Carman is a senior commercial litigation lawyer with extensive experience in all aspects of employment, human rights and labour relations law. Throughout his career he has maintained a special focus on advising employers on resolving workplace disputes. Carman works closely with senior management and human resources professionals to ensure employers comply with the various legislation that governs the workplace and to assist them in the prevention and resolution of employment disputes. Carman also advises employees on contractual matters including severance and continuing post-employment obligations. Carman has negotiated the terms of the departure of senior executives from large public companies and government agencies addressing the wide range of complex corporate governance and compensation issues raised.
Carman has appeared in a wide range of proceedings before the Supreme Court of BC, the Court of Appeal of BC, the BC Human Rights Tribunal, the Employment Standards Tribunal, the BC Labour Relations Board, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, and the Workers' Compensation Appeal Tribunal. Carman has also represented employers in numerous labour arbitration proceedings, collective bargaining, judicial review proceedings and mediations. In his practice, Carman conducts independent investigations of workplace complaints.
Carman is a frequent lecturer and routinely presents on workplace law developments including the duty to accommodate, social media issues, and privacy law in connection with workplace technology. He is a Co-Author of the Employment Litigation Manual published by Butterworths/LexisNexis since 2007. Carman teaches Employment and Human Rights Law at the UBC Sauder School of Business. He also teaches labour relations courses for the Queen’s University Industrial Relations Centre.
Carman is certified as a hockey coach and health/safety official with the West Vancouver Minor Hockey Association. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the West Vancouver Otters Swim Club Society for approximately 10 years and served as President of the Society for 4 years.
Carman was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2002. In 2007 Carman received the Canadian Bar Association Harry Rankin Q.C. Pro Bono Award. In 2013 Carman was recognized by Queen’s University for his contributions to the legal profession and the community with the Kathleen Beaumont-Hill Award.