Graeme leads BLG’s White Collar Criminal Defence and Corporate Investigations and International Trade and Investment groups. He is a very experienced trial and appellate advocate in the areas of white collar criminal defence, international trade and investment law, complex commercial disputes and public law.
Graeme is widely recognized as one of Canada's leading white collar criminal defence practitioners. He has been counsel in several of the most notable white collar and regulatory investigations and prosecutions in recent Canadian history, including the successful defence of one of the accused in the landmark bribery prosecution R. v. Barra, a precedent-setting FINTRAC enforcement action against a cryptocurrency exchange for alleged violations of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, and multiple high-profile securities regulatory proceedings. In addition, Graeme is frequently retained by companies to conduct internal investigations and instructed in related civil litigation.
Graeme additionally specializes in international trade law, where his practice encompasses litigation, investigations, transactional advice and compliance advice in regard to economic sanctions; import, export and technology transfer controls; defence trade controls; customs laws; anti-dumping, countervail and safeguard measures; and anti-corruption laws. Graeme regularly acts for Canadian and multinational companies in litigation before the Federal Court and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal; in audits, inspections and administrative proceedings conducted by the Canada Border Services Agency; and with respect to trade law issues implicated in domestic and cross-border transactions.
Graeme taught Trial Advocacy at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law for several years. He also previously taught Evidence at Osgoode Hall Law School as an adjunct professor. In addition, Graeme has testified as an expert witness on criminal and constitutional law issues before the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on multiple occasions.