Our People

Thomas J.J. Van Buekenhout

Tom was born in 1948 and was raised in Winnipeg, graduating from St. Paul's High School with Honours in 1966. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Paul's College and his Law Degree from the University of Manitoba in 1972. During the same year he moved to Dauphin and joined the firm, becoming a partner in 1976. Tom was honoured with an appointment as Queen's Counsel in 1994. He has son, two daughters and three granddaughters. Tom brings over 40 years of experience in the practice of law to the firm and he operates the Roblin and Grandview branch offices on Wednesday of every week.

Community involvement has long been a priority commencing with the chairmanship of the Boy Scouts Prairie Mountain District Council and Presidency of the Dauphin Kings Hockey Club and continuing with chairman of the Main Street Manitoba Program and committee chairman of the Parkland Winter Games. He also co-chaired the steering committee which created the Dauphin and District Recreation Commission, was ex-officio director of the Dauphin Agricultural Society and a past director of the Manitoba Agricultural Credit Corporation. Tom was a founding director and a past president of the Dauphin & District Community Foundation, past president of the Dauphin Regional Airport Authority and a past director of Dauphin's Countryfest for nine years, having been president for three years. Currently Tom continues as a founding trustee of the Fort Dauphin Museum Endowment Fund and President of the Fort Dauphin Museum.

Tom enjoys spending his spare time travelling on his motorcycle and sailing on his sailboat with his wife, Cindy.

Preferred areas of practice are Real Estate, Wills and Estates, Corporate and Commercial transactions.

J.Douglas Deans

Doug was born in 1951 and raised in Dauphin. He graduated from the Dauphin Collegiate, winning the Governor General's Medal in 1969. After attending the Faculty of Commerce, Doug graduated from the University of Manitoba with his Law Degree and returned to Dauphin to join the firm as an associate in 1975, becoming a partner in 1976. Doug is married to Lorrie and has two children.

Doug is a member of the Manitoba Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association and has long been active in community affairs. Doug has held numerous position with volunteer organizations over the years such as chairman or vice chairman with the Prairie Mountain District Council of the Boy Scouts of Canada, Dauphin Golf and Country Club, Dauphin Public Library, Parkland Regional Library Chairman, Dauphin Band Parents Association, Fort Dauphin Museum, Parkland Community Futures, Dauphin Regional Hospital Board and the Dauphin First United Church. Doug is also well known for his long standing support of Ducks Unlimited and particularly as an entertaining Master of Ceremonies at the Dauphin and other area annual dinners. Doug enjoys the outdoors and is an avid golfer and cyclist. He also enjoys hunting, fishing and travelling the world.

Preferred areas of practice are Real Estate, Wills and Estates, Corporate and Commercial transactions.

Jason Beyette

Jason was born and raised in Dauphin, graduating from the DRCSS in 1993. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Brandon in 1996 and his Law degree from the University of Manitoba in 1999. Jason returned to Dauphin to join the Firm in 1999 and became a partner in 2004. Jason is married to Lora and has one child.

Jason is a Board Member of the Dauphin Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation and is the Past President and current Director of the Dauphin Agricultural Society Inc.. Jason is an active community member and has presented at numerous seminars in Dauphin and surrounding communities. Jason also has a farming operation and enjoys curling in the winter.

Jason manages Johnston and Company’s branch offices in Ste. Rose du lac, McCreary and Gilbert Plains.

Preferred areas of practice are Real Estate, Wills and Estates, Corporate and Commercial transactions.

Clayton Swanton

Clayton was born and raised in Dauphin and graduated from the DRCSS in 2000. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2004 from the University of Manitoba and received his Bachelor of Laws degree in 2008 from the University of New Brunswick. Clayton was a summer student with the firm in 2007 and he joined the firm in 2008 as an Articling Student. Upon receiving his call to the Bar in 2009, Clayton continued with the Firm as an Associate and became a Partner in 2014.

Clayton is highly involved with the Rotary Club where he served as Club president for the 2011-2012 year and is a founding director of the Manitoba MudRun. Clayton is also a past Board Member of the Countryfest Community Cinema where he served on the Board during the construction phase of the project and through its first year of operation, and a past Vice-President of the Gilbert Plains Golf and Country Club. Clayton enjoys all types of physical activity, with a special interest in endurance sports having completed 2 Ironman distance triathlons and a 150 mile Ultra Marathon.

Preferred areas of practice are Real Estate, Corporate/Commercial, Wills and Estates and Civil Litigation.

Lana Davidson

Lana was born and raised in Moncton, New Brunswick, graduating from Moncton High School with Honours. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at St. Thomas University, graduating with Distinction in 2003. She then went on to complete her Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of New Brunswick in 2007 and received her Call to the New Brunswick Bar in 2008. She received her Call to the Manitoba Bar later in 2008 after moving to Dauphin to join the firm as an Associate.

Lana is a past Board Member of the Dauphin and District Community Foundation and enjoys the outdoors and travelling.

Preferred areas of practice are Family, Real Estate and Wills and Estates.

Carter Van Alstyne

Carter was raised in Dauphin and relocated to Winnipeg to attend the University of Manitoba after graduating from the DRCSS. He received his Bachelor of Science majoring in Microbiology as well as a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology. While attending the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba, Carter worked as a Summer Student with Manitoba Prosecution Service in Dauphin and was also employed with Legal Aid Manitoba as a Student Supervisor at the University of Manitoba Community Law Center. Carter graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba in 2016 and received his Call to the Bar in 2017 after articling with Manitoba Prosecution Service in Dauphin.

Carter is married to Jenelle, who was born and raised in Dauphin, and they look forward to raising their family in the community. In his spare time, Carter enjoys writing and recording music and is currently a Board Member with the DRCSS Alumni Association.

Preferred areas of practice are Real Estate, Wills and Estates, Corporate and Commercial transactions.