SWAINSON MIKI PESKETT - Key Persons
Al is a proud grandfather and when he is not working, enjoys golfing, cycling, and travelling to do either one - ideally both.
Job Titles:
- Solicitor
- Registered Canadian Trademark Agent
Aly Fry is a corporate lawyer and registered Canadian Trademark Agent in Swainson Miki Peskett LLP's corporate-commercial group. Aly grew up in the West Kootenay, British Columbia before moving to Edmonton and attending the University of Alberta for both her undergraduate and law degrees.
Aly advises both large and small businesses and business owners operating in a variety of sectors on the legal issues that arise in their day-to-day operations. Aly takes a pragmatic, holistic and solution-based approach to guide her clients through an assortment of matters including corporate reorganizations and restructuring, the negotiation and preparation of commercial agreements, the facilitation of commercial transactions, and intellectual property and employment related issues.
Aly has a particular interest in assisting owner-managed businesses with generational transitions, advising clients in the professional services industry and in assisting and advising emerging businesses in the tech industry.
Growing up in B.C. gave Aly an affinity for outdoor activities and the environment. When she is not working, Aly spends as much time as possible camping, skiing and golfing with her family and friends.
Brett Rooney was born and raised in Edmonton, earning both his commerce degree and law degree from the University of Alberta. Brett is a member of Swainson Miki Peskett LLP's group of solicitors, practicing a wide array of corporate, commercial, employment, and real estate related matters.
Brett's enthusiasm for corporate law derives from the enjoyment he takes in tackling difficult problems. His approachable nature and attention to detail make him popular with clients and colleagues alike.
Brett is a lifelong Oilers fan and a zealous traveler, spending a semester of law abroad in Madrid, Spain.
Bruce F. Coombs is a member of Swainson Miki Peskett's corporate-commercial department. Bruce attended the University of Alberta in 1976 and graduated with a teaching diploma and Bachelor of Science degree. After a short stint as a St. Albert junior high teacher, Bruce returned to the University of Alberta where he graduated in law in 1981.
Excited and inspired by what he saw his former colleagues growing, Bruce joined Swainson Miki Peskett after a brief retirement in December 2019, bringing his vast knowledge cultivated from his 38 years of practice in Edmonton. His large practice is centered around corporate, commercial, and real estate with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, corporate governance, and real estate transactions including financing. Bruce has experience advising small and medium businesses along with professional corporations, giving his clients the best tools to grow their business. In addition to managing his practice, Bruce uses his skill as an educator to guide and mentor other members of the firm.
Outside of law, Bruce enjoys cycling and enjoying the beauty of Alberta's landscape… at least during the summertime. Come winter, Bruce and his family enjoy a temporary reprieve from the cold in Mexico.
Christopher Young is a founding partner of Swainson Miki Peskett and member of the firm's commercial litigation team. Chris has acted for a range of public and private corporations, municipalities, and individuals in a wide variety of litigation matters, including:
Cynthia Okafor joined Swainson Miki Peskett LLP as an Articling Student and has stayed on as a general practice Barrister & Solicitor. Cynthia was a 2009 bar call in Lagos, Nigeria where she practiced for over 7 years in the areas of commercial litigation, corporate law, petroleum industry transactions, aviation, and dispute resolution. Cynthia received her Masters of Science in International Management from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom before moving to Canada in 2016 and earning her MBA from Vancouver Island University.
Cynthia's tenacity, unending curiosity, and previous legal experience made her an ideal articling candidate. In addition to her numerous skills, her constant zeal for bettering herself and dedication to community outreach made her a flawless match for Swainson Miki Peskett's culture.
Cynthia is a co-founder and current sitting president of the Internationally Trained Lawyers Network (ITL Network) which seeks to promote and foster diversity and inclusion in the Canadian legal market. When she is not working, Cynthia enjoys reading and writing (particularly African poetry) as well as spending time with family and friends.
Dan Peskett is a founding partner of Swainson Miki Peskett and leads our litigation group. Born and raised in Edmonton, Dan received both his Bachelor of Science and law (LL.B.) degrees from the University of Alberta and was called to the Alberta bar in 1993. A litigator since his early days practicing law, Dan has built a reputation for being an astute strategist and valued advisor for his clients.
Dan's practice primarily focuses on commercial litigation, helping his clients with a wide array of matters including contract disputes, construction and builders' lien issues, security enforcement, insolvency and restructuring, shareholder disputes, lease issues, and product liability claims. Dan has appeared several times in the Alberta Court of Appeal and appears
Georgia Philipp grew up in Wetaskiwin, Alberta and attended the University of Alberta for both undergraduate and legal studies. After summering for Swainson Miki Peskett LLP in 2021, Georgia rejoined us as a Student-at-Law for 2023-2024.
Georgia was drawn to SMP by its collaborative atmosphere and an admiration for the people who make this firm with it is. Georgia is driven to find reasonable solutions to every problem her clients face in order to help them succeed. She is also passionate about giving back to her community, having worked with the Victim Services Unit in Leduc for several years.
Georgia is an avid runner, competing in an annual charity run called Christmas Kilometres each November to raise money for a local charity. She is also a competitive card player (at least at her parents' kitchen table) and a proud "dog mom" to her miniature dachshund, Sophie.
Graeme Swainson is a partner in Swainson Miki Peskett's real estate group with a focus on commercial lending, commercial real estate transactions, and commercial leasing. Graeme was born and raised in Edmonton, earning his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta. After heading south and earning his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oregon, Graeme returned to Alberta and has built a practice centered on real estate law.
Graeme's clients include commercial real estate lenders, both private and institutional, as well as commercial real estate owners, developers, builders, investors, industry professionals and commercial tenants. A keen sense for problem solving, Graeme directs his clients towards solution-based paths and prides himself on being a facilitator of business.
A passion for leadership and a desire to help people remain a key philosophies of Graeme's daily work and devotion to philanthropy. In addition, Graeme is an avid golfer, a huge sports fan, and enjoys travelling and exploring new locations around the globe.
Jenaye Lewis received her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Alberta after growing up in Sherwood Park. Jenaye currently runs a general practice consisting of corporate-commercial, real estate, employment, and estate matters.
Jenaye has always been passionate about helping people, particularly with solving problems on complex issues. She strongly believes in getting to know clients and their goals to ensure that her advice is tailored to the same. Jenaye joined SMP in 2021 and emphatically believes that the collaborative atmosphere at the firm allows us to provide a higher level of service to our clients. Jenaye is also a published author, having co-authored a chapter in Women's Health and Limits of Law: Domestic and International Perspectives, Routledge, 1st Ed., 2019.
When Jenaye is not working, she can be found spending time with friends and family (particularly her dogs), trying out new recipes, or generally enjoying the great outdoors in Western Canada.
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- Partner
- Member of CREW
Jill Sheward is a founding partner of Swainson Miki Peskett practicing in our real estate group. Born in Edmonton, Jill grew up in Sherwood Park after a brief stint in Germany when she was a young child. She graduated from the University of Alberta in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and in 2005 with a law degree (LL.B.), subsequently being called to the bar in Alberta (2006), Nunavut (2011) and Northwest Territories (2019).
Jill's practice revolves around commercial real estate, primarily commercial financing, as well as acquisitions and dispositions of office, industrial and retail properties. She has acted for a number of institutional and private real estate lenders, commercial real estate owners, and related entities.
Jill prides herself on the personal relationship she builds with her clients, believing honesty is the best policy in order to build trust and take on more of an advisory role in her clients' businesses. She is forthcoming with clients regarding their legal position and what paths they are able to take. More than anything, Jill cares about her clients' best interests and ensures that they are protected by the law wherever possible.
Jill has been a member of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) for over a decade, serves on the Board of NAIOP Edmonton and the Board of CASA Mental Health, and has previous involvement with Junior Achievement of Northern Alberta & NWT and the Enbridge Famous 5 Speaker Series Steering Committee. In her personal time, she loves spending time with family and traveling.
Jordan Smith joined Swainson Miki Peskett as a founding partner specializing in corporate-commercial law. Jordan grew up in Edmonton and attended the University of Alberta to complete both his undergraduate and law degrees, subsequently being called to the Alberta bar in 2008. Since then, Jordan has built a practice in which his clients trust him to provide timely, valuable advice and services that add value to their business endeavors.
Jordan has varied experience in small to large sized businesses in highly regulated industries, including publicly traded companies and large utilities corporations. He provides a variety of services including but not limited to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, succession planning and commercial transactions. Jordan has significant experience facilitating large-scale share and asset deals, assisting in reorganizations of interlaced legal entities and the preparation of various commercial agreements.
Jordan's pragmatic approach allows him to not only thoroughly comprehend the challenges and goals of his clients but to collaborate with them to implement a successful strategy. Jordan's previous experience in operating his family's business give him a unique perspective on his client's concerns which make him an ideal partner for entrepreneurs.
Jordan is a dedicated husband and father and a movie and sports enthusiast. When he is not working, he can often be found in some sort of youth sports facility, whether it be an arena, field, pool, course or court.
Joshua Ungar is a member of Swainson Miki Peskett's corporate-commercial group. Josh grew up in Toronto and attended the University of Toronto before moving west and attending the University of Alberta for law school. From the outset of his legal career, Josh developed an affinity for breaking down complex legal issues into simple, manageable terms and helping clients achieve their goals.
Job Titles:
- Solicitor
- Board Member of the Edmonton Bar Association
Kimberly Wasylenchuk is part of Swainson Miki Peskett LLP's commercial litigation group. Kimberly grew up on acreage near Stony Plain, Alberta before moving to Edmonton to attend the University of Alberta for her undergraduate studies. After attending law school at the University of Birmingham in England, Kimberly returned home, was called to the bar in both Alberta (2017) and British Columbia (2018), and is currently working on her Masters of Law from the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, specializing in constitutional law.
Kimberly's practice focuses primarily on commercial litigation. She has appeared before all levels of Court in Alberta, and the Provincial and Supreme Court of British Columbia. Kimberly has extensive experience in litigation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in both Alberta and BC, including trial experience. Kimberly prides herself on her analytical abilities and has a knack for seeing the bigger picture when dealing with complicated litigation matters.
Kimberly has been a board member of the Edmonton Bar Association since March 2020 where she currently serves as Vice President. Kimberly is also a member of the Ukrainian Canadian Bar Association and volunteers on the Education committee. Kimberly has also volunteered for civil claims duty counsel and Amicus program at the Courts.
Kimberly is a huge animal lover who enjoys staying active and being outdoors. On top of being tied to the law professionally, Kimberly is also an avid legal academic with strong interests in comparative and constitutional law, international law, legal and political theory, economics, public policy, environmental law and human rights issues while mentoring incoming LLM students and serving as a moot court judge for first year moots and Clifton J. Ford competitive moot.
Manelle Farrage joined Swainson Miki Peskett LLP as one of our 2023-2024 Students-at-Law. After growing up in Rimbey, Alberta, Manelle received her Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta and a Juris Doctorate from Thompson Rivers University.
Manelle is devoted to creating a culture of forward thinking within her practice. Driven by collaboration and inclusion, she always strives to create a warm and welcoming environment for everyone around her. Manelle comes from a family of entrepreneurs, which allows her to connect with clients and gives her a unique insight into the issues they all face.
In her spare time, Manelle can be found baking delicious treats for friends and family, volunteering with various youth organizations around Edmonton, or embarking on annual camping trips.
Guy has built a corporate practice specializing in succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and operational support. His clients include small and mid-sized businesses, international corporations, professional corporations, utilities corporations, and various other forms of profit and non-profit organizations.
Guy's passion for the practice of law combined with his practical approach allow him to be a trusted advisor for all his clients. He prides himself on being a strategic planning ally that directs his efforts to help clients achieve their short- and long-term objectives. Guy utilizes his experience as an in-house counsel, as well as lessons learned while obtaining his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan, to understand his clients and their businesses at an in-depth level.
A keen ability to listen and create a plan for success have turned Guy into an asset for clients and a mentor for younger lawyers. Carrying a belief that a team approach creates faster, better solutions for clients, Guy is a teacher to all of those who work with him.
Guy is an active volunteer, particularly in the area of minor sports, enjoys playing hockey and golf, has competed in triathlons, and enjoys scuba diving. He has studied various forms of martial arts, and has dedicated many years to the study of Goju-ryu Karate. When the snow melts in the spring, Guy is known to immediately get his motorcycle out of the garage for epic drives, sometimes ending up back in his former home of British Columbia.
Guy Miki is a founding partner of Swainson Miki Peskett and the leader of our corporate-commercial practice area. Guy graduated from the University of Saskatchewan's College of Law in 1987 and immediately moved to Vancouver to begin his legal practice with a large Vancouver firm. He was invited to take on the challenge of in-house counsel to a publicly traded company for 3 years before moving to Edmonton in 1992 and re-entering private practice.
Rob Collier is Swainson Miki Peskett's Wills and Estates lawyer. Rob received both his Bachelor of Sciences Degree (with a Minor in Business) and his Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Alberta and has been engaged in the practice of law in Edmonton since 2006.
Rob works closely with clients to help them plan for the future and to make sure that they have proper estate planning documentation in place to achieve their goals. He also advises and helps clients with succession plans for businesses. Rob works to understand each client's unique circumstances, priorities and objectives in order to assist them in planning effectively for the future.
Rob also works with clients to assist and advise them with respect to a variety of estate law matters including devoting a significant amount of his practice to working closely with Personal Representatives to guide them throughout the estate administration process. Rob's client focused and detail-oriented nature allows him to earn his clients' trust while ensuring that their best interests are looked after.
In his personal time, Rob can often be found at an athletic facility. He volunteers much of his free time as a coach for his two sons' hockey, baseball and other sports teams. Further, Rob is a part owner and active instructor with Transcend Athletics, a locally based youth sports development organization that operates year-round. He continues to be an avid hockey player and golfer.
