Curtis Unfried

Born and raised in The Pas, Manitoba, Curtis went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1995 and Doctor of Laws (JD) degree in 1998 from the University of Manitoba. Since joining MLT Aikins LLP in 1998 (then known as Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP), Curtis  has advised and defended clients on a wide range of fronts, including: civil litigation, commercial litigation, tax litigation, class action litigation, the Workplace Safety & Health Act, the Criminal Code (Canada), the Pharmaceutical Act (Manitoba), the Food and Drugs Act (Canada), the Extradition Act (Canada), the Fisheries Act (Canada), The Public Utilities Board Act (Manitoba), the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations (Canada), the Forest Act, the Contaminated Sites Remediation Act, the Motor Vehicle Transport Act, the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Services Regulations, the Crown Lands Act, the Liquor Control Act and the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Act and Liquor, The Defamation Act (Manitoba), the Farm Products Marketing Act, the Access to Information Act and the Gaming Control Act, along with criminal and regulatory matters with quasi-criminal consequences.

Recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2017, Curtis provides a great deal of service to high-net worth individuals and regulated professionals, including those involved in the investment and pharmacy health care sectors. He assists those clients in dealing with all issues relating to their reputation, professional regulation, policy and practice.

• Numerous retainers as counsel on workplace accidents, investigations and charges under The Workplace Safety & Health Act for various entities ranging from smaller closely held corporations to multinational and publicly traded corporations in the aerospace and energy sectors
• Counsel for numerous International Prescription Service (IPS) pharmacies located in the Province of Manitoba. IPS pharmacies (often referred to as “internet pharmacies”) provide care and pharmacy services to residents outside of Canada, predominantly in the United States
• Canadian counsel for a US-based billionaire involved in pursuing a claim of defamation in the United States and the Bahamas
• Canadian counsel for a Las Vegas-based Resort & Casino in pursuit of a fraudster residing in the Province of Manitoba
• Canadian counsel for various individuals and entities facing extradition to the United States for charges of fraud and other financial-related crimes under the Extradition Act (Canada)
• Counsel for various advocacy and trade associations, including those that have sought and been granted standing before the Public Utilities Board of Manitoba
• Counsel for a publicly traded mining companies in prosecutions involving charges laid under the Fisheries Act (Canada) and Metal Mining Effluent Regulations (Canada) relating to the release of “acutely lethal effluent” from mining facilities in the Province of Manitoba
• Numerous retainers as defence counsel to pharmacies and pharmacists relating to investigations and charges under the Pharmaceutical Act and the Food and Drugs Act
• Counsel for individuals and entities that have successfully obtained Anton Piller Orders and Mareva Injunctions (also known as Freezing Orders) for the purposes of protecting their interests pending the outcome of litigation
• Co-counsel to various Boards constituted under the Farm Products Marketing Act (Manitoba)
• Counsel for a publicly traded forestry company in prosecutions under the Forest Act, Forest Use and Management Regulation and Crown Lands Act
• Counsel for a non-profit entity alleged to have been involved in various wrongdoings under the Competition Act and Criminal Code
• Numerous retainers as counsel to individuals charged with various offences under the Criminal Code including, but not limited to: impaired driving, assault, assault causing bodily harm, possession of marijuana, theft and fraud
• Counsel for various entities and individuals having to navigate through the Contaminated Sites Remediation Act
• Counsel for physicians being investigated or charged by the College of Physicians & Surgeons (Manitoba) with wrongdoing or professional misconduct
• Numerous retainers relating to the issuance and removal of Protection Orders issued under The Domestic Violence and Stalking Act and/or Criminal Code, including issues arising from online stalking and/or other forms of harassment
• Numerous retainers from large multinational and small trucking and waste management companies charged with offences under the Motor Vehicle Transport Act, Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Services Regulations and Highway Traffic Act
• Counsel for individuals being investigated by the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada
• Counsel for a large Canadian-based restaurant chain alleged to have been in violation of the Liquor Control Act
• Counsel for various individuals involved in estate litigation and related disputes
• Numerous retainers relating to advice and direction to individuals, corporations and non-profit entities involved in offering contests to the general public to ensure compliance with The Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Act and Liquor and Gaming Control Act and Criminal Code
• Counsel for farmers charged with fraud as a result of the alleged wrongful filing of insurance claims with the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC)
• Counsel for individuals and entities involved in “oppression applications” under the Corporations Act (Manitoba)

• Chair, Aikins, MacAulay and Thorvaldson LLP’s United Way Committee (2014-2016)
• Chair, MLT Aikins LLP United Way Committee (2017-2020)
• Assistant Coach, Sanford Sabres in the Winnipeg High School Hockey League (1999)
• Assistant Coach, St. Boniface Stars Female Hockey Team (Novice, 2014)
• Assistant Coach, St. Boniface Seals Boys Hockey Team (Atom, 2020)
• Board of Directors, Norwood Community Club

Memberships

• The Law Society of Manitoba
• Manitoba Bar Association
• Canadian Bar Association

• Guest lecturer, University of Manitoba Law School and the Manitoba Law Society’s Bar Admission Course
• Guest speaker at various construction and engineering luncheons on the topic of “Due Diligence” and defending charges under the Workplace Safety & Health Act
• Guest speaker and panellist at various luncheons and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Seminars held by or on behalf of numerous professional, industry and agricultural-based associations on topics including: Due Diligence, the importance of By-Laws & Corporate Governance, the law of Trespass & Self-Defence in Manitoba
• Guest speaker, Manitoba Law Society’s Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Seminars on the topic of “Prosecuting, Defending and Advising Corporations” (provided insight on the issues that arise from defending corporations in Court)
• Contributor, Winnipeg Construction Association’s Upword magazine
• Contributor, Manitoba construction industry’s Building Connections magazine
• Contributor, Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP Newsletter (providing clients with information and updates on the various topics within the practice of law)
• Contributor, MLT Aikins LLP Newsletter, 2017-present (providing clients with information and updates on the various topics within the practice of law)