Faculty

Kimberley Brooks is a Professor at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Kimberley previously practiced as a tax lawyer with Stikeman Elliott LLP in their Toronto and London (UK) offices. Her research interests include all areas of tax law and policy. For a full bio click here.

Robin MacKnight has practised tax for over 30 years in Calgary, Yukon Territory and Toronto. He has advised clients in most sectors of the economy, from small start-ups to established family firms to multinational public companies. He has been actively involved in the resource sector, and in employee buyout and business succession transactions, representing vendors, management groups and trade unions. His practice includes tax, business and estate planning and implementation, dispute resolution with federal and provincial revenue authorities and public policy submissions to all levels of government. Robin holds the highest (AV) rating issued by Martindale-Hubbell, a peer review process based upon the confidential opinions of lawyers and judges. He also holds the Advanced Certificate in Family Business Advising for the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Prior to joining the firm, Robin was the Executive Director of the Canadian Tax Foundation. Prior to that, he was a partner of a national law firm. Robin has been a teacher for his entire career. He teaches in the graduate program at Osgoode Hall Law School, was one of the original faculty of the University of Waterloo Master of Tax program where he was the thesis supervisor and taught an emerging issues course for 10 years, and has taught at Queen’s University Law School, the Harvard Law School International Tax Program, the University of Calgary law school and the bar admission courses in Ontario and Alberta. He has developed and taught courses for CRA auditors. He is a frequent writer and speaker for continuing education programs sponsored by domestic and international professional organizations, including the Canadian, Ontario, American and International Bar Associations, the Canadian Tax Foundation, STEP, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, the International Fiscal Association and the OECD. Robin has served on several advisory committees to the CRA and industry associations. He was a director of STEP Canada for over ten years and is now a member of STEP’s Worldwide Council and its Public Policy Committee. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Trust Quarterly Reviews, published by STEP and The Association of Corporate Trustees. Robin is an advocate for the Ontario wine industry and live music and theatre.

Yi-Wen Hsu is Vice President Taxation at Accor Hotels, a leading hotel operator worldwide with 21 brands in over 90 countries (including Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel following the acquisition of FRHI Hotels & Resorts in July 2016). Her extensive experience includes tax management and strategy, structuring of complex international and domestic M&A and financing transactions, transfer pricing, tax controversy and tax reporting and compliance.

Prior to joining FRHI in 2015, Yi-Wen was a partner with Ernst & Young LP and its allied tax boutique law firm Couzin Taylor LLP, where she advised multinational clients on Canadian and international tax matters across a wide variety of industries. Yi-Wen has also practised corporate tax law with Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP and Goodmans LLP, and was a visiting foreign associate in the international tax law practice of Stibbe Simont Monahan Duhot in Amsterdam.

Yi-Wen holds a Bachelor of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Master of Laws (thesis in international tax) from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich, Germany. She also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of New Brunswick. Yi-Wen serves on the board of the Tax Executives Institute (Toronto Chapter) and is a member of the International Fiscal Association and the Canadian Tax Foundation.