Assistant Professor

Daniel Bennett

Areas of Expertise

Law

Personal Profile

Daniel Bennett (B.Comm.(Co-op.)(Hons.)’10) is the first faculty member dedicated to teaching law at the Faculty of Business Administration. He joined the faculty in June 2022 as an assistant professor.

He earned his law degree at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, in 2013, where he focused on corporate and Indigenous law. He is a beneficiary of Nunatsiavut, the Inuit of Labrador.

Mr. Bennett has eight years of professional experience since being called to the bar in 2014. His law firm, Bennett Law, had a wide scope of practice in real estate, wills, estates, litigation, criminal law and personal injury. He has appeared in all levels of court in the province, and recently his successful 2019 case (Sun Construction Company Limited vs. Town of Conception Bay South), was cited directly by the Supreme Court of Canada in the emerging area of de-facto expropriation law.

Mr. Bennett is a trustee of the Labrador Inuit Settlement Land Claims Trust and past chair of the board of directors for SmartICE. He’s also a former board member of the Conception Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and First Light Friendship Centre.

He is interested in pursuing research at the intersection of Indigenous law and business, particularly complex investment trusts managed in the Inuit Nunangat, which originate from settled land claims with the federal and provincial governments.

Honours/Awards/Accreditations

• 2014-present: Law Society Newfoundland and Labrador: barrister and solicitor
• 2012: Indspire post-secondary education scholarship
• 2010, 2011: Harris Award for Aboriginal Students, Osgoode Hall Law School
• 2010-2011: Sunlife Financial Aboriginal Scholarship, Foundation for Advancement of Aboriginal Youth
• 2010: Suncor Energy Aboriginal Scholarship, National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation (NAAF)
• 2010: Reginald H. Brown Q.C. Memorial Scholarship, Memorial University
• 2010: Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro Corporation Scholarship in Business Administration, Memorial University
• 2005-2010: Top seven per cent academically in graduating Commerce Class of 2005
• 2008-2010: Dean’s List, Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University
• 2009: Faculty of Business Administration Associates’ Scholarship Fund, Memorial University
• 2009: CN Aboriginal Scholarship, NAAF
• 2009: Husky Energy Aboriginal Scholarship
• 2009-present: Member of Beta Gamma Sigma, International Academic Business Honours Society

Research Highlights

Select reported legal decisions:

• Ginther v Gaulton, 2022 NLCA 51 (CanLII) – Court of Appeal of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Welsh, Justice Butler and Justice Goodridge. Unjust enrichment.
• Ginther v. Gaulton, 2020 NLSC 134 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Thompson. Civil trial: creditor/debt claim.
• Sun Construction Company Limited v. Conception Bay South (Town), 2019 NLSC 102 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Paquette. Civil hearing: de-facto expropriation.
• Watton v. Pike, 2019 NLSC 81 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Orsborn. Civil quieting of titles trial: trial proper on right-of-way.
• Gosse v. Conception Bay South (Town), 2019 NLSC 126 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Orsborn. Civil trial:  de-facto expropriation.
• Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. v. Retirement Home Specialists Inc., 2019 NLSC 44 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Stack. Civil hearing: enforceability of out-of-province judgment.
• The LeDrew Lumber Company Limited v. R & R Homes Ltd., 2019 NLSC 177 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice McGrath. Civil hearing: pre-judgment attachment application.
• O'Connor v. Nfld. Real Estate Investment Corporation, 2019 NLSC 188 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Burrage. Civil hearing: application to strike out statement of claim.
• United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada, Local 740 v LMD Enterprises Ltd., (2019) 2019 CanLII 123955 (NL LRB) – Labour Arbitration Board. Administrative hearing: non-compliance with Labour Relations Act, inter alia.
• 58663 Newfoundland and Labrador Ltd. v. Kippens (Town), 2018 NLSC 223 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Paquette. Civil hearing: challenge of expropriation by municipality.
• 11346 (Nfld) Limited v. Hynes Construction, 2018 NLSC 255 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice McGrath. Civil hearing: application to overturn default judgment.
• Fields of Athenry Resort Corporation v. Grey, 2018 NLSC 215 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Khaladkar: Civil trial: contract dispute.
• 58663 Newfoundland & Labrador Ltd. v. West Newfoundland Regional Appeal Board, 2018 NLSC 208 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Murphy. Civil appeal: rejection of development application.
• Watton v. Pike, 2018 NLSC 117 (CanLII) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Orsborn. Civil quieting of titles trial: enforcement of alleged settlement agreement.
• Butler v. Town of Conception Bay South, 2017 CanLII 84182 (NL SC) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Stack. Administrative judicial review hearing: purchase notice under URPA.
• The Tin Man Inc. v Plastik Industries of Canada Ltd., 2016 CanLII 61003 (NL PC) – Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Judge Gorman. Civil trial: contract dispute.
• Project Management and Development Limited (Re), 2016 NLCA 31 (CanLII) – Court of Appeal for Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Rowe. Civil hearing: stay of proceedings application.
• Project Management and Development Limited (Re), 2016 NLCA 60 (CanLII) – Court of Appeal for Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice White, Justice Welsh and Justice Harrington. Civil appeal: bankruptcy challenge.
• Project Management and Development Limited (Re), 2016 CanLII 26996 (NL SC) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Sheehan. Civil hearing: bankruptcy challenge.
• McCarthy Estate (Re), 2016 CanLII 87407 (NL SC) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Burrage. Civil hearing: interpretation of a will.

Select unreported legal decisions:

• Prime Time Paving v. Regatta Plaza Limited (2020) – Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Judge Pike. Civil trial: contract dispute.
• Johnson v. Johnson (2020) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Marshall. Civil hearing: conflict of interest of law firm.
• Weir’s Construction Limited v. Walsh (2020) – Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Judge Pike. Civil trial: contract dispute.
• A & L Construction Inc. v. Dawe and Dawe – Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Judge Pike. Civil trial: real estate contract dispute.
• 58663 Newfoundland and Labrador Ltd. v. Town of Kippens (No. 3) (2019) – West Regional Appeal Board. Administrative hearing: appeal of rejection of building permit.
• Piccott v. Town of Conception Bay South (2019) – Eastern Regional Appeal Board. Administrative hearing: appeal of decision of municipality.
• Ledrew Lumber Company Limited v. MNP Ltd., as trustee in bankruptcy for Skymark Renovations Ltd. et al (2019) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Whalen. Civil hearing: application/settlement.
• RBRJ Investments Ltd. et al v. Regular (2018) – Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Judge Pike. Civil trial: contract dispute.
• Twine Shop Holdings Inc. v. Newlab Engineering Limited – Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Judge Pike. Civil trial: breach of contract.
• v. Power (2017) - Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Judge Brazil. Criminal trial: various criminal charges (acquitted).
• 58663 Newfoundland and Labrador Ltd. v. Town of Kippens (No. 2) (2016) – West Regional Appeal Board. Administrative hearing: appeal of rejection of building permit.
• 58663 Newfoundland and Labrador Ltd. v. Town of Kippens (No. 1) (2015) – West Regional Appeal Board. Administrative hearing: appeal of rejection of building permit.
• Lewis v. Estate of Agnes Lewis (2015) – Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador – Justice Goodridge. Civil hearing: costs application.