Rose is a Calgary boutique that saw its genesis in 2013 when a group of partners departed international conglomerate Dentons to establish their own litigation shop. In the eyes of peers, this bold gambit has more than paid off. “The Rose group are some of the brightest stars from Dentons’ Calgary litigation bench,” confirm one peer. “That was a REALLY good move that those people made going out on their own. They just are kicking ass all over the place. I deal with them on a lot of work, and they get a ton of other work as well.” Still another peer speculates in agreement, “I think Rose is turning away work at this point! They are just growing organically and developing a great space in this market, satisfying the need for high-end commercial litigation.” The firm is especially celebrated for its construction and infrastructure work, particularly pertaining to the energy industry and, buoyed by vibrant peer review, ascends into the “highly recommended” category in this edition.
Firm namesake James Rose is confirmed by peers to be “as active as ever. He does lots of commercial and insurance work, and has done every type of case that’s ever been done. He’s doing an IP case in Newfoundland dealing with the information on deposits of offshore oil, with issues dealing with the alleged wrongful acquisition of this information from the government.” Speaking to Rose’s magnetism, one peer offers in summation, “Jim was the guy that everybody knew in Calgary, the one in the middle of the wheel that connected everyone.” While Rose and fellow former Dentons alumnus Lowell Westersund have historically been the firm’s most visible litigators, peers also insist, “You need to take a closer look at Jane Sidnell. She is first-class and is someone who would be well-respected and recognized in this field.” By way of elaboration, another peer offers, “I had an eight-month-long construction file with Jane and she was excellent.” David Wachowich is considered “one of the leaders of the insurance bar. He’s had a long-standing relationship with the insurers in London.” Phillip Scheibel earns near-unanimous rave reviews as “a true leading force there, one who is a prime example of Rose’s strategic recruitment and growth strategy.” Managing partner Matthew Lindsay is another peer favorite, with one such peer confirming, “We were co-experts on a file in Australia and I found him to be very impressive and easy to work with.” Another raves, “You will hear GREAT FEEDBACK about Matt Lindsay. He has a humble nature – he’s from Saskatchewan! – but should not fly under the radar! He’s great, he’s a QC.” Brian Foster acts for a major investment dealer in an investigation by Securities Commissions of its entire business and compliance practices. He also acts for an investment fund in a fair-value claim arising from the exercise of dissent rights on an amalgamation. Foster also acts for an oil and gas company advancing a claim against an investment dealer that terminated a bought deal financing, resulting in significant losses to the company.
