Our Lawyers
Expertise. Integrity. Commitment.
At Metcalf & Company, our lawyers combine deep knowledge of the maritime law with a practical, client-focused approach. Each member of our team brings unique experience, insight, and dedication to finding solutions that meet the needs of individuals, businesses, and organizations across Atlantic Canada, Europe, Latin America and beyond. As a boutique law firm, we strive to provide personalized attention and tailored strategies, ensuring strong relationships with our clients, offering trusted guidance, and advocating with integrity.
Frank Metcalf
Partner
Bar Admission: Nova Scotia, 1970
Education: LLB, Dalhousie University.
Contact: Office (902) 420-1990. Mobile (902) 449-5135. Email: frankmetcalf@metcalf.ns.ca
Shipping and Transportation Marine and Specialty Insurance
Shipbuilding and Repair Marine Renewables and Offshore Energy
Airports and Aviation Fisheries and Aquaculture
Frank Metcalf, K.C. is a senior member of the Nova Scotia Bar having practised law in Halifax for over 55 years mainly in the areas of maritime law, insurance, financing and corporate law. His client base is P&I and Hull & Machinery Underwriters and businesses involved in the marine and fishing industries. For 5 years he managed an offshore supply ship company that provided support services to Mobil, PetroCanada, and Shell Oil amongst others in the East Coast offshore. Frank is a long-standing member of the Canadian Maritime Law Association and the Eastern Admiralty Law Association. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1986. Frank served as Honorary Consul for Finland from 1992 to 2016 and is a past Chairman of The Association of Average Adjusters of Canada. In 2002 and 2003 he served on a four-member panel appointed by the federal Minister of Transport to review the Canada Marine Act. Frank is named in the maritime law section of Chambers & Partners, Who's Who Legal, Best Lawyers and Lexpert.
Eric Machum
Partner
Bar Admission: Nova Scotia (2011); Venezuela (2005)
Education: LLB, Dalhousie University (2010); LLM, Dalhousie University (2006); Law, UCAB, Venezuela (2004)
Languages: English, Spanish and German
Contact: Office (902) 420-1990. Mobile (902) 488-3622. Email: ericmachum@metcalf.ns.ca
Shipping and Transportation Marine and Specialty Insurance
Shipbuilding and Repair Marine Renewables and Offshore Energy
Fisheries and Aquaculture Seaports and Harbour Authorities
Airports and Aviation Public Procurement and Defence Contracting
Eric Machum has practiced law since 2005. Prior to coming to Metcalf & Company he worked as a cadet for Atlantic Towing Limited on its coastal and harbour tugs and prior to that for four years at Clyde & Co. in Caracas (with summer apprenticeship in London). His practice is directed to marine, transportation, insurance and corporate-commercial law. Eric regularly advises ship owners, freight forwarders, marine service providers, exporters and their insurers on technical, regulatory and commercial/contractual matters including charter and sales documents. He holds a Master´s degree (LLM) in Marine Law and Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Dalhousie University Law School. He also teaches part-time at the Dalhousie University Schulich School of Law and has given intensive training courses on maritime law in Latin America. Authored numerous articles on maritime law matters and continues to be published on a regular basis. Industry Recognition •Named 2023 "Lawyer of the Year" in the Transportation sector by Best Lawyers. •"Global Leader" and "National Leader" in Transport Law by Who's Who Legal, ranked in Chambers and Partners •"Most Frequently Recommended Lawyer for Halifax" by Lexpert. •CCH Canadian Limited award for highest mark in Legal Research and Writing. Professional Activities & Affiliations: •Honorary Consul for Finland from December 2016 to present. •Canadian Maritime Law Association (CMLA): National Vice-President. •Canadian Transportation Lawyers Association (CTLA): Past Director. •Canadian Board of Marine Underwriters (CBMU): Member of the Loss Prevention Committee. •Eastern Admiralty Law Association (EALA): Vice-Chair. •Mission to Seafarers Halifax: Member of the Board of Directors. •Dalhousie University School of Law, professor of “Maritime Law and Practice” for 2022-2023 year. Other interests Eric is a certified scuba diving instructor.
Norm Letalik
Counsel
Bar Admission: Ontario (1989)
Called to the Rolls as a Solicitor: England and Wales (1998)
Education: M.A. Kent State U. (1976), LL.B. (1979), LL.M. (with Distinction, 1980) Dalhousie University
Contact: Office (902) 420-1990. Email: normletalik@metcalf.ns.ca
Shipping and Transportation Marine and Specialty Insurance
Shipbuilding and Repair Marine Renewables and Offshore Energy
Airports and Aviation Fisheries and Aquaculture
Norm Letalik has practiced law in Ontario since 1989. He spent over 25 years at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG), where he was a litigation partner focused on marine, aviation, automotive, and insurance law, and led several national and regional practice groups. From 1996 to 1998, he was Managing Partner of BLG’s London, UK office, acting for global clients in complex litigation and product liability matters. From 2015 to 2017 Norm was General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Volkswagen Group Canada where he was responsible for all legal and regulatory matters and was the Chief Privacy and Compliance Officer. He has also served in senior legal roles for Audi, Lamborghini, and Bentley in Canada, and as a Director of the Global Automakers of Canada. Before entering private practice, Norm taught marine and shipping law at Dalhousie Law School, was a Visiting Fellow at the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law and lectured at U of T and Queen’s Law Schools. He has published over 50 legal articles and is a frequent speaker at legal conferences. Industry Recognition: •Named a „World Leader‟ in Transport Law by Who's Who Legal. •Recognized in Shipping and Maritime Law by Lexpert. •Recognized in the Products Liability sector by Best Lawyers. Professional Activities & Affiliations: •Research Associate, Dalhousie University Marine & Environmental Law Institute. •Member of the Canadian Maritime Law Association (CMLA).
