Young, Gary D
Gary D Young
Practice Areas
Gary is a senior litigation partner at Robertson Stromberg Pedersen LLP. With extensive experience in a broad range of areas of law, Gary’s practice emphasis is in corporate and commercial litigation, insurance law, personal injury, professional negligence, product liability and general negligence law, including class actions. He has defended lawyers and other professionals in numerous professional negligence claims and has been retained by the Law Society of Saskatchewan to prosecute disciplinary complaints on its behalf. Gary has been identified by Lexpert as a leading Saskatchewan lawyer in the areas of corporate commercial litigation, commercial insurance and personal injury.
Education
Gary is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan. He received both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1971. He was called to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1972.
Professional Involvement
Throughout his career, Gary has taken an active interest in the development of the legal profession in Canada. He is a Past President of the Canadian Bar Association, Saskatchewan Branch, and a past member of the National Executive Committee of the Canadian Bar Association. He has also served as a member of the Federal Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee for Saskatchewan, giving advice to the Minister of Justice with respect to the appointment of judges.
Mr. Young is a frequent speaker at professional seminars on trial advocacy and, from 1988 to 2004, in conjunction with representatives of the Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan, taught trial advocacy at the provincial bar admission course.
Key Cases
Gary has a solid record of successful cases before all levels of provincial and federal courts. The following is a sample of some of his more recent files.
Saskatchewan Water Corporation v. Ipsco/Hamilton Kent
Counsel for a supplier of materials for the construction of a water pipeline. The case against the supplier was discontinued, upon payment of a nominal amount, based upon nuisance value, following 45 days of trial, without the case being left with the Judge for decision.
Housen v. Nikolaisen/The Rural Municipality of Shellbrook
Counsel for the Plaintiff, who became a quadriplegic following an accident on a rural road, obtaining judgment against a municipality for failure to install a sign warning of a curve in the road. The municipality successfully appealed the decision to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal; however, the Supreme Court of Canada restored the trial decision. Housen is now cited by the Courts of Appeal in all provinces in Canada as the authoritative pronouncement of the Supreme Court on the standard of appellate review with respect to a trial judge's finding of fact. The argument before the Supreme Court was broadcast Canada-wide on CPAC television on two separate occasions.
Cross et al v. The City of North Battleford/Battlefords District Health Board et al
Counsel for the Battlefords District Health Board, successfully defending a class action lawsuit arising out of the presence of cryptosporidium in the drinking water distributed to the residents of the City of North Battleford. The action against the Health Board was discontinued, with no payment from the Health Board having been made. The contamination of the City's water supply received national attention.
Betthel et al v. Black/Hollinger International Inc. et al
Saskatchewan counsel for a director of Hollinger International Inc., in a shareholder class action lawsuit involving allegations of a breach of fiduciary duty. This action is on-going.
Garrett et al v. Cameco Corporation/Clintondale Aviation Inc. et al
Counsel for the Defendant, Clintondale Aviation Inc., an aviation safety auditor with offices in New York and in Moscow, involving the fatal crash of a helicopter into the side of a mountain in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. The helicopter was carrying 15 people, including 9 residents of Saskatchewan, from the site of a gold mine. This case was settled following a pre-trial settlement conference. The contribution to settlement provided by Clintondale was nominal, based primarily on the cost of litigation.
Frey et al v. Bell Canada/Rogers Communications Inc./Microcell Telecommunications Inc. [Fido] et al
Saskatchewan counsel for Microcell, prior to its purchase by Rogers Communications Inc., in a class action brought on behalf of customers of various telecommunication companies involving allegations of misrepresentation with respect to their billing practices.