shareholder agreements and disputes, tax reorganizations, estate freezes, family trusts, wills and estate planning, succession planning and implementation, contractual matters and disputes.
Commercial leasing and real estate: Represented national restaurants and food retailers in connection with site acquisitions and developments. Acted for a major commercial real estate developer and has experience in the registration and conveyancing of multi-residential condominium projects, office buildings and apartment complexes.
Foreclosure and Insolvency: Foreclosure practice of residential properties and collections on unsecured term and credit card debt on behalf of a major chartered bank.
Commercial litigation and administrative law: Conducted trials in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, the Appeal Court of Nova Scotia and the Small Claims Court of Nova Scotia. Appeared before the Nova Scotia Liquor License Board, the Halifax Regional Assessment Appeal Court, the Nova Scotia Horse Racing Commission and the Public Utilities Board.
BUSINESS EXPERIENCE
Wide range of experience from 1982 to 2004 as shareholder and director in business enterprises in the following sectors:
Residential real estate construction and development
Internet software and products marketing
Commercial and residential major appliance sales and service
Environmental engineering products development and sales
General Management Responsibilities. As a senior officer and director, has had responsibility for strategic planning and marketing, accounting system design and implementation, major capital acquisitions, term financing and operating credit lines, internal reorganizations and governance issues, raising capital through government equity tax credit legislation, acting as corporate secretary and general counsel, employee hiring and termination matters.
Experience in public and media relations. Has interviewed with major print media, with stories in Time magazine, Canadian Lawyer, The Halifax Herald, and The Burnside News. Conducted numerous interviews for local television and also with a major US cable network program. Presenter at national marketing conferences held in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.
TEACHING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION
Presented a paper entitled “Creative Strategies for Mediating Collection Cases Under the New Practice Direction” at the Law Society of Upper Canada’s“The Six-Minute Debtor-Creditor Lawyer” conference.
Lectured for the Bar Society at Continuing Legal Education seminars on “Commercial Leases” and on the “Use of the Internet for Lawyers”.
Presented a paper to the Canadian Bar Association (NS) Litigation and ADR section on ““Mediation and Interest Based Negotiation in Litigation.”
Organized and taught commercial law to individuals who were undergoing retraining under the Federal "Self Employment Assistance” program.
Contributed to the Nova Scotia Bar Admission Course by writing and providing materials on “Commercial Leases”.
LEGAL EDUCATION
DALHOUSIE LAW SCHOOL, Halifax, NS
LL.B. (1982)
President of the graduating class, Member of the Gale Cup Moot Team.
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, Winnipeg, MAN.
B.A. (1978)
MEDIATION TRAINING, EDUCATION AND SEMINARS
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, Boston, MASS.
“Preventing and Resolving Family and Family-Business Disputes” (2004)
ADR INSTITUTE OF ONTARIO. Toronto, ON
Wrongful Dismissal Seminar (2004)
SMALL CLAIMS COURT OF NOVA SCOTIA, Halifax, NS
Student mediation mentoring project (2003)
UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR – STITT FELD HANDY, Toronto, ON
Advanced ADR Workshop Certificate (2002)
DALHOUSIE LAW SCHOOL – HENSON COLLEGE, Halifax, NS
Advanced Mediation Training Certificate (2001)
ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY, Halifax, NS
Basic Mediation Certificate (2000)
ADMISSIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, DESIGNATIONS
LAW SOCIETY OF UPPER CANADA
Admitted to the Bar (2004)
THE NOVA SCOTIA BARRISTERS’ SOCIETY
Admitted to the Bar (1982)
CANADIAN BAR ASSOCIATION
Member of the Ontario ADR Section (2004)
ADR INSTITUTE OF ONTARIO
Member (2004)
PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA
Notary Public (1982)
INTERNATIONAL UECHI-RYU KARATE FEDERATION
1st Degree Black Belt (2002)
