Owen Minns

[Address omitted from web edition; please contact me another way.]
+1 416 712 0232
http://minns.ca/owen/
owen at minns dot ca




Education & Qualifications



Barrister & Solicitor, of the bar of Ontario  (called Spring, 2010)

   Member of the Advocates' Society, the OBA, and the CBA



Osgoode Hall Law School at York University  (Toronto, Ontario)

   Juris Doctor, Law  (Spring, 2009)

   Earned mooting prizes: Second Place Team in the 2008 and 2009 national Gale Cup Moots;
   1st Place Oralist & 1st Place Team (Goodman & Carr Moot); Distinguished Oralist (Lerners Cup Moot)

   Research Assistant for Peer Zumbansen, Canada Research Chair  (Summer, 2008)

   International Intellectual Property Program at St Peter's College, Oxford  (Summer, 2007)

   Research Assistant for Allan C Hutchinson, Distinguished Research Professor (Summer, 2007)



Queen's University  (Kingston, Ontario)

   Bachelor of Arts, Computer & Information Science  (Spring, 2004)

      Completed while continuing to work full-time


   Bachelor of Science (Honours), Psychology  (Spring, 1998)

      Focused on cognitive and experimental psychology, psycholinguistics and statistics




Practical Experience



The Law Society of Upper Canada, Discipline Department  (Toronto, Ontario)


   Associate Discipline Counsel (on contract)  (2010-07 – present)

      Representing the Law Society in regulatory proceedings before the Law Society Hearing Panel,
      and as necessary before the Law Society Appeal Panel; managing assigned regulatory cases

      Assisting other discipline counsel with their prosecutions and appeals

      Reviewing evidence gathered in investigatory processes for potential prosecutions and 
      developing recommendations for the disposition of those cases in the public interest

      Engaging in legal research: both case-specific and to assist the department as a whole

      Drafting originating applications and other litigation materials, e.g., facta and motion records

      Working with subject licensees or their representatives to reduce the scope of contested hearings:
      drafting and negotiating agreed statements of facts and joint submissions

      Advancing the Law Society’s position orally; examining witnesses, presenting evidence

      Communicating with members of the public in regulatory proceedings: witnesses, complainants

      Promoting the effective use of information technology within the department by helping to build 
      an electronic library; fostering the use of paperless processes by counsel and administrative staff


   Articling Student  (2009 – 2010)

      Assisted discipline counsel with regulatory proceedings, including work before the Hearing Panel

      Conducted online and paper-based legal research, wrote advocacy-oriented memoranda




Air Miles Reward Program (Alliance Data Corporation, nyse:ads)  (Toronto, Ontario)


Senior Analyst, Strategic Planning  (2004 – 2006)

      Researched and wrote recommendations and reports for senior management regarding
      financial and operational strategy, business modelling, market research

      Championed a re-assessment of how Air Miles market penetration is measured internally
      and how it is reported to regulatory authorities and public markets

      Modelled the impact of changes to an Air Miles offer on a per-collector basis, 
      providing critical insight for contract re-negotiations with a major programme sponsor

      Identified and researched a ‘point of pain’ for a group of customers, then leveraged
      internal relationships to solve the problem, reducing the number of complaints


Senior Analyst (also Coordinator, Analyst), Operations  (2000 – 2004)

      Managed key activities in the production of millions of collector statement mailings

      Provided operational and business process expertise to internal clients

      Earned awards, e.g., company-wide ‘Spirit of Loyalty’, two divisional awards from the CIO




Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University Inc.  (Kingston, Ontario)


   Vice-president (Operations) and Chief Financial Officer  (1999 – 2000)

      Elected by 12 000 students to provide executive management (strategic, operational, financial)
      of 20 businesses and service programs (annual revenues ~$6 million, 400 staff, 1000 volunteers)

      Guided middle management: every revenue-generating unit beat its five-year average fiscal results

      Launched a Student Dental Plan: business model, provider selection, and contract negotiations

      Served as Reserve Director of the Canadian Campus Business Consortium, elected by student governments
      across Canada, representing 300 000 students: investigated new legalmodels to enable the sharing 
      of profits back to member groups


   Director (Media & Services)  (1998 – 1999)

      Provided strategic management of eight businesses, including campus newspaper and bookstore

      Developed and implemented a new remuneration policy and fiscal management policy 
      in an initially-hostile management environment


   Assistant Manager (Publishing), Publishing & Copy Centre  (1997 – 1998)

      Supervised daily shop floor operations and a team of creative designers.


   Committee Member, Alma Mater Society Judicial Committee  (1997 – 1998)

      Adjudicated (with other panel members) matters of non-academic discipline.


   House & Projects Manager, The Queen's Journal  (Autumn, 1995)

      Member of Editorial Board; supervised layout and design; adhered to strict deadlines.




Other Interests Include

   Photography (notably textural subjects, with vibrant colour and high spatial frequency; see my website)
   Reading (e.g., history, mythology, The New Yorker, fiction)
   Gardening