Expert Opinion & Testimony
The firm’s principal, Bruce Blackwell, is qualified as an expert in North America to testify on wildfire behaviour, prescribed fire, fire suppression, fire ecology and fire management.
Our senior staff have over 30 years of experience in specific disciplines of forestry. This provides us with the unique ability to provide expert opinions in forest valuation, tenure transfer, water quality and watershed management, wildfire, cost recovery, and forest rehabilitation.
We have written more than 45 expert opinions related to arbitration, insurance claims, forest appeals commission hearings, legal files in Supreme Court of B.C., and the Government of Canada.
Additionally, we have assisted the Government of Canada and First Nations in Specific Claims and the Specific Claims Tribunal participating in more than 25 files.
We have objectively represented clients in the private sector, non-profits and individuals, Province of B.C., Government of Canada.
Our senior staff members have experience providing:
- Written expert opinion and testimony on issues related to wildfire and forest management, forest ecology, and timber valuation.
- Support for Treaty negotiations; acquiring community forestry licenses.

The Forest Appeals Commission
Testified on fire weather conditions, debris pile burning and holdover fires, due diligence all related to Tolko Industries Ltd., Appeal of a Determination issued following an investigation of four separate wildfires discovered in April 2016.

Greer Creek Fire
Qualified as an expert in the B.C. Supreme Court to testify on wildfire behavior, prescribed fire, fire suppression, fire ecology and fire management.

Huu-ay-aht First Nations v. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada
Qualified as an expert before the Specific Claims Tribunal File No. SCT-7005-13.
First Nations Specific Claims
Since 2012, Blackwell has provided legal expert opinion on numerous historical logging operations under Canada’s Specific Claims Policy. We have consulted with law firms and First Nations from the initial phase through report submission. We are able to provide consultation within the following areas of First Nations Specific Claims:
- Identification of potential claims determined through fact finding and investigation.
- Archival information collection and organization.
- Historical timber valuation and data analysis.
- Professional report writing that meets federal Specific Claims standards.
- Expert testimony in Specific Claims tribunals.