Robert J. Lesperance

Prior to forming Lesperance Mendes, Robert was a partner in a large Vancouver law firm and the chairperson of its environmental and intellectual property practice groups.

Robert is a co-chair of the Canadian Bar Association's Environmental Law Section. His environmental practice emphasizes contaminated sites litigation, particularly leaking underground fuel storage tanks and related environmental claims and issues. His clients in this area are diverse and include international oil companies, property owners and private corporations.

Robert has practiced in the area of employment law since he was called to the Bar in 1984. His services include advising employers and employees on employment contracts, severance packages and wrongful dismissal disputes. In 2001 he commenced one of the first "mass dismissal" class actions in Canada, on behalf of a large group of employees residing throughout the country.

Robert's intellectual property experience commenced with litigation to enforce the trade-marks of the Expo 86 Corporation during the World Fair. Robert has represented clients in intellectual property cases involving patents, trade-marks and copyright infringement before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the Court of Appeal of British Columbia and the Federal Court of Canada. He has also appeared before the United Nation's World Intellectual Property Organization.

Robert's practice also features complex commercial disputes such as construction defect claims and class actions.  Robert actively advises client on incorporations, corporate records and related transactions.

Robert was appointed as an adjunct professor of the University of British Columbia's Law Faculty in 2004, and had taught a course on the Law of Armed Conflict. In 2004 he received the UBC Law Faculty Adam Albright Outstanding Adjunct Professor Award and in 2008 the UBC Law Faculty Adjunct Service Award. Since 2009, Robert has been an academic/course instructor for the Department of Defence Studies, Royal Military College at Canadian Forces College (Joint Command Staff Course (DL) (Leadership and Ethics).

Robert volunteers at the employment law pro bono legal aid clinic organized by the Western Canada Society for Access to Justice at the Vancouver Supreme Court Courthouse.

Robert's military service began as a Black Watch Cadet in 1969. He was promoted to Colonel in June 2009 and received the Canadian Decoration in 1998 and the Canadian Forces General Campaign Medal for service in Afghanistan in 2009. Robert has been a reserve legal officer in the Office of the Judge Advocate General since 1986.
 
Robert is a past president of the Vancouver East Cultural Center and the McGill Society of Vancouver. He was raised in Montreal, Quebec and is fluent in French.