Ian Mathany
Ian Mathany
Ian practiced for over 8 years and was a partner at one of Canada's largest full-service law firms prior to creating Mathany and Higgs Law with Christel Higgs.
Ian's practice is focused on real property litigation, with an emphasis on expropriation law. Ian also has experience in land use planning, leasing, regulatory compliance matters, and procurement.
Ian appears frequently at the Ontario Land Tribunal (formerly the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal) and at the Board of Negotiation in expropriation cases and has significant experience assisting public sector clients, including transit authorities, local and upper-tier municipalities, and private sector clients, including pension funds, corporations, small businesses, developers and homeowners.
Ian's ability to find solutions to complex and challenging problems allows him to deliver great results for his clients.
Ian is the past President and current Board Member of the Ontario Expropriation Association and is a certified Instructor with the International Right of Way Association.
Christel Higgs
Christel Higgs
Christel practiced for over 10 years with one of Canada's largest full-service law firms before creating Mathany and Higgs Law with Ian Mathany.
Christel's practice is real property litigation, with a particular focus on expropriation, land use planning, civil litigation and commercial lease disputes.
Christel has extensive experience before all levels of Ontario Courts, as well as before arbitration panels, the Ontario Land Tribunal, and other administrative tribunals. Christel's clients range from single residential property owners to large municipalities and governmental authorities.
Christel's wide-ranging litigation experience enables her to provide clients with practical, cost-effective advice. She is persistent and persuasive and will work tirelessly with all necessary resources to achieve the best result.
Christel is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Bar Association, Ontario Expropriation Association and International Right of Way Association.
May Luong
May Luong
May is a registered professional land use planner with over 20 years of experience. May has worked in almost all matters relating to land use and urban planning, including zoning due diligence, policy review and analysis, preparing land use planning justification reports, attending municipal meetings on behalf of clients, and preparing and obtaining development application approvals.
May has spent most of her career with law firms, including 10 years with one of the largest law firms in the country. Through that work, May gained extensive experience with Ontario Municipal Board hearings and civil litigation proceedings.
May also enjoys volunteer work and mentoring young professionals. She has mentored ULI young professionals in the field and has been a mentor for numerous RPP candidates. She is also an active Board member of the Wesley Community Centre in Markham, a Centre that strives to provide and improve community space and programs for the young and elderly in the neighbourhood.
Andrew Brown
Andrew Brown
Andrew (Andy) is a senior law clerk with expertise in land title issues. He is a preeminent expert in title searching and land history investigation, with over 30 years experience.
Andy brings unmatched experience to the expropriation process, including with respect to commencing and approving expropriation proceedings, notices of expropriation and certificates on expropriation plans, and among other legislatively required notices. Andy also works closely with surveyors and the land registry office in the preparation and approval of plans.
Andy prepares the documents necessary for hearings under the Expropriations Act, including Hearings of Necessity, Board of Negotiation proceedings, and compensation claims before the Ontario Land Tribunal (formerly LPAT).
Ann Xie
Ann Xie
Ann has spent the last ten years working exclusively in the areas of expropriation, land use planning and civil litigation in one of the largest firms in the country.
Ann’s extensive experience includes assisting in preparation of litigation documents, including statements of claim/defense, affidavits of documents, affidavits of service, facta, motion records, applications records, books of authorities, compendiums, BON negotiation briefs and bills of cost.
Jessica Karban
Jessica Karban
Jessica has two years of experience practicing administrative law, civil litigation, environmental law, land use planning law and municipal law. Jessica has developed strong legal research, writing, drafting and communication skills and has a solid understanding of the legal and policy framework governing land development in Ontario.
Jessica has worked collaboratively with senior counsel on matters before various planning and environmental tribunals, and various levels of court.
Jessica has strong analytical and advocacy skills and has engaged with a range of governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders.
Jessica is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Bar Association, and Ontario Expropriation Association.
Meagan Patry
Meagan Patry
Prior to joining Mathany and Higgs Law, Meagan articled and practiced as an associate at one of the largest law firms in Canada.
Meagan has worked on land use planning, expropriation and real estate matters since being called to the bar in 2017. Meagan’s work has focused on private arbitrations, civil litigation, and expropriation litigation.
Meagan is skilled in dispute resolution, legal document preparation, legal writing, and document drafting.
Meagan is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Bar Association, Ontario Expropriation Association and International Right of Way Association.
Meagan's representative work includes acting for both private landowners and public authorities, assisting with matters at the Ontario Land Tribunal, Superior Court of Justice, Divisional Court, Federal Court, and the Ontario Court of Appeal, as well as assisting municipalities at Hearings of Necessity.
Rey Velasco
Rey Velasco
Rey Velasco has been a law clerk in Ontario for over 20 years and worked in one of Canada’s largest law firms in their Environmental, Municipal, Expropriation and Regulatory Group since 2009.
Rey’s responsibilities include: investigating titles to real property for the purposes of assessing current status, land assemblies and historical research; preparing municipal bylaws commencing expropriation proceedings and approving expropriations; preparing all expropriation notices and certificates on expropriation plans; preparing documents for Hearings of Necessity and compensation hearings at the Ontario Land Tribunal (formerly LPAT); and managing all aspects of searching real property in Ontario under the Land Titles, Registry, Condominium, Mining, Railway, Land Registration Reform and Electronic Registration acts.
Victoria Deo
Victoria Deo
Victoria has worked in the legal field for the last 13 years and has been a law clerk in Ontario since 2016.
Victoria has spent most of her career with one of Canada’s largest law firms and has extensive experience with civil litigation, expropriation and the Ontario Land Tribunal (formerly LPAT).
