Barry W. Bussey
Barrister & Solicitor
Barry W. Bussey
Barrister & Solicitor
Barry has practised law for over 30 years, and he still loves what he does. Whether he is helping a young family close on their first home, guiding someone through estate planning, or advising a charity on how to stay in good standing with the CRA, he brings the same care to every file.
That care is backed by experience that is rare in a local practice. For ten years Barry was Director of Legal Affairs at a large national charities umbrella organisation, where he advised charities across the country on governance and compliance. He has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada five times. He holds a Ph.D. in law from Leiden and an LL.M. in constitutional law from Osgoode, several Masters degrees, and he has taught law as an adjunct professor.
Closer to home, that depth shows up in the everyday work Peterborough families and businesses rely on. Barry handles real estate purchases and sales, wills and estate planning, and civil litigation, including estate disputes. He brings the same care to a cottage closing as to a Supreme Court appearance.
He began his career in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1993 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1996. In 2023 he took over the firm from Gary Ainsworth, keeping its deep Peterborough roots while bringing that national experience home.
Barry has a special passion for the non-profit sector. He has spent much of his career working alongside charities, faith-based organisations, and community groups, and he understands the challenges they face. If your organisation needs help with charity registration, ONCA compliance, or governance, he would be glad to talk.
His clients know him as someone who picks up the phone, explains things plainly, and treats every matter, big or small, like it matters. Because it does. Bussey Ainsworth is a proud sponsor of the Peterborough Singers, and you will regularly find Barry and his family at local events.
Practice Areas
Barry's practice covers the legal needs of individuals, families, and organisations across Peterborough and the Kawarthas:
Degrees: B.A. (Burman University), LL.B. (Western University), M.A. (Memorial University), LL.M. (York University), M.P.A.C.S. (University of Waterloo), Ph.D. (Leiden University)
Scholarship & Recognition
In addition to his Peterborough practice, Barry is a published legal scholar with national experience in charity, non-profit, and constitutional law.
From 2011 to 2021 he served as Director of Legal Affairs at the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities, advising Canada's Christian charity sector on governance, compliance, and regulatory matters. Earlier he spent more than two decades as in-house legal counsel to charitable and religious organisations, and he has sat on boards for charities, schools, and a university.
Barry has argued before administrative tribunals and various levels of court, including serving as intervener counsel in five cases before the Supreme Court of Canada. He held an appointment as Adjunct Associate Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame Australia (Sydney), and in 2012 received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Publications
Barry is the author and editor of several legal works, including:
- The Status of Religion and the Public Benefit in Charity Law (2020), Anthem Press
- The Inherence of Human Dignity, Volumes I & II (2021), Anthem Press (co-editor with Angus Menuge)
- Religion, Liberty and the Jurisdictional Limits of Law (2017), LexisNexis (co-editor with Iain T. Benson)
Follow his scholarship on SSRN and Academia.
See Also: Publications | Speaking Engagements | Conscience & Rights
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