Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb has fashioned itself as a “premier litigation boutique,” with peer and client review uniformly supporting this lofty claim. “Lax is still the go-to shop for all of the big-ticket litigation of any variety,” states one peer. “They are still some of [Toronto’s] busiest and most versatile litigators.” Appreciation for the firm’s model and stature is not limited to Bay Street; at least one partner at a Vancouver boutique confirms, “Lax has set the standard for what we’re trying to do and what we hope to achieve.” Clients are equally taken with the firm’s approach; one confirms, “[They possess] excellent communication skills, excellent client-management skills, and they are strong strategists. For how capable they are as litigation counsel, I consider them very cost-effective as well.” One thing the firm does not do is commoditized, routine work. An independent-minded shop with no steady revenue stream, the firm relies on files that require a high-minded and novel approach to litigation, be it dispute resolution or trial.
Jonathan Lisus is one of the firm’s busiest senior figures and, one could argue, its most universally revered. “Jonathan Lisus is a dyed-in-the-wool trial lawyer,” sums up one peer. “Old school. But he is equally at home in a wide variety of matters.” Another peer observes, “I’ve seen Jonathan on cases that I would have thought were well beneath him, and yet, there he was, and he gave those cases his all.” Lisus acts with
Paul Fruitman as counsel to the large landowner in an application to judicially review the Ontario government’s decision return Minotar land, which was removed in 2022, to the Greenbelt. The removal of this land was part of settlement of a 2017 action against the Province that was scheduled for trial in May 2023. Lisus also leads a team that includes Fruitman and
Bradley Vermeersch as litigation counsel to the Ottawa Light Rail Transit Constructors, a joint venture of some of Canada’s best-known construction entities, who built a major Light Rail Transit project in Ottawa. The City of Ottawa has commenced an action against the consortium, claiming $131 million for costs arising from a delay in delivering the project. The clients have counterclaimed for more than $200 million for issues including the replacement of major architectural finishes during the construction phase and changes instructed by the City to the light rail vehicles, which delayed the completion of the project. Despite Lisus’ ubiquity and seemingly dominant presence, others in the firm enjoy robust respective profiles as well. One peer confirms, “Matt Gottlieb is against me in almost every case I have these days.” Gottlieb’s commercial practice very often incorporates an insolvency aspect. Another peer ventures, “Nadia Campion is [with Lisus] on for the Sackler family in cases regarding opioids, so I see her almost every week.” Rahool Agarwal is cheered by a peer as “a fantastic lawyer. He has deep knowledge of the law, is highly creative and exercises great judgment when it comes to implementing litigation strategy for his clients.” Zain Naqi also boasts an increased level of market appreciation. “You probably don’t hear about him as much because people like Lisus understandably take up so much oxygen, but he’s just one of those guys who, you ask him about his practice, just seems to be on major case after major case,” insists one client. “He was on the Rogers case regarding WiFi!”
