JOEL WATSON
COUNSEL
Joel Watson provides innovative solutions to unforeseen and uncommon public and private sector problems and crises. He also navigates and clears obstacles so as to assist clients seize opportunities.
With a unique combination of over 30 years’ experience in the military, Bay Street law firms, Multi-national Corporations, and Government, Joel has a proven track record of obtaining successful outcomes with the utmost discretion and efficiency. He provides candid and critical advice in real time and assists clients and their professional teams execute their tasks more efficiently and effectively so as to obtain the desired outcome.
After serving in the Special Service Force of the Canadian Armed Forces, Joel spent over two decades resolving complex and sensitive disputes at Bay Street law firms and Veterans Affairs Canada. Among other things, Joel has been litigation counsel on two rounds of the Securities litigation for control of the Toronto Maple Leafs, for Telus in the music sharing litigation, sensitive cross-border insolvency litigation in the high-tech sector, and for various technology, resource, and development / construction companies in all aspects of their businesses. Joel also maintained an Insurance defence practice throughout his career, believing that this necessary “bread and butter” work kept litigation skills finely honed in a world of increasingly spurious claims. Joel does not drag out litigation; he ends it by way of resolution or judgment. He has appeared before all levels of court, arbitrations, mediations, and the Grand Council of the Cree. His expertise in resolving complex litigation led to Joel being parachuted into Veterans Affairs to resolve a high profile billion-dollar constitutional class action, lead other multimillion-dollar class actions, draft legislation, and reform departmental procedures under intense media scrutiny.
On the corporate side of the ledger, Joel has guided numerous Public-Private Partnership deals to close and implementation. At Barrick Gold Corporation, Joel set up a world leading Veterans Program and led special projects and operations around the Globe.
Joel’s ability to successfully resolve issues that others could not has developed into a unique practice focused on problem solving and opportunity execution, with or without a legal component. As Counsel, Joel now brings this skillset to Spiteri & Ursulak, LLP.
Joel is also an Academic, working with the Gregg Center for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick. Joel’s graduate work is focused on successful veterans’ transition and he has presented papers at Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research Conferences. Believing that service before self never ends and that academic research must deliver practical results to be of value, Joel works collaboratively with corporations, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces to improve the transition process and employment prospects for veterans and reservists alike. In the course of this work, Joel also assists in the teaching of the next generation of teachers and citizens so that no one is left behind to face a harsh world on their own.
Joel is on the Board of, or involved with, several National and Local Charities.
