Overview
Khurrum Awan is a commercial and constitutional litigator in Miller Thomson’s Regina office. His commercial litigation experience includes acting on a variety of contractual disputes, construction claims, defective product claims and class actions. Khurrum has significant experience working with insurers, crown corporations, as well as agricultural manufacturers, lessors and producers in pursuing and defending a broad range of commercial disputes.
Khurrum’s practice also includes all areas of public law. He has served as counsel to crown corporations and public school boards in defending and pursuing public interest constitutional litigation, and as counsel to Saskatchewan’s farmers on a constitutional reference regarding the federal carbon pricing legislation. He has advised administrative tribunals and crown corporations on procedural fairness requirements and legislative compliance in various areas, including occupational health and safety, statutory charges, and privacy and information sharing. Khurrum has also acted for clients on judicial reviews of tribunal decisions.
Khurrum has a variety of litigation experience, including trials, arbitrations, appeals, class action certification applications and chambers applications before the Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, and experienced arbitrators.
Professional achievements & leadership
- Selected as one of CBC Saskatchewan’s Future 40, a group of 40 young leaders, thinkers and change-makers under 40 helping to shape Saskatchewan’s future (2013)
- Dean’s Fellow for Constitutional Law, Osgoode Hall Law School (2006)
- Osgoode Hall Law School Scholarship for Academic Achievement in Second Year Law (2006)
- McMillan LLP Scholarship for Academic Achievement in First Year Law (2005)
Notable matters
- Brons v. Premier Horticulture Ltd et. al. – Serving as counsel to one of the defendants opposing certification of a class action arising from the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, and seeking summary judgment against the plaintiffs.
- Graham Design Builders LP v. Mod-Panel Manufacturing et. Al. – Serving as counsel to one of the defendants in a complex construction deficiencies claim, alleging negligent supply of materials and services.
- Jason Dredger v. Regional Health Authority #9 et. al. – Serving as counsel to several health authorities in defending a class action arising from the alleged deficient provision of medical services.
- Gwendolyn Frison-Prevost v. Heartland Regional Health Authority et. al. – Serving as counsel to a health authority in defending a class action arising from an alleged breach of privacy rights.
- Good Spirit School Division v. Christ the Teacher RCSSD No. 212 & Government of Saskatchewan – Served as appellate and trial counsel to Saskatchewan’s public school boards in a two-day appeal hearing and a 12-week trial challenging the constitutionality of the education funding regime in Saskatchewan.
- Reference re: Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, 2019 SKCA 40 – Acted as appellate counsel to the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (“APAS”) on a reference before the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal regarding the constitutionality of the Federal carbon pricing scheme.
- Berger v. Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan, 2019 SKCA 89 – Secured judicial review of a tribunal decision which found that a securities dealer had violated securities legislation by trading in securities without being registered with Saskatchewan’s securities’ regulator.
- Tiami Farms Ltd., Ken Petracek, D. H. Werle & Sons Farms Ltd., Double E. Grain Corp et. al. v. John Deere Canada ULC – Secured settlements of four defective product claims against John Deere Canada as a result of the total fire loss of JD 9510R and 9560R tractors.
- Andjelic Land Inc. (various matters) – Successfully pursued and defended claims on behalf of an agricultural land owner and lessor.
- AGCO Canada Ltd and Kramer Ltd. v. James and Merrylynne Coward, 2016 SKQB 205 – Successfully defended a claim for breach of various statutory warranties brought against AGCO Canada Ltd. for alleged defects in agricultural machinery purchased by the plaintiffs.
- Bruce Junker v. The Workers Compensation Board of Saskatchewan et. al., 2014 SKQB 253 – Successfully secured an order striking a claim alleging improper treatment of the plaintiff’s workers’ compensation claim.
- Roberts Properties Inc. v. Saskatchewan Power Corporation et. al., 2014 SKQB 245 – Successfully opposed an application to certify a proposed class action alleged improper levying of certain charges for the supply of electricity to apartment buildings.
- Horner v. Saskatchewan, 2013 SKQB 340 – Successfully secured an order striking a constitutional, Charter claim for alleged discrimination arising from the termination upon remarriage, of workers’ compensation benefits paid to spouses of deceased workers.
- Duzan v. GlaxoSmithKline Inc., 2011 SKQB 118 – Successfully secured an order striking a proposed class action for an allegedly defective pharmaceutical product as an abuse of process.
Thought leadership
- Author, “Constitutional Protection for Multiculturalism in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” Open Minds forum on Public Issues, University of Regina (2012)
- Presenter, “Constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Legislation,” Senate Committee on the Anti-Terrorism Legislation, 2006
- Presenter, “Immigration and Citizenship on the constitutionality of proposed changes to Canada’s citizenship laws,” Federal Parliamentary Standing Committee, 2005
Corporate directorships
- Director, Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Federal Riding Associations (2011-2013)
Bar admissions & education
- Saskatchewan Bar, 2010
- Ontario Bar, 2009
- LLB, Osgoode Hall, 2007
- B.Math with honours, Waterloo, 2005
