Stephen D. Burns

Partner, Trademark Agent  •  Co-Head of Innovation, Technology & Branding Practice

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Summarize
Stephen Burns, co-chair of the firm's Technology and Intellectual Property group, focuses on technology transactions, industrial technologies, and information law and business process automation, including artificial intelligence.

Overview

Stephen has significant technology related experience (IT & OT) in connection with energy, utility, infrastructure, agriculture, health and financial institution and commodity market clients: including, in connection with CCUS, hydrogen, LNG, oil sands (mining and in situ), pipelines, storage, upgrading, refining, power generation (coal, natural gas, bio-mass, wind, solar, hydro), power transmission, power distribution (including, automated meter infrastructure, and billing systems), water and sewage treatment, carbon credit and commodity markets, fertilizer, agriculture operations and nutraceuticals. Stephen has led a number of large multi-stage, multi-vendor technology transactions on behalf of large, international clients, including the creation of multi-vendor private technology marketplaces.

Recognized for his thought leadership in information law, Stephen advises clients in respect of artificial intelligence, data governance and compliance, cybersecurity, seismic, privacy, social media, record management and retention, and access to government information matters. Stephen regularly appears before Canada's various Information and Privacy Commissioners.

Stephen serves as a member of the Steering Committee for Working Group 13 (Artificial Intelligence and the Law) of The Sedona Conference.

Stephen advises on matters concerning licensing, registration and protection of intellectual property in Canada and abroad. Stephen is a registered trademark agent.

Stephen is recognized for his leading technology transaction practice, including in Chambers, Legal 500 Canada, The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, IAM Patent 1000, IP Stars, WTR 1000, Best Lawyers in Canada, and Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyers.

,,Stephen understands our business. He is an expert in his field and is renowned for the expertise he brings in the IT field and as well in privacy. He brings good business sense and a keen eye for value [while] also ensuring that he provides practical business solutions.,,

Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyers

Client Work

Canadian Natural Resources Limited in its US$6.5-billion acquisition of Chevron's Alberta assets, including the Athabasca Oil Sands Project and Duvernay sale assets

DenCorp Online Services Inc., in its sale to RecallMax Acquisition Ltd., an affiliate of TriWest Capital Partners V (2015) Inc.
United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Limited (UFA), in all of its technology initiatives, including hardware, software licensing, systems licensing and outsourcing agreements, and advised on data protection, cybersecurity and privacy matters.
ATCO Ltd and Canadian Utilities Ltd., as sole legal counsel in their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) technology, licensing and intellectual property mandates.
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd (CNRL), in a patent infringement/patent validity lawsuit by Maoz Betser-Zilevitch
Canadian Utilities Limited, an ATCO company, in the sale of its entire Canadian fossil fuel-based electricity generation portfolio for approximately $835 million, which was completed in three stages, through the sale of its interest in the Cory project in Saskatchewan to SaskPower International Inc., a sale of its interest in the Brighton Beach project in Ontario to Ontario Power Generation Inc., and a sale of the balance of the applicable generation assets through a sale of its equity interest in ATCO Power Canada Ltd. to Heartland Generation Ltd., an affiliate of Energy Capital Partners.

Recognitions & Awards

Chambers Canada

Ranked, Privacy & Data Protection

The Legal 500 Canada

Leading Lawyer, Technology
Recommended, Intellectual Property

Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

Consistently Recommended, Computer & IT Law
Repeatedly Recommended, Intellectual Property; Technology Transactions

 

 

 

Lexpert/Report on Business Special Edition - Canada's Leading Infrastructure Lawyers

Recognized as a leading Infrastructure lawyer in Canada

Lexpert Report on Business - Infrastructure Special Edition

Recognized as leading Infrastructure lawyer in Canada

Lexpert Report on Business Special Edition - Canada's Leading Energy Lawyers

Recognized as a leading Energy lawyer in Canada

Education & Bar Admissions

Education

  • Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, HBA, 1992
  • University of Manitoba, LLB, 1997
  • Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, MBA, 2004

Bar Admissions

  • Alberta, 1998
  • British Columbia, 2014

Insights

Alberta OIPC Issues Report Regarding Responsible AI GovernanceBlog

Alberta OIPC Issues Report Regarding Responsible AI Governance

August 28, 2025
Stephen D. BurnsJ. Sébastien A. GittensDavid Wainer
Stephen D. Burns, J. Sébastien A. Gittens & David Wainer
AI Notetaking in the Legal and Business ContextBlog

AI Notetaking in the Legal and Business Context: Does It Risk Confidentiality or Privilege?

July 21, 2025
Benjamin K. ReingoldStephen D. BurnsJ. Sébastien A. Gittens
Benjamin K. Reingold, Stephen D. Burns & J. Sébastien A. Gittens
Update Requirements and Guidelines From Canadian RegulatorsBlog

AI in Canada: The Latest from Regulators, Courts and Public Bodies

July 16, 2025
Benjamin K. ReingoldStephen D. Burns
Benjamin K. Reingold & Stephen D. Burns

News, Events & Speaking Engagements

PlaceholderSpeaking Engagement

Rethinking Cyber Risk in the Age of AI: What Boards Need to Know

July 8, 2025
Stephen D. Burns
Stephen D. Burns
PlaceholderSpeaking Engagement

Leveraging Technology for Geopolitical Risk Management and Advantage

December 4, 2024
Stephen D. Burns
Stephen D. Burns