Brock Johnston

Partner

Experience and creativity are vital to a company’s growth. Having practiced law for over 30 years, Brock anticipates issues, identifies opportunities and develops effective solutions that support our clients’ business.

Work Highlights

Musqueam Capital Corp. and MST (Jericho 2016) Limited Partnership

  • Advice regarding real estate and development issues with respect to the Block F project on the University Endowment Lands and the Province Jericho Lands
  • General advice on other real estate assets, asset and property management issues, corporate matters and commercial contracts

Orgaworld Canada Ltd.

  • Successful bid on the Surrey Biofuel Processing Facility
  • Assisting with proposals for various initiatives in BC and Alberta

Institutions of higher learning

  • Including, over the years, BCIT, UBC, SFU, University of the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island University, UNBC and Royal Road University
  • Advice to numerous institutions of higher learning on acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, financing of projects, property trusts, relationships with student union and other matters
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Brock identifies opportunities and challenges and distills complex issues into constructive solutions. He works in collaboration with clients to formulate contractual agreements that protect their interests and bring their goals to fruition.

Services

Commercial real estate Procurement and construction
Purchase and sale of businesses Public-private partnerships
Advising the advanced education sector and First Nations on real estate and commercial issues Commercial lending for borrowers and lenders, including senior secured, mezzanine, project and-asset backed lending facilities
Joint ventures and business combinations

For his work, Brock has been Lexpert-ranked in infrastructure and property leasing and is Best Lawyers-ranked for commercial real estate.

As a member of industry organizations, Brock is exposed to the issues that affect clients from a business perspective. This insight positions him on the leading edge of industry trends, including:

  • Working with First Nations on commercial ventures, including the development of real estate assets
  • Involvement with BC’s first public-private partnerships
  • Helping universities and other publicly funded organizations develop property trusts

It is Brock’s passion to work on commercial projects that achieve public interest objectives—helping clients in their pursuits to build and improve the community and the province of BC.

Awards & Distinctions
  • Best Lawyers in Canada, Real Estate Law
  • Lexpert, Infrastructure, Lexpert Canada's Leading Infrastructure Lawyers (Special Edition, September 2014)
  • Lexpert, Property leasing, 2014
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Musqueam Capital Corp. and MST (Jericho 2016) Limited Partnership
  • Advice regarding real estate and development issues with respect to the Block F project on the University Endowment Lands and the Province Jericho Lands
  • General advice on other real estate assets, asset and property management issues, corporate matters and commercial contracts
Orgaworld Canada Ltd.
  • Successful bid on the Surrey Biofuel Processing Facility
  • Assisting with proposals for various initiatives in BC and Alberta
"Brock Johnston at Clark Wilson continues to provide Musqueam Capital Corporation (MCC) excellent service on key real estate initiatives. Our files are fairly complex and cover a broad range of issues. Brock has provided MCC with thorough, timely and practical advice. I have no hesitation in recommending Brock to others who require experienced real estate counsel. Along with Brock, Clark Wilson provides us with the depth and confidence for our ongoing business and real estate needs."

Stephen Lee, FCPA, FCMA Chief Executive Officer Musqueam Capital Corp.

Institutions of higher learning
  • Including, over the years, BCIT, UBC, SFU, University of the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island University, UNBC and Royal Road University
  • Advice to numerous institutions of higher learning on acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, financing of projects, property trusts, relationships with student union and other matters
Dream Group of Companies, including Dream Office REIT, Dream Industrial REIT, Dream Office Management Corporation
  • Acquisitions, leasing, financing and property management issues for BC properties
  • Advice on corporate matters and opinions in respect of Dream companies governed by BC law
Canadian Real Estate Investment Trust (CREIT)
  • Acquisitions, leasing, financing and property management issues for BC properties
  • Advice on corporate matters and opinions in respect of CREIT companies governed by BC law
"As the Director of International Business Development of Orgaworld, part of Shanks Group plc, I have had the privilege of working together with Brock. Shanks is a leading European independent waste management company with annual revenues of approximately $1 billon operating in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and Canada. Since we have expanded our activities to Western Canada in 2013, Brock has worked with me and my colleagues on several projects on a broad range of issues. His advice is timely, accurate and cost-effective. For these reasons I have also referred Brock to others who have required an experienced counsel on organizational and governance matters in general and Public Private Partnerships in particular in Western Canada. I look forward to working with Brock in the future."

Paul Oostelbos, Director International Business Development Orgaworld Nederland BV

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
  • External counsel on the Evergreen Line Rapid Transit Project
Public and private sector agencies and contractors
  • Various infrastructure and public-private partnerships
Kensington Square Plaza - a shopping centre in Burnaby BC
  • All issues relating to leasing, financing, property management and structuring of ownership
"I am the Executive Director of Leighton Investments Ltd., a Hong Kong real estate investment holding company with extensive property investments in the US, Canada and Hong Kong. Brock Johnston has been working with me since 1992, providing a broad range of services over many different and sometimes difficult issues. His advice has always been timely, insightful, practical, and cost effective. I have no hesitation in recommending Brock to anyone who requires an experienced and conscientious real estate lawyer."

Jonathan Leung, Executive Director Leighton Investments Ltd.

Landlords and tenants
  • Office leases, shopping centre leases, ground leases, leases of First Nations land and other interests in real estate
"I am the Executive Vice-President & General Counsel of Dream Unlimited Corp., a real estate company with over $15 billion of assets under management in Canada, the US and Europe. Prior to joining Dream, I was a senior partner in the Real Estate Group of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. For over 20 years, Brock has worked with me and my colleagues, both at Osler and Dream, on a broad range of issues. His advice is timely, thoughtful and cost effective. For these reasons I have also referred Brock to others who have required experienced corporate and real estate counsel in BC. I look forward to working with Brock in the future."

George Valentini, Executive Vice-President & General Counsel Dream Unlimited Corp.

Corporations and partnerships and their assets
  • Acquisitions, dispositions, combinations and financings
Awards & Distinctions
  • Best Lawyers in Canada, Real Estate Law
  • Lexpert, Infrastructure, Lexpert Canada's Leading Infrastructure Lawyers (Special Edition, September 2014)
  • Lexpert, Property leasing, 2014
Industry Involvement
  • Law Society of Upper Canada (1983 – 2004)
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships
  • Canadian Association of University Solicitors
  • Urban Development Institute
  • Association des juristes d'expression française de la Colombie–Britannique
Community Commitments
  • UBC Law School, Continuing Legal Education Society, and Canadian Institute – Lecturer and Writer
  • Gerson Lehrman Educators Program
Education & Call to Bar
  • Call to Bar: British Columbia: 1990
  • Juris Doctor, University of Toronto, 1981
  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours, English), York University, 1977
Languages
  • French
External Publications & Presentations
  • Allocating Risk Effectively, Canadian Institute’s 8th Annual Managing Risk in Construction Contracts West Program, January 20-21 2016

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