Jonathan H. Selnes,

Jonathan's practice includes all areas of civil and commercial litigation. In his commercial litigation practice, Jonathan has experience in a broad range of cases involving insurance matters, shareholder’s disputes and oppression remedies, professional negligence claims, complex commercial disputes, class actions, real estate disputes, and complex construction and engineering disputes, and oil and gas disputes.

In his estate litigation practice, Jonathan has experience with challenges to the validity of powers of attorney, claims arising in the administration of estates and trusts, claims against executors, trustees, and attorneys for breach of trust, proceedings to appoint, remove, or replace trustees, and disputes over the passing of accounts by executors, trustees, and attorneys.

He has appeared as counsel before all levels of court in Alberta, the Alberta Securities Commission, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, and the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba. Jonathan has also defended clients in regulatory prosecutions. He has experience acting as counsel in both domestic and international arbitrations.

• Law Society of Alberta, Member
• Canadian Bar Association, Member
• Calgary Bar Association, Member
• The Advocates Society, Member

• Calgary Legal Guidance, Volunteer

• Best Lawyers in Canada 2024: recognised for Corporate and Commercial Litigation
• Benchmark Litigation 40 and Under Hotlist (2021-2023)
• Benchmark Canada: The Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys, 2022-2023: recognised as a Future Star

Jonathan has experience in the following areas: 

Estate Litigation

• Applications to appoint guardians & trustees
• Advising on applications to pass accounts
• Proceedings to recover losses resulting from a breach of trust or breach of fiduciary duty
• Claims regarding the transfer of assets during a person's lifetime
• Advising on matters of unjust enrichment
• Claims against and/or for removal of personal representatives who cannot fulfill their obligations
• Disputes regarding compensation of trustees, personal representatives and administrators
• Claims by family members, dependents and adult interdependent partners regarding the variance of a will

Commercial and General Litigation

• Contractual Disputes & Unjust Enrichment claims
• Oil & Gas Disputes
• Breaches of Trust
• Breaches of Fiduciary Duties
• Economic and Intentional Torts including fraud and defamation
• Real Estate and Joint Venture Disputes
• Professional Negligence Litigation

Construction Litigation

Personal Injury

Securities Litigation

• Defence of companies and individuals involved in investigations and regulatory prosecutions by the Ontario Securities Commission, the Alberta Securities Commission and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada
• Shareholder Disputes

Court and Arbitration Experience

• Has conducted trials at both the Court of Queen's Bench and the Provincial Court of Alberta
• Has appeared before all levels of court in Alberta and the Alberta Securities Commission representing clients on a wide range of matter

Reported Decisions

• Zafar v Muslim Association of Calgary, 2021 ABQB 285
• Accel Canada Holdings Limited (Re), 2020 ABQB 204
• Accel Canada Holdings Limited (Re), 2020 ABQB 182
• Corex Resources Ltd. et al. v. 2928419 Manitoba Ltd., 2020 MBQB 47
• Centurion Mortgage Capital Corporation v The Bridges Steps Limited Partnership (Giustini Bridges Inc), 2019 ABQB 276
• ACCEL Canada Holdings Limited v Pembina Pipeline Corporation, 2018 ABQB 1039
• Asplund (Re), 2018 IIROC 1
  
• Beaumont Resources Ltd. v Cardinal Energy Ltd., 2017 ABCA 416
• Lindsay Estate (Re), 2017 ABQB 452
• Condominium Corporation No 0321365 v Prairie Communities Corp, 2017 ABQB 396
• Condominium Corporation No 0321365 v Prairie Communities Corp, 2017 ABQB 359
• Mikkelsen v. Truman Development Corporation, 2017 ABCA 99
• Condominium Corp. No. 0321365 v. Cuthbert, 2016 ABCA 46
• Condominium Corporation No 0610078 v Pointe of View Condominiums (Prestwick) Inc, 2016 ABQB 609
• Mikkelsen v. Truman Development Corp., 2016 ABQB 23 and 2016 ABQB 255
• Condominium Corp. No. 0321365 v. Prairie Communities Corp., 2015 ABQB 753
• Mintage Financial Corp. v. Altenhofen, 2014 ABQB 735
• RBZ Capital Corp. v. Petrol Alchemy LLC, 2013 ABQB 634
• Mintage Financial Corp. v. Altenhofen, 2013 ABQB 486