Peter C. McVey, KC

As Counsel in the Halifax office, Peter brings a wealth of legal knowledge and advocacy skills to our Halifax Commercial Litigation team and the clients we serve.

Peter was called to the Bar in Nova Scotia in 1994, after completing his Bachelor of Laws at Dalhousie University in 1993, and his Bachelor of Arts (Hon.) at Queen’s University in 1985.

Before joining Cox & Palmer in 2021, Peter practised civil litigation, specializing in recent years in appellate advocacy, acting for government departments before all levels of court in Nova Scotia for 27 years, as a lawyer employed in both the private and public sectors.

With an earned reputation as a forceful and persuasive advocate, Peter is very much a courtroom Barrister. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) by the Attorney General of Nova Scotia in 2014, after being recognized by members of the legal professional and judiciary as an exceptional advocate for his clients.

Peter has contributed his insights and thought leadership as Faculty at the Schulich School of Law, author of Bar Admission materials, conference speaker and writer for legal publications. Peter has given back to the legal profession as an active member with The Advocates’ Society since 2013, serving as teaching faculty and on TAS’s Atlantic Regional Advisory Committee.

Experience

• Lead counsel in more than 200 application hearings, including multi-day or multi-week trials, identifying, preparing and examining dozens of client, lay and expert witnesses
• Thoroughly familiar with trial preparation, the retention of experts, the rules of evidence, court room decorum and advocacy, and in-person and virtual trial & hearing procedures
• Counsel in over 50 Nova Scotia Court of Appeal hearing decisions, as well as motions to stay, extend time to appeal, settle the record, strike appeals & offer fresh evidence
• Successfully opposed leave applications before the Supreme Court of Canada on six occasions, including with motions to extend time, expedite rulings and stay orders
• Bar Co-Chair with Chief Justice of Nova Scotia for the Court of Appeal Liaison Committee, appointed by the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society
• Thorough knowledge of and experience with judicial review of government decision-making, standards of review, decision-makers’ duty of procedural fairness, reasonable apprehension of bias, evidence outside the record and prerogative writ procedures
• Class Action Counsel at Certification Motions, Motions to Stay individual actions, for Disclosure and Discovery, assertions of privilege & relief from the implied undertaking
• Has presented papers on appellate law and practice for the Canadian Bar Association (Nova Scotia) and the Atlantic Provinces Trial Lawyers Association