Shaun Parker

Shaun provides advice and representation to employers on a wide range of employment and labour matters, including advocacy and corporate aspects of employment and labour law.  His practice regularly involves employment litigation, employment-compliance, as well as mergers and acquisitions related work.

Shaun has appeared before all levels of court in Alberta, the British Columbia Supreme Court, and various administrative tribunals.  Shaun has been lead trial counsel on a number of matters, and has been litigation counsel on numerous injunctions (including breach of restrictive covenants and illegal blockade-related matters) as well as Anton Piller applications.


Representative Work

  • Bird Construction

    Bird Construction in its acquisition of Jacob Bros Construction for $135 million

  • OneComply

    OneComply in its acquisition by GeoComply Inc.

  • Nimble Science

    Nimble Science in its raising of US$ 2 million in a Series A financing round

  • M3-Brigade Acquisition III Corp.

    M3-Brigade Acquisition III Corp. in its US$950 million business combination with Greenfire Resources Inc.

  • VAALCO Energy

    VAALCO in its US$307 million business combination with TransGlobe

Select Reported Deals:

  • The Carlyle Group with regard to Canadian aspects of its acquisition of Arctic Glacier Group Holdings, Inc. from H.I.G. Capital.
  • Procera Networks Inc., an affiliate of Francisco Partners, in the C$562 million acquisition of TSX-listed network policy control solutions company Sandvine Corporation by way of plan of arrangement in Ontario.
  • Trican Well Service Ltd. on the sale of its U.S. pressure pumping business to Keane Group Holdings, LLC for US$200 million plus an equity interest in Keane.
  • Suncor Energy Inc. on its proposed purchase of all of the shares of Canadian Oil Sands Limited valued at C$6.6 billion.
  • Trinidad Drilling Ltd. on its C$505 million acquisition of CanElson Drilling Inc.
  • BluEarth Renewables Inc. on its buyout by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.
  • Jupiter Resources Inc. and Apollo Management Holding LP in connection with the C$2 billion acquisition by Jupiter Resources Inc. of the Bighorn upstream assets from Encana Corporation.
  • KUFPEC Canada Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Chevron Canada Limited’s 30 per cent interest in its Duvernay shale play for US$1.5 billion.
  • ENMAX Corporation on its purchase from Encana Corporation of the 115 MW, natural-gas-fired, Cavalier electricity generation facility located near Strathmore, Alberta, and of Encana’s 50 per cent interest in the 110 MW, natural-gas-fired, Balzac electricity generation facility located near Balzac, Alberta.

 

Select Reported Cases:

  • Trican Well Service Ltd. obtained summary dismissal for an employer, defeating allegations that its severance clause contracted below employment standards minimums.
  • Creditloans Canada Financing Inc. successfully defended a high-growth emerging company in a dispute with a founder over severance, bonuses, and stock options.
  • Nexen Energy ULC as counsel at trial and on appeal, successfully defending the client with respect to a US$50 million claim involving allegations of breach of confidence, employment discrimination, and defamation.
  • Catalyst Canada Services LP as counsel, obtaining an Anton Piller Order and injunction against former employees that had misappropriated trade secrets, confidential information, and other intellectual property relating to specialized oil and gas drilling technology.

 

Other Work:

  • Acting for a multinational oil and gas company in its defence of claims brought by its former CEO with respect to his performance share units.
  • Obtaining an Anton Piller Order for an Alberta pipeline company against a contractor and his operating companies who are suspected of misappropriating at least C$2 million in company funds.
  • Obtaining an interim and permanent injunction for a Western Canadian oil and gas producer to prevent a landowner from demolishing a key access road to the company’s facilities.
  • Obtaining an injunction for a franchisor to enforce a two year non-competition covenant against a former franchisee, including an award of full solicitor-client costs.
  • Successfully litigated a wrongful termination claim through to trial for a senior engineer against his former employer.
  • Defeated an application for a confidentiality and sealing order against a client in an asset entitlement dispute, regarding assets exceeding C$10 million in value.
  • Representing clients in a number of chambers matters and before administrative tribunals, including the Alberta Labour Relations Board, provincial employment standards commissions, human rights commissions, and privacy commissions.

Latest Insights

  • Blog Jun 27, 2024

    Cannabis in safety sensitive positions: guidance from the Alberta Court of King’s Bench

    The Alberta Court of King’s Bench found that employers have the right to enforce drug and alcohol policies, especially in the name of safety.

    Read more
    Cannabis in safety sensitive positions: guidance from the Alberta Court of King’s Bench
  • Blog Mar 21, 2024

    Driving change: B.C.’s Bill 48 provides clarity to gig economy

    British Columbia’s Bill 48 aims to provide some clarity on the legal standards that apply to gig economy workers. The Bill is expected to have...

