Austin Ward
Austin Ward
Lawyer
Overview
Experience
Professional
Recognition
News + Views + Events

Austin Ward is a lawyer in Field Law’s Canmore office whose practice focuses on labour and employment, intellectual property law, and dispute resolution. He has experience representing clients in all levels of Court in Alberta and in the Federal Court of Canada, as well as before various administrative bodies and tribunals. Austin prides himself on being an effective negotiator and shrewd advocate for his clients – both inside and outside the courtroom.

Austin’s clients range from individuals and local start-up businesses to large corporations and public institutions in the Bow Valley and across Alberta and British Columbia. Austin understands the legal and business issues involved in providing strategic advice tailored to his clients’ needs. He advises clients on a wide variety of legal issues, including:

  • Employee discipline and termination
  • Severance negotiations
  • Workplace human rights and privacy issues
  • Protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights
  • Patent, trademark, and copyright disputes
  • Obtaining and resisting applications for urgent injunctive relief
  • Cyberlaw disputes, including online defamation cases and obtaining Norwich Orders to identify anonymous wrongdoers

Austin’s practice is client-focused and centred on his communication and problem-solving skills. Although he has extensive courtroom experience, Austin prefers a collaborative approach to dispute resolution where possible so that he can determine the most practical and cost-effective solution for his clients.

Prior to attending law school, Austin spent several years working as a server and bartender in Canmore. During this time, he developed a passion for the hospitality industry and the Bow Valley business community. Austin credits his time working in restaurants and bars for his decision to pursue law. He views the practice of law as the ultimate service industry and brings his passion for hospitality to his legal practice.

Value to Clients

“I am obsessed with client service. I prefer in person visits and phone calls so that I can get to know my clients and their businesses personally. Forming personal connections with my clients helps me understand their goals and priorities so that I can provide the best advice possible tailored to their business.”

Outside the Office

When Austin isn’t taking advantage of the Bow Valley’s incredible local restaurant scene or honing his skills in his kitchen or behind the bar, he enjoys travelling and exploring the West Coast and Rocky Mountains with his partner and Golden Retriever, Yuki.

Bow Valley Chamber of Commerce
Board Member
2024 - Present
Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)
Member
2022 - Present
Canadian Bar Association Alberta, Intellectual Property & Technology (South)
Member
2020 - Present
Canadian Bar Association Alberta, Intellectual Property & Technology (South)
Executive Committee Member
2020 - 2023
Labour + Employment Law
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada™
2024 - 2025
Sunshine Village Corporation v Boehnisch, 2021 ABQB 63
Sunshine Village Corporation v Boehnisch, 2020 ABQB 692
R v Rapicon Inc., 2019 ABPC 98
February 2024
2023 - A Year in Review: Labour + Employment (Part 2)
Seminars + Webinar
Join members of our Labour + Employment Group for our annual Year in Review, which focuses on legal updates for management and employee groups.Part 2 of this series covered Employment, Privacy and Human Rights. To view Part 1, ...
December 2023 - 3 min read
‘Tis the Season to be Jolly… But be Careful!
Workwise Newsletter
With the holiday season upon us, employers are advised to establish clear workplace policies on alcohol and drug consumption, plan events with safety considerations like drink tickets and alternative transport, and closely monitor even...
June 13, 2023
Coffee + Counsel: Common Pitfalls to Avoid with Employment Contracts
Q+A Session
Join us for Coffee + Counsel, a complimentary webinar series where you can connect with our lawyers for an unscripted discussion about legal issues relevant to organizations operating in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. We'll be sharing our l...
February 2023
The Importance of Clear Language in Employment Contracts
Law Camera Action: Field Law Talks Law
What should you look out for as an employer when creating employment contracts?As an employer, you are responsible for creating employment contracts, so what happens when a dispute arises from the interpretation of an employment agreement? Austin Ward ...
February 2023
2022 - A Year in Review: Labour + Employment (Part 2)
Seminar + Webinar
Join members of our Labour + Employment Group for our annual Year in Review, which focuses on legal updates for management and employee groups.Part 2 of this series will cover Privacy, Employment and Human Rights. To view the recording for Part 1, whic...
April 2022 - 3 min read
Back to the Office: Legal Considerations for Employers
Workwise Newsletter
On March 1, 2022, the Province of Alberta entered stage 2 of the Government’s three-stage process for easing COVID-19 restrictions, which resulted in the lifting of nearly all remaining public health restrictions, including Alberta’s mandat...
April 7, 2022
Coffee + Counsel: Employer Considerations for the Removal of Vaccination Policies
Q+A Session
Join us for another edition of Coffee + Counsel, a complimentary series that brings you together with a few of our lawyers for an unscripted chat about legal issues pertinent to organizations in Alberta. Your questions guide the discussion, and we prov...
November 17, 2021
Coffee + Counsel: Family Status Accommodation - Where Are We Now?
Q+A Session
Join us for another edition of Coffee + Counsel, a complimentary series that brings you together with a few of our lawyers for an unscripted chat about legal issues pertinent to organizations in Alberta. Your questions guide the discussion, and we prov...
May 19, 2021
Coffee + Counsel: Employers, Are You Ready for the COVID-19 Vaccine?
Q+A Session
Join us for another edition of Coffee + Counsel, a complimentary series that brings you together with a few of our lawyers for an unscripted chat about legal issues pertinent to organizations in Alberta. Your questions guide the discussion, and we prov...
November 2020 - 3 min read
Largest Costs Award in Alberta Human Rights History Upheld on Appeal
In Facey v Bantrel Management Services Co., 2020 ABQB 719 Austin Ward successfully defeated an appeal of a watershed costs award granted against a complainant in a human rights case.  The respondent to the appeal, Bantrel ...
October 7, 2020
Cocktails + Counsel: Workplace Accommodation in the COVID Era
Q+A Session
Join Field Law for the second installment of a complimentary new webinar series that brings you together (virtually) with a few of our lawyers for an unscripted chat about legal issues. Your questions guide the discussion, and we provide our legal pers...
July 23, 2020
Coffee + Counsel: Mitigating Risk as Employees Return to Work
Q+A Session
Field Law presents a new series that brings together you and a few of our lawyers for an unscripted chat about legal issues. Your questions guide the discussion, and we provide our legal perspectives. As businesses open up again, and employees retur...
May 2019
Human Rights Tribunal Renders Landmark Costs Award Against Complainant
Workwise Newsletter
In Facey v Bantrel Management Services Co., 2019 AHRC 4 the Alberta Human rights Tribunal made a watershed costs award against a complainant. Tribunal Chair Langlois-Klassen acknowledged in her decision that costs should only be awarded against a compl...
May 2019
Heads Up: Labour + Employment Laws Are Changing Again
Alert
On Monday May 27, the UCP-led Government of Alberta introduced Bill 2: An Act to Make Alberta Open for Business. Bill 2 passed its first reading and is aimed at reversing some of the legislative changes made by the NDP during its time in government. If...
Education
University of Calgary, 2018, Juris Doctor
University of British Columbia, 2014, Bachelor of Science, with Distinction
Admissions
Alberta,2019