Bennett Jones’ entry into the Toronto market has proven “enormously successful,” with a deep stable of litigators that not only rivals that of its historic Alberta counterpart but also rivals that of many other of its more historically entrenched peers on Bay Street. It is also observed that “Bennett Jones is more specialized than a lot of other firms of its position,” with class actions, securities, intellectual property, competition and even environmental work part of the firm’s overall composition. Robert Staley, a securities-based partner with a reputation for a “cowboy” approach to trials, acts as representative counsel for the investors/unitholders in funds managed by Bridging Finance. As a result of an investigation conducted by the Ontario Securities Commission, proceedings were commenced against the Bridging funds to seek to have PwC appointed as Receiver of the funds. Staley also acts with class-action luminary Cheryl Woodin act for crypto platform Coinbase in a novel claim concerning the application of Canadian securities law to crypto-currencies and other crypto-assets. In this putative class action, the plaintiff alleges that the crypto-assets traded on the Coinbase platform are "securities" such that Coinbase was required to be registered as an investment dealer under the Ontario Securities Act. The Bennett Jones pair brought a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the Ontario courts over the action and the substantive applicability of the Ontario Securities Act to the crypto-assets available on the Coinbase platform. An appeal from the Court’s jurisdiction decision was heard in January 2025. Another universally revered class action partner, Mike Eizenga, acted for the Canadian Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and the 60 major junior hockey teams operating within the leagues in a class action alleging abuse and hazing of players since the inception of the leagues in 1965, brought on behalf of a putative nationwide class of former and current major junior hockey players. It’s also been observed that “Mike Eizenga is spending about half of his class-action practice in Vancouver these days! He’s getting in on all the action out here. I see him around and I say, ‘Mike, what are you doing out here? You’re not a Vancouver lawyer!’ But apparently, he’s in demand around these parts.” Dominique Hussey, a celebrated IP-focused partner, has made a swift ascent in profile, becoming the firm’s national managing partner in 2023. “For a woman of her vintage, that is a real milestone,” declares a peer. Hussey represents Amgen in five patent infringement actions initiated by plaintiffs Bayer and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.
