Kevin Latimer, KC

Kevin helps organizations navigate governance challenges, manage risk and pursue opportunities to grow and thrive.  He is both creative and pragmatic, attributes that are key to addressing what otherwise may appear to be intractable problems.

Kevin is the former Managing Partner of Cox & Palmer, Halifax (2012-2018) and served as Transition Co-ordinator for the Windsor / West Hants consolidation project (2018-2020).

Kevin works with government, business and public administration on matters related to local governance, land use planning and regulatory issues.  He has written and spoke extensively on issues facing municipal governments and those who deal with municipal governments.  He has championed the idea that Nova Scotia’s municipalities need to constantly look for new constructs within their own organizations to make service delivery more efficient while building investor confidence in the jurisdiction’s future prosperity.

Kevin leads Cox & Palmer’s municipal law group. He is recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada for his practice in Labour & Employment Law, Administrative and Public Law, and Corporate and Commercial Litigation. Kevin was appointed Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) in 2004.

As a senior business leader, Kevin has direct experience in strategic planning, financial systems and reporting, management information systems, organization studies, operational reviews, project evaluations, executive searches, mergers, acquisitions, business plans and as a trusted advisor to clients. His experience is broad, serving a wide range of business and industry, governments, not-for-profit organizations, universities and associations.

Experience

Kevin has a diverse civil litigation practice including commercial disputes, insurance coverage, tort and contract claims. He regularly advises Nova Scotia municipalities and utilities on a range of governance, land use planning, development, regulatory and infrastructure issues.

Recent Assignments:

• Retained by the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government in March 2022 as special advisor with regard to implementation of New Brunswick’s local government reform legislation (An Act Respecting Local Governance Reform);
• Project Manager for purpose-built multi-disciplinary team selected in March 2022 by the Municipality of the County of Cumberland to address a host of governance and
  organizational design issues resulting from dissolutions of the Towns of Parrsboro and Springhill within Cumberland County;
• In May 2020, appointed lead negotiator for the three Cumberland municipalities in a transaction involving a private operator purchasing the region’s solid waste management system;
• In December 2020, appointed interim solicitor for the Municipality of the County of Annapolis to help sort out a variety of challenges and claims related to activities of the former administration;
• As Transition Coordinator for the Windsor / West Hants consolidation project (2018-2020), Kevin had responsibility to facilitate an effective and efficient consolidation of the Town of Windsor and the Municipality of the District of West Hants. This required working not only with the Co-ordinating Committee (comprised of the Warden, Deputy Warden, Mayor and Deputy Mayor), but also working with the respective councils and communities in the consolidated area;
• Counsel to the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM) – providing advice on governance, legislative and other important issues facing local governments in Nova Scotia;
• Halifax Water – advice and representation on litigation, regulatory and infrastructure cost-recovery issues;