Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 06/02) - Standing at the helm of Yellowknife's newest legal office is a familiar if not notorious legal personality.

John Bayly has been everything from a Berger Inquiry player to the NWT premier's principal advisor.

Now, after tumbling from the last position in politics, he's back in a big way. He's teamed up with international law firm Fasken Martineau to open a Yellowknife branch.

"I got into political work knowing that sometimes you get the bullet. And I got the bullet," said Bayly from his bright new office overlooking Yellowknife's downtown.

Bayly has been a fixture in the North since the mid-seventies but his name came to the forefront last year after he left the premier's office during a scandal.

Now his name is in the press again because his severance package is being questioned.

But in true Northern form, Bayly is enduring. When he left his government job he went to Tibet for a vacation but he didn't leave the North.

A client walked into his life one day who needed his help. Her daughter was charged with murder. It was then he knew he had to get on with it.

So now he's looking on the bright side.

"It's probably attracted more people to my name than before."

Bayly's Yellowknife office is one of seven high-profile Fasken Martineau law firms located in Europe, the US and Canada.

The company wants to capitalize on the exploding mining industry as well as the booming oil and gas business. Fasken Martineau has ties to BHP Billiton, owner of Ekati Mine, Miramar Mining and worked for De Beers during its Winspear takeover.