Seamus Ryder
Partner
Bar Admission: Ontario (2017), Nova Scotia (2017)
Education: LLM, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway (2013); Diploma in ocean law and policy, Rhodes Academy of Ocean Law and Policy (2013); Juris Doctor (J.D.), Bond University Australia (2012); Bachelor of Management (B. Mgmt.), Dalhousie University (2010)
Languages: English and French
Contact: Office (902) 420-1990. Mobile (902) 476-7933. Email: seamusryder@metcalf.ns.ca
Shipping and Transportation Marine and Specialty Insurance
Shipbuilding and Repair Marine Renewables and Offshore Energy
Fisheries and Aquaculture Seaports and Harbour Authorities
Airports and Aviation Public Procurement and Defence Contracting
Seamus Ryder assists clients in the marine, transportation, and related industries with all aspects of maritime, corporate, commercial, administrative and environmental matters. He holds a Bachelor of Management (B. Mgmt.) degree from Dalhousie University (Nova Scotia), a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Bond University (Australia), a Masters of Law (LL.M.) in the Law of the Sea from UiT – The Arctic University of Norway (Norway) and a diploma in ocean law and policy from the Rhodes Academy of Ocean Law and Policy (Greece). Note: (Evaluate that it is not repeated information) Prior to joining Metcalf & Company, Seamus interned with the Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Later he was Research Fellow at the K. G. Jebsen Centre for Law of the Sea in Tromsø, Norway, responsible for teaching and research on various topics related to maritime law, international law of the sea, and fisheries law. Seamus continues to teach law and policy at Dalhousie University‟s School for Resource and Environmental Studies (SRES) where he is a lecturer in the Masters of Resource & Environmental Management (MREM) program. Industry Recognition - Named a National Leader‟ in Transport Law by Who's Who Legal. - Repeatedly Recommended by Lexpert. - Recommended in Transport Shipping by Lexology. Professional Activities & Affiliations •Honorary Consul for Guatemala from April 2023 to present. •Canadian Maritime Law Association (CMLA): Chair of the Legislative and Regulatory Committee; Co-chair of the Arctic Issues Committee. •Canadian Transportation Lawyers Association (CTLA): Director •Comité Maritime International (CMI) : Young CMI Committee •Adjunct Faculty, Dalhousie University School for Resource and Environmental Studies; Dalhousie University School of Law •Interned with the Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. •Former Research Fellow, Norwegian Centre for Law of the Sea in Tromsø, Norway. •Member: Eastern Admiralty Law Association (EALA), Canadian Bar Association (CBA), Law Society of Ontario (LSO), Nova Scotia Barristers Society (NSBS), Association of Average Adjusters (AAA). Other interests In addition to his legal practice, Seamus is also an experienced yachtsman and sailing professional. He has sailed, coached, and managed sailing programs throughout Canada, the Caribbean, and beyond.
Luke Hunter
Associate
Bar Admission: Nova Scotia (2020)
Education: Dalhousie University (2019)
Contact: Office (902) 420-1990. Email: lukehunter@metcalf.ns.ca
Shipping and Transportation Marine and Specialty Insurance
Shipbuilding and Repair Marine Renewables and Offshore Energy
Fisheries and Aquaculture Seaports and Harbour Authorities
Airports and Aviation Public Procurement and Defence Contracting
Luke joined Metcalf & Company in 2019 as an articling clerk after receiving his law degree from Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. Luke advises on all areas of the firm’s expertise, including marine, transportation, insurance and corporate/commercial law, as well as complex contract negotiation for offshore, tug and tow, and related activities. During law school, Luke was a member and treasurer of the Environmental Law Student`s Society. Prior to that, Luke studied history and received his B.A. (First Class) from University College London in the UK. Professional Activities & Affiliations •Member of the Canadian Maritime Law Association (CMLA) •Member of the Eastern Admiralty Law Association (EALA) •Member of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) Other interests Outside the law, Luke enjoys spending time outdoors fly-fishing and exploring Nova Scotia.
Alex Hyndman
Associate
Bar Admission: Nova Scotia (2025)
Education: Dalhousie University (2024)
Contact: Office (902) 420-1990. Email: alexhyndman@metcalf.ns.ca
Shipping and Transportation Marine and Specialty Insurance
Shipbuilding and Repair Marine Renewables and Offshore Energy
Fisheries and Aquaculture Seaports and Harbour Authorities
Airports and Aviation Public Procurement and Defence Contracting
Alex joined Metcalf & Company in 2024 as an articling clerk after earning his law degree from Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. Prior to law school, he studied economics and received his B.Sc. from Dalhousie University. During law school, Alex was a Vice President and Treasurer of Law Hour, the school’s longstanding guest-speaker series. In his third year, he spent a semester at the initio Technology & Innovation Law Clinic, advising Startups and honing his skills in drafting and negotiating complex contracts. Alex’s interest in innovation and technology has carried over to the marine and transportation industries, from shipping to offshore wind energy. Professional Activities & Affiliations •Member of the Canadian Maritime Law Association (CMLA) •Member of the Nova Scotia Barristers‟ Society. Other interests Outside of the office, Alex can be found running, hiking and biking around Nova Scotia.