Toronto’s Affleck Greene McMurtry specializes in litigation and related competition law. Bay Street peers advise, “[Benchmark] should get to know them better, they are a real litigation firm. That firm has just regenerated and reinvented itself.” This assertion is perhaps best illustrated by the arrival of
Hilary Book in 2025. A maverick trial lawyer, Book honed her craft through stints at various venerated Toronto shops as well as her own eponymously named boutique. She has also placed as one of Benchmark’s Top 100 Women in Canadian Litigation for the fourth consecutive year. This move is universally viewed by peers as an auspicious augmentation; one offers, “Hilary is a good friend, and she’s the president of the Advocacy Society. I don’t think we’ve had a president of the Advocacy Society of her age, so that lends a lot of prestige to that firm.” Clients concur; one declares, “Hilary provides outstanding communication skills with clients; exceptional advocacy skills in the courtroom; extraordinary management and organizational skills; her capacity to understand and master complex and detailed information extremely impressive; comprehensive knowledge of the law - even the arcane components of it; fair-minded and balanced; excellent judgment - tough when necessary and kind-hearted and generous where appropriate; fabulous sense of humor which was critical dealing with 16 neighbors fighting over 400 meters of a stretch of driveway.” Another extols, “Hilary is very articulate and responsive. She quickly gets to the heart of the legal issues and provides strong and measured recommendations and conclusions. She is organized and attentive. She manages her time and deadlines exceptionally well and drafts her pleadings in a persuasive and compelling manner by writing precisely and directly, sticking to the strengths of the position and backing-up positions with authorities that are persuasive. She has excellent oral argument skills and in oral discovery of witnesses she lays out her questions and queries with great skill, diving deeper into areas where the responses from the witness are divulging key evidence that was not apparent in the written disclosures. She has all of the skills to represent corporate clients in complex litigation. She is a subject-matter expert on the rules of civil procedure and court procedures.”
Kenneth Dekker also boasts a vocal fan base among clients. One states, “Ken very responsive and a pleasure to work with. He provides practical insights and advice and always remains calm under pressure. He provides confidence to us in the matter. He is up to any challenge. He provides good advice and we are pleased with the outcomes.” Another testifies, “Ken is a seasoned lawyer. He he gives great advice and support through a file; he is very hands on and supervises his junior well. I always feel that Ken is on top of everything in the file; he has a very collaborative approach, which we find helpful in negotiations in our area. He will give good advice and also take our bad advice/instructions and talk it through, ultimately supporting our objectives. We have had several successful outcomes with Ken's assistance.”
