Roark's practice focuses on environmental, Indigenous, and regulatory matters. He represents clients in dispute resolution involving environmental issues, Aboriginal rights and title, and regulatory proceedings and prosecutions. In addition to his litigation practice, he advises clients on regulatory compliance, environmental due diligence, and Indigenous land rights.
Roark provides strategic advice to clients on legal requirements for accessing and operating on Indigenous lands. He acts for clients—including utility, energy, and telecommunications companies—in negotiating and advising on permits, rights of way, and other tenures on First Nation reserve lands, treaty lands, and Métis settlement lands.
Roark has appeared before all levels of court in British Columbia and in numerous provincial and federal administrative tribunals. He also represents parties in negotiations and mediations.
Experience
- Counsel on environmental law matters including contaminated sites litigation, responses to spills and migrating pollution, regulatory compliance and enforcement proceedings, site due diligence, and environmental management and remediation agreements.
- Counsel in litigation matters involving Aboriginal rights and title.
- Negotiating and advising on land-use and access agreements relating to Indigenous lands.
- Counsel for clients facing enforcement proceedings, including prosecutions, relating to licensing, permitting, and other regulatory compliance issues.
- Counsel for housing operators in matters under the Residential Tenancy Act and the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, including drafting resident agreements, representing clients in landlord-tenant disputes in the Residential Tenancy Branch, and defending clients in administrative proceedings involving the Residential Tenancy Branch’s Compliance and Enforcement Unit and the Assisted Living Registry.
- Defence counsel for clients in litigation relating to occupiers’ liability, product liability, construction defects, and other types of negligence claims.
- Counsel in regulatory proceedings before the British Columbia Utilities Commission.
- E.B. v. British Columbia (Child, Family and Community Services), 2021 BCCA 47: Acted as counsel in successful defence of appeal from striking of claims of defamation and misfeasance in a public office.
- E.B. v. British Columbia (Child, Family and Community Services), 2019 BCSC 2200: Acted as co-counsel for defendants in successful application to strike amended notice of civil claim alleging negligence, defamation, and misfeasance in a public office.
- Acted as co-counsel in a regulatory prosecution for a corporation facing charges under the Health of Animals Act, S.C. 1990, c. 21.
- Acted as co-counsel for the Law Society of British Columbia in professional discipline proceedings.
- Acted as counsel for a refugee claimant from a European country in the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board. The claimant sought protection from persecution based on their SOGIE. The Refugee Protection Division accepted the claim and granted the claimant refugee status.
- Acted as counsel for a personal applying for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment to avoid removal to a Central American country. The person was able to remain in Canada with their family.
- Counsel on environmental law matters including contaminated sites litigation, responses to spills and migrating pollution, regulatory compliance and enforcement proceedings, site due diligence, and environmental management and remediation agreements.
- Counsel in litigation matters involving Aboriginal rights and title.
- Negotiating and advising on land-use and access agreements relating to Indigenous lands.
- Counsel for clients facing enforcement proceedings, including prosecutions, relating to licensing, permitting, and other regulatory compliance issues.
- Counsel for housing operators in matters under the Residential Tenancy Act and the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, including drafting resident agreements, representing clients in landlord-tenant disputes in the Residential Tenancy Branch, and defending clients in administrative proceedings involving the Residential Tenancy Branch’s Compliance and Enforcement Unit and the Assisted Living Registry.
- Defence counsel for clients in litigation relating to occupiers’ liability, product liability, construction defects, and other types of negligence claims.
- Counsel in regulatory proceedings before the British Columbia Utilities Commission.
- E.B. v. British Columbia (Child, Family and Community Services), 2021 BCCA 47: Acted as counsel in successful defence of appeal from striking of claims of defamation and misfeasance in a public office.
- E.B. v. British Columbia (Child, Family and Community Services), 2019 BCSC 2200: Acted as co-counsel for defendants in successful application to strike amended notice of civil claim alleging negligence, defamation, and misfeasance in a public office.
- Acted as co-counsel in a regulatory prosecution for a corporation facing charges under the Health of Animals Act, S.C. 1990, c. 21.
- Acted as co-counsel for the Law Society of British Columbia in professional discipline proceedings.
- Acted as counsel for a refugee claimant from a European country in the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board. The claimant sought protection from persecution based on their SOGIE. The Refugee Protection Division accepted the claim and granted the claimant refugee status.
- Acted as counsel for a personal applying for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment to avoid removal to a Central American country. The person was able to remain in Canada with their family.
