Born in Hamilton, Ontario, John has lived in Alberta for over four decades.  He attended the University of Guelph where he graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in History and Political Studies.  He continued his studies at the University of Alberta where he successfully completed a Master of Arts degree in History in 1977.  Returning to Ontario, he then attended Queen’s University at Kingston and obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1982.  Articling in Lethbridge, Alberta, gave him exposure to general practice in a small Alberta city.

Since his call to the Alberta Bar in June, 1983, the main focus of John’s practice has been in the litigation field, both in private practice and during his time at the City of Calgary Law Department.  He has maintained a general practice with a range of areas of law that include civil litigation, family, criminal, municipal, wills and estates, business, real estate, and administrative law.

John has been active in adult distance education with Athabasca University for over three decades, tutoring students from around the world in areas of commercial law, administrative law, and local government law in Alberta.  He has had articles published on the topic of records management and was the original drafter of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Alberta) when he was at the City of Calgary.