Kenneth J. Warren, KC

A partner in Gowling WLG's Calgary office, Ken Warren is an all-around commercial litigator with substantial experience in shareholder disputes, professional liability defence and executive employment law. His focus is resolutely on dispute resolution rather than escalation. He has over 30 years' experience working with a broad array of clients - from large to small and from sophisticated professional litigants to one-off litigation participants - to solve their contentious situations.

Ken also has 15 years of internal management experience, having served in the firm's Calgary office as the head of its large, top-tier advocacy department for six years and then as office managing partner for nine years, stepping down at the end of 2015.

Although he is very comfortable in a courtroom, Ken strives to ensure that his clients, when possible, avoid seeing the inside of one by finding creative and commercially sensible solutions to disputes. He respects the uncertainty and expense that is inherent in the formal litigation process, and prides himself in providing advice that is cost-effective, objective and strategic. Ken believes that for most commercial litigants, litigation is a costly distraction from their productive businesses and the goal is to maintain control over an early and advantageous resolution.

Ken has a keen interest in mediation and arbitration as mechanisms for dispute resolution. He has acted as counsel in both domestic and international arbitrations and completed the prestigious Harvard Mediation Workshop in 2000. In addition, Ken has served as a member of the Promoting Early Resolution of Disputes Committee within the Alberta Law Reform Institute Rules of Court Project.

Giving back to his profession and community is important to Ken. He has been extensively involved with various committees of the Law Society of Alberta, serving from 1993 to 2017 continuously for multiple-year terms on the following committees: Professional Responsibility; Conduct; Insurance; Professional Responsibility, for a second time; Credentials and Education; Retention and Re-engagement Task Force; and Audit.

In September 2018, Ken was appointed as a Bencher on the Law Society of Alberta and joined its board. In February 2019, he was elected to the Executive Committee of that board. In February 2021, Ken assumed the role of president-elect of the Law Society.  He served as President from February 2022 to February 2023 and will remain a member of the Executive Committee in 2023.

Ken served on the Board of Directors of CUPS, the Calgary Urban Project Society, from 2010 through 2018. CUPS is a well-respected, long-standing Calgary not-for-profit dedicated to overcoming the challenges of poverty through the provision of leading-edge integrated health, education and housing services.

Outside of work, Ken is a bit of a fitness nut. His marathoning days unfortunately behind him, he cycles and hits the gym regularly and has the very good fortune to be able to travel, hike, kayak, scuba dive and golf with his wife.

Career & Recognition

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Memberships

  • Calgary Bar Association
  • Canadian Bar Association

Insights & Resources

Ken has been a frequent lecturer at the Alberta Bar Admission Course and at industry presentations in the areas of civil procedure and advocacy.