Roger Swainson, K.C., is a founding partner of Swainson Miki Peskett and the leader of our real estate group. After growing up in Red Deer and attending the University of Calgary, Roger graduated from the University of Alberta in 1983 with a law degree (LL.B.), and was called to the bar in Alberta (1984), the Northwest Territories (1996) and Nunavut (2000). After beginning his legal practice in the litigation world, primarily enforcing real estate security, Roger transitioned into a role as a solicitor where he has built a reputable practice in the world of commercial real estate over the last 35-plus years.
Roger's practice revolves around commercial real estate, primarily focusing on commercial lending and finance transactions. Roger utilizes his early experience enforcing security as well as a sharp business acumen in order to ensure his clients' interests are protected while facilitating commercial transactions in an expedient manner. He also advises buyers and sellers of commercial real estate and has extensive experience in creating and developing condominium projects, having led a group that revised the Alberta Condominium Property Act and Regulations in 2002. Roger's clients include institutional and private lenders, both national and local, as well as commercial real estate owners and other industry professionals.
Roger's experience, problem-solving skills, and ability to structure and facilitate large-scale transactions in a timely manner sets him above his peers in the legal industry. His clients have come to know him as a trusted advisor, involving him early in the deal process to ensure the structure and documentation involved properly accomplish the client's vision. Roger is a natural leader who is constantly providing mentorship and guidance to all of those he works with.
Roger is a tireless philanthropist who chairs the "Bird Dog" Committee, which created and funds the Frank and Carla Sojonky Chair in Prostate Cancer Research at the University of Alberta, enabling world class research to find a better way to detect and treat prostate cancer. He is also an avid golfer with three holes-in-one in his lifetime.
Ryan Kemp is one of the founding partners of Swainson Miki Peskett, with a practice focused on commercial real estate. Born and raised in Alberta, Ryan attended the University of Alberta where he received both his Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.). Ryan has an entrepreneurial spirit and loves helping his clients execute real estate transactions effectively and efficiently.
Ryan helps clients acquire, finance and divest of commercial real estate assets, and assists both landlords and tenants complete complex leasing transactions. He also has extensive experience representing both private and institutional lenders in commercial financing transactions, and in assisting developers, builders, investors and condominium boards in resolving complex legal issues. Ryan is detail-oriented, personable and pragmatic, and he is deeply loyal to his clients. These qualities enable Ryan to passionately advocate for his clients' best interests, while maintaining good relationships with those he works with. He focuses on his clients' goals, and takes personal pride in helping them achieve them.
Ryan is a devoted father and husband, an avid (albeit mediocre) golfer, and a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan who acts as the commissioner of the firm's fantasy football league.
Sarmad Syyed joined Swainson Miki Peskett LLP as an Articling Student and has stayed on as a general practice Barrister & Solicitor. Sarmad received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta after growing up in Edmonton. From there, Sarmad went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from the University of Saskatchewan in 2022.
Sarmad keeps an open mind when crafting creating solutions for clients and prides himself on taking a detailed-oriented approach to client matters in order to ensure they receive the highest level of service possible. Additionally, Sarmad brings a strong appreciation for mentorship and thrives in a culture that encourages students to ask questions in an effort to foster professional development.
When Sarmad is not in the office, he enjoys exploring Edmonton's restaurant scene, seeing as many films as possible, and keeping up with his favourite NBA team, the Toronto Raptors.
Job Titles:
- Solicitor
- Member of Swainson Miki Peskett LLP
Sean Curran is a member of Swainson Miki Peskett LLP's real estate group. Having grown up in Edmonton, Sean obtained his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta and graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1997. After graduating from law school, Sean moved back home to Alberta to complete his articles. After a number of years in litigation, Sean has built a practice as a solicitor specializing in commercial real estate.
Sean provides advice and guidance on commercial transactions, mortgage financing, and leasing matters. Sean's practice includes the representation of banks and other lenders in the assessment and placement of security, as well as the representation of borrowers to facilitate their financing needs, especially during the acquisition or development of property. Sean's broad grasp of all aspects of commercial transactions also allows him to assist in sales, property development, and non-real estate back security matters.
Sean's sensibility and approachability make him popular with clients, and his ability to efficiently identify and communicate legal issues ensures their needs are met. To aid in this, Sean relies on his unique perspective shaped by his experience in commercial and insurance litigation.
Sean is actively involved with the Cross Cancer Institute, and is president of the Alberta/Northwest Territories branch of the Lifesaving Society. When he is not practicing law, Sean enjoys spending time outdoors with his family.