James A. Mercury

Chair of the Executive Board of the Firm, Karen is a litigation lawyer whose practice is focused on civil, construction, insurance and commercial litigation and arbitration. Karen assists clients with a variety of matters, including shareholder disputes, negligence claims and contractual disputes, and insurance litigation. Karen has a particular focus on construction-related litigation, acting for owners, contractors, sub-contractors, architects and engineers, in complex construction disputes...

Vivian Rachlis conducts neutral investigations, provides dispute resolution services, and provides legal advice on neutral matters. She conducts independent workplace, respectful workplace, ethics, regulatory and institutional investigations. Vivian’s work supports clients in a variety of sectors. She has particular expertise supporting the work of public institutions and publicly regulated institutions and businesses. Her clients appreciate her specialized subject matter knowledge pert...

Benjamin has over 35 years of experience in the Labour and Employment field and focuses on providing advice to management in both union and non-union workplaces. Following a three-year term as VP Corporate Counsel for a national trucking company, Benjamin joined Pitblado Law in 2009, became a Partner in 2011, was appointed to the Executive Committee in 2012, and occupied the role of Managing Partner from 2013 – 2022. With over 35 years of experience in the Labour and Employment field, B...

Fred is arguably the most experienced and knowledgeable residential property development lawyer in Manitoba. He has been responsible for the legal work in land acquisitions, subdivision creation and approval, and residential development and sale for hundreds of subdivisions over the course of his career. He has also acted for many of Winnipeg's most prominent house builders for more than 35 years. Fred practises primarily in the area of real estate, including land development and subdivisions...

Darla Rettie is a trusted legal advisor offering practical and effective advice in the areas of commercial financing, business structuring, designing trusts and documenting First Nation laws. Her aim is to assist her clients and their partners realize their goals, while navigating the complex web of laws that apply to First Nations and their businesses. This includes the constitutionally protected right to be consulted, as part of the project development and implementation processes. Darla br...

Susan Dawes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labour and Employment Law. Susan, who practises law in Winnipeg, Manitoba, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Susan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Susan is a partner in Myers LLP and practices exclusively in the areas of labour and administrative law. She assists union c...

Joe brings tremendous business and practical insight, as well as technical excellence to the table. As a trusted advisor, he works intimately with his clients, often being chosen to lead contract negotiations. While Joe has handled deals of all types, he is especially knowledgeable with the Insurance, Aviation and rail industries, including their technology needs. He led the $80 million Manitoba Blue Cross Claims Processing Solution Project and subsequent commercialization of the technology. ...

Michael Puchniak’s corporate and commercial law practice includes advising businesses on structure, growth, and corporate governance, as well as acquisitions, dispositions and various contractual arrangements. Michael has experience in the preparation of a variety of commercial agreements including shareholder, partnership, joint venture and purchase and sale agreements. Michael also advises lenders and borrowers on domestic loan transactions involving office, retail, multi-tenant resid...

Steven is an experienced business and securities lawyer. He has acted on behalf of clients on significant M&A transactions, establishment of a wide range of public and private investment funds, complex corporate restructurings, securities regulatory matters, private placements, IPOs including Capital Pool Companies, and a wide variety of corporate finance transactions. Steven’s experience in mergers and acquisitions has involved acting for Canadian and international enterprises of v...

Chris Wullum is a civil litigation lawyer with Tapper Cuddy LLP in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His practice focuses on Medical Negligence , Personal Injury Litigation , and Defamation and Media Law . He also advises clients in employment law, human rights matters, and privacy law. Chris represents individuals and families in complex civil litigation matters involving serious injuries and disputed liability. His work includes medical negligence claims arising from birth trauma, surgical complications,...