Industries Served
​Metcalf & Company provides trusted legal counsel to clients across diverse industries, with a particular focus on the marine and transportation sectors. Our team combines technical expertise with a practical understanding of each industry’s unique challenges, ensuring tailored solutions that align with our clients’ business objectives.
Shipping and Transportation
We represent Canadian and international shipowners, charterers, operators and managers, lending institutions, classification societies, freight forwarders, terminal operators, and other law firms across the full range of maritime and transportation law including wet and dry, contentious and non-contentious matters.
Marine and Specialty Insurance
Throughout Canada, Metcalf & Company provides contentious and advisory services to all parties in the marine and transportation insurance business including local, national and international clients including a number of P&I Clubs as well as Hull and Machinery and general insurance underwriters headquartered in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Shipbuilding and Repair
Our team advises ship owners, ship builders, ship repairers, naval architects, Classification Societies and suppliers both domestically and internationally with respect to their contracts and in respect of any disputes.
Marine Renewables and Offshore Energy
We advise on all aspects of the marine component relating to Canadian offshore energy activities including service contracts and the issues connected with them, all aspects of the regulatory environment, and marine support services.
Public Procurement and Defence Contracting
Metcalf & Company has extensive experience advising on complex defence procurement matters, including acting as counsel in judicial review proceedings related to the Canadian Surface Combatant program and other major federal procurements. The firm is certified under Canada’s Controlled Goods Program and holds the necessary security clearances to handle sensitive military and national security documentation.
Seaports and Harbour Authorities
The firm supports federal and independent Port Authorities and harbour authorities with procurement, asset transfer, and governance issues, offering tailored legal solutions grounded in decades of industry experience. In addition the firm assists with commercial disputes including relating to construction projects.
Airports and Aviation
We represent regional airlines, airport authorities and aviation insurers as well as assist other domestic and international law firms in connection with asset-based financing, personal injury defence, licensing and other regulatory matters related to the aviation industry.
Fisheries and Aquaculture
We have a significant practice in the area of fisheries law, particularly as it relates to partnership agreements, trust agreements, and the purchase and sale of fishing enterprises.
Practice Areas
Beyond our core focus, we advise on a wide range of complementary areas of law. This breadth allows us to support clients in addressing interconnected legal matters with efficiency, precision, and the personalized service that defines our boutique approach.
Admiralty and Maritime Law: Dry Shipping
-Carriage of goods and cargo claims.
-Charterparty drafting, negotiation and disputes – including bareboat, time and voyage charters, as well as special project and offshore supply vessel charters.
-Marine Insurance.
-Ports, harbour authorities, and marinas.
-Ship construction and repair.
-Ship financing, purchase, sale, and registration.
-Ship importation, Canadianization and Coasting Trade.
-Stevedoring and warehousing.
Admiralty and Maritime Law: Wet Shipping
Our maritime practice advises on:
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-Maritime incidents including collision, salvage, towage and general average investigation and litigation.
-Maritime liens, arrests and in rem claims.
-Passenger and personal injury defense.
-Ship management and operations.
-Wreck removal, pollution and other environmental issues.
Corporate and Commercial
-Corporate reorganizations and restructurings.
-Business incorporations.
-Foreign investment.​
-Sale and acquisition of assets, international sale of goods.
Employment Law
-Strategic and regulator advice to employers in the non-union context.
-Drafting and reviewing employment contracts and policies.
-Wrongful dismissal cases.
-Workplace injury investigations.
Insurance Law
-Subrogation claims.
-Hull and P&I coverage advice.
-Insurance defence litigation.
-Regulatory compliance issues.
Litigation and Arbitration
Complex commercial litigation relating to:
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-Contract disputes.
-Hull claims and P&I defence.
-Personal injury defence and other disputes.
-Property and casualty damage.
Procurement and Administrative Law
-Bid review.
-Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) and Federal Court procurement disputes.