    Read more
    Driving change: B.C.’s Bill 48 provides clarity to gig economy
  • Blog Dec 13, 2023

    British Columbia streamlining credential recognition for internationally trained professionals

    The B.C. government has introduced new legislation designed to address delays in accreditation by streamlining the international credential...

    Read more
    British Columbia streamlining credential recognition for internationally trained professionals
  • Osler Update Oct 4, 2022

    No constructive dismissal of employee who refused vaccination says the B.C. Supreme Court

    Osler lawyers provide their analysis of a recent Supreme Court of B.C. decision regarding an employer’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.

    Read more
View all Insights

Awards and Recognition

  • Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Employment & Labour (Alberta)

Media Mentions

  • Media Mentions Jan 14, 2022

    Scores of unvaccinated workers are filing wrongful dismissal claims against employers, lawyers say – The Globe and Mail

    Osler's Shaun Parker told The Globe and Mail in an interview that he is seeing more cases of fired employees who refuse to get vaccinated.

    Read more
  • Osler News Feb 16, 2021

    Osler welcomes 12 new partners and 2 new counsel in 2021

    Osler is proud to announce the addition of 12 new partners and two new counsel across five of our offices, effective March 1, 2021.

    Read more
  • Media Mentions Jan 11, 2021

    Employers requiring coronavirus vaccinations must consider human rights, privacy – Benefits Canada

    Employers must carefully consider the privacy and human rights implications of requiring vaccinations for their teams before potentially doing so,...

    Read more
  • Media Mentions Dec 7, 2020

    Can workers be mandated to take the COVID vaccine? – Canadian HR Reporter

    As Canada starts to roll out COVID-19 vaccine doses, Osler associate Shaun Parker speaks to Canadian HR Reporter about some of the corresponding...

    Read more
View all

Speaking and Writing

Speaking Engagements

speaker 01/4/2020
Coronavirus: Public Health and Canadian Workplace Considerations
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speaker 12/2/2020
Employment and Labour – A Year in Review and a Look Forward
Read more
speaker 18/10/2017
Calgary Breakfast Seminar Series – October
Read more
speaker 06/4/2017
Employment Law 101 for Emerging Companies
Read more
speaker 27/1/2017
Cybersecurity: A Primer for Executives, Managers and Counsel
Read more
speaker 01/6/2016
Mid-Year Employment Law Update: Are you covering all your bases?
Read more

Foresight Companies Webinar #3: Resources and Discussion on COVID-19
Speaker, April 7, 2020

Coronavirus: Public Health and Canadian Workplace Considerations
Speaker, April 1, 2020

Employment and Labour – A Year in Review and a Look Forward
Speaker, Calgary, February 12, 2020

Webinar – The Need to Know: A look at important legal developments in the areas of board governance, employment stipulations, and talent sourcing
Speaker, September 18, 2019

Webinar – Workplace Harassment and #MeToo: Preventing and Responding to Incidents in the Workplace
Speaker, Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Webinar – Legal Developments in Employment & Labour: Marijuana and Accommodation
Speaker, November 23, 2017

Calgary Breakfast Seminar Series – October
Speaker, Marijuana and Accommodation, Calgary, October 18, 2017

Employment Law 101 for Emerging Companies
Co-Presenter, Employment Law 101 for Emerging Companies, Calgary, May 4, 2017

Cybersecurity: A Primer for Executives, Managers and Counsel
Speaker, Calgary, Thursday, April 27, 2017

Canadian Corporate Counsel Association – Cybersecurity Seminar
Speaker, April 27, 2017

Employment Law 101 for Emerging Companies
Speaker, Vancouver, April 6, 2017

Cybersecurity: A Primer for Executives, Managers and Counsel
Speaker, Calgary, January 31, 2017

Webinar – Employment Law Update: From Compliance to Tech
Speaker, Cybersecurity in the Workplace: Preventative measures, January 25, 2017

Mid-Year Employment Law Update: Are you covering all your bases?
Speaker, Employment & Labour, Webinar, June 1 and June 9, 2016

Calgary Breakfast Seminar Series: Employment Issues During an Economic Downturn
Speaker, Calgary, March 30, 2016

Published Work

Publications:

Events:

  • Co-Speaker, Insider Threats: Protecting your Workplace in the Digital Age, Sterling Backcheck Webinar, March 11, 2015.
  • Co-Speaker, Renegades and Rogues: Fiduciary Duties and Restrictive Covenant, Blakes Business Class Seminar, November 5, 2014.
  • Author, Unconventional Non-Competition Covenants, Employment and Labour Law Reporter, September 2014.
  • Co-author, Privacy and Privilege: Authority of the Alberta Privacy Commissioner to Compel Privileged Records, Employment and Labour Law Reporter, September 2014.
  • Speaker, Managing Absenteeism in the Workplace, Lorman Education Services, April 15, 2014.


Credentials

Education

  • University of Alberta, LL.B. (with Distinction)
  • University of Calgary, B.A.

Languages

  • English

Professional Affiliations

  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Alberta Bar Association