Steve is a leading expert on mining and natural resource law. Steve has extensive international experience, with a combined background in geology and law, which has paved the way for a practice in the mining, oil and gas, geothermal, coalbed methane and nuclear industries.
For more than five decades, Steve has advised and represented Canadian and international companies, served on many governmental advisory committees and has been involved in natural resource transactions in more than 65 countries, as well as acting for 14 governments. Steve has been a director of a number of natural resource and mining companies, as well as a member of numerous professional and trade associations (the Toronto Branch of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and the joint Toronto Stock Exchange/Ontario Securities Commission Mining Standards Task Force).
Steve currently practices law under his sole proprietorship, “W.S. Vaughan, Professional Corporation”. He also acts as an arbitrator in mineral industry disputes. Steve has been published extensively and has been a guest speaker and a lecturer on natural resource financing, mining, international due diligence and related securities law issues. Steve has a B.Sc. in geology from the University of New Brunswick, a M.Sc. in geology from McGill University, a B.C.L. in law from the University of New Brunswick and a LL.D in law (Honoris Causa) from the University of New Brunswick.
In January 2017, Steve was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame.