Panel of Officers

John Mascarin, who heads the Aird & Berlis Accountability Services team, is widely recognized across Ontario as a leader in the area of municipal law. He is a partner in the firm’s Municipal & Land Use Planning Group and the lead lawyer for all of our Closed Meeting Investigator and other accountability officer appointments. John was named the Best Lawyers’ 2016 Municipal Law “Lawyer of the Year” for Toronto and is a Certified Specialist in Municipal Law: Local Government and Land Use Planning and Development by the Law Society of Ontario. He is an Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School.

John has spent his legal career practicing almost exclusively in the area of municipal law, and more recently, specializing in matters relating to accountability and transparency, including councillor conduct. He is respected by his municipal clients for taking a hands-on, common-sense approach to his closed meeting investigator work, while at all times maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality when dealing with these always sensitive matters.

Meghan Cowan is a member of the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group, Workplace Law Group and Privacy & Data Security Group. She works closely with the firm’s Municipal & Land Use Planning Group and often advises and litigates on municipal issues and matters. She advises on a variety of litigation matters, with a focus on privacy and labour and employment law, including wrongful dismissal litigation, human rights and labour relations, municipal code of conduct and ethical investigations. Meghan has undertaken several municipal-related investigations.

Laura Dean is a member of the firm’s Municipal & Land Use Planning Group. She provides advice and representation to both private and public sector clients on municipal governance and accountability regimes, land use planning matters, and the development and implementation of a wide array of municipal by-laws and policies. Laura has advised a number of municipalities on various governance and accountability-related issues, including matters related to closed meetings.

Meaghan Barrett is a member of the firm’s Municipal & Land Use Planning Group. She advises on various municipal accountability matters, including drafting codes of conduct and complaint procedures, and investigating and reporting on code of conduct complaints. She also provides expert advice to clients regarding all aspects of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Dasha Peregoudova is a confident and compassionate litigator with a focus on labour and employment law. As a member of the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Workplace Law, and Sports, Media & Entertainment Groups, her practice focuses on various employment and labour-related matters, such as drafting contracts and policies, grievances and collective bargaining, as well as civil and commercial actions involving employment disputes. She also has experience with human rights-related matters. Dasha regularly advises clients with respect to accessibility issues in the workplace, and frequently conducts policy, ethical and statute-driven investigations for a wide range of clients.

John Pappas is a member of the firm’s Municipal & Land Use Planning Group. He advises public and private sector clients on all aspects of municipal law, with a focus on accountability matters. John has worked extensively on a number of accountability mandates, including numerous closed meeting and code of conduct investigations and inquires under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. 

Jonathan Marun-Batista is a member of the firm’s Municipal & Land Use Planning Group. He advises public and private sector clients, including homeowners, developers and municipalities, on all aspects of the Ontario Planning Act and the Ontario Municipal Act. Jonathan assists clients through every stage of the land development process and regularly represents them before the Ontario Land Tribunal, municipal councils, and various committees and boards. He also provides legal counsel to municipalities across Ontario, addressing issues such as municipal powers and jurisdiction, ethics and governance, building regulations, by-law drafting and enforcement, and commercial and contractual matters.