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Overview

David McKinnon's litigation practice focuses on crisis response and risk management, and the resolution of complex commercial, energy and environmental disputes and investigations. David also acts in professional negligence matters for physicians sued for malpractice or facing professional disciplinary proceedings. He regularly appears before all levels of court in Alberta, before administrative tribunals, and in international and domestic arbitrations.

David has been recognized in national rankings by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, by Lexpert as one of Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers, by Lexpert as a Rising Star: Leading Lawyer Under 40, and by Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star. He has been an invited speaker by the Legal Education Society of Alberta – Civil Advocacy Series, the Canadian Bar Association Health Law Section, the Canadian Medical Protective Association, and the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine. David is also an active volunteer in Calgary, serving as a governor of EducationMatters, as a committee member of UNICEF Water for Life, and as a community sports coach.

Client Work

Representing the landlord in a successful claim for breach of lease against a tenant who had leased an entire 37 story office building and then vacated it with 12 years left on the lease, claiming that a minute amount of hazardous materials in building materials from decades earlier justified that decision.  CNOOC Petroleum North America ULC v 801 Seventh Inc, 2025 ABKB 145; 2023 ABCA 97 ; 2021 ABQB 861; 2021 ABQB 81
Acted for energy companies in pipeline releases.
Acted for energy company in dispute with joint venture partner over failure of storage ponds for produced water from hydraulic fracturing operation.
Acted for various energy industry companies in defending multi-million dollar copyright claims over use of seismic data (including 2016 ABQB 356 and 2016 ABQB 230)
Acted for a group of concerned shareholders in an appeal to the Alberta Securities Commission of a decision of the TSX Venture Exchange.
Acted for Canadian company in multi-million dollar 'bet-the-company' arbitration involving American franchisor.

Recognitions & Awards

Benchmark Litigation: Canada

Recognized as a Litigation Star

Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

Consistently Recommended, Professional Liability
Repeatedly Recommended, Medical Negligence
Repeatedly Recommended, Litigation - Corporate Commercial

Lexpert Special Edition—Canada's Leading Health Sciences Lawyers

Recognized as a leading Health Sciences lawyer

Lexpert Special Edition: Litigation

Recognized as one of Canada's leading lawyers in litigation

Lexpert Rising Star

Recognized as a rising star winner

Education & Bar Admissions

Education

  • University of King's College, Combined Honours (Philosophy and Political Science), 2002
  • University of Calgary, LLB, 2007

Bar Admissions

  • Alberta, 2008