Since its formation in 1979, the Stockwoods barrister boutique has concentrated exclusively on litigation, and in this capacity has won rapturous acclaim from peers even outside Ontario. “They are the total ‘brainiacs’ of Bay Street,” declares a contemporary. “There isn’t a single person over there that I would consider anything less than ‘the A team.’” Another peer states, “Stockwoods is fantastic. They don’t need any help from us for publicity, but I’ll make mention of them anyway. I almost forget to mention them because I just assume they’re a given!” Another contemporary marvels, “They are known as all-round litigators - everything from civil to regulatory, commercial to public interest, criminal and everything in between. Not many firms of their size can boast that level of diversity. They provide quick analysis and effective advice, along with prompt reporting.” Clients are equally effusive in their praise. “Stockwoods excels at delivering smart, strategic litigation,” raves one client. “Their team is human-forward – they put care and consideration towards their client at all parts of the process.”
Speaking to the individual talents at the firm, clients and peers are eager to offer perspectives. “Nader Hasan has had some big wins over the past year, as he often does, as has
Gerald Chan. These guys are just the gold standard.” Hasan and Chan both juggle criminal matters and inquiries, several of which have made national headlines. “I have worked together with Nader on a number of cases,” testifies one former collaborator. “There is simply no better mind practicing in Canadian public law today. And Gerald is just brilliant – he is crushing it.”
Carlo di Carlo is a former future star who makes the leap to litigation star in this edition. “I’m doing some work with Carlo,” confirms a peer, adding, “He’s so pragmatic and very savvy on the business elements. I can see why clients like this approach.” Another testifies, “I have worked with Carlo on two separate matters this year. In the first, he stepped in to act for a group of 'independent' shareholders in a series of real estate transactions. Carlo was able to quickly synthesize the facts and law and was able to quickly craft an effective argument that was ultimately successful on the key points.”
Fredrick Schumann is described by a client as “an excellent litigator, whose oral and written advocacy skills led to a strong legal victory. He worked tirelessly to conduct and defend dozens of cross examinations and demonstrated excellence during all of them. His professionalism and litigation experience was invaluable, and we continue to appreciate his reliable prompt and thoughtful communications as new matters arise during our years-long litigation.” A peer states, “Fredrick is very good at assessing what really matters in a file, separating noise from signal. This allows for very focused and effective file preparation, including helping witnesses to understand their role. He brings calm and focus when the stakes are high. He is an excellent writer - both for litigation purposes and to communicate effectively with clients.” Andrea Gonsalves is championed by a client with fulsome praise: “Andrea is an excellent litigator whose oral and written advocacy skills helped us secure a strong legal victory. She was able to distill volumes of evidence in a way that was clear and compelling and demonstrated why the legislation at issue violates the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression. The case became far more time consuming and complex than we originally expected, including more than 23 cross-examinations, and Andrea remained dedicated and focused through it all. She is prompt and reliable in her communications despite a busy litigation practice.” Representing the commercial capacity of the firm,
Sam Robinson elicits glowing reviews from clients, one of whom testifies, “Sam is a trusted advisor. He listens carefully and he ensures that he has a thorough and detailed understanding of a case. Because of the detail and complexity of some of the large financings that my company does, litigation counsel must be diligent and must have the patience and consistency for paying close attention to detail. Sam's advice is extremely thoughtful and carefully considered. Sam's results, including case outcomes, have been consistently excellent. Sam is a lawyer that you want to use where you have high-stakes and complex litigation. Sam's client communication is also excellent. Sam is well liked in my organization and other litigators that I know also have a very high opinion of Sam.” Brendan van Niejenhuis is another sought-after commercial litigator by clients, one of whom declares, “Brendan is a key asset on really hard cases. He relentlessly thinks through options and potential outcomes. He thinks about risk, client objectives, case strengths and weaknesses...he often sees the angles that others miss. He is good at helping to prepare witnesses, taking a thoughtful and supportive approach. He is thorough in preparation, leaving no stone unturned.” A more senior partner, Brian Gover continues to command respect for his gravitas. “Brian has experience in some of the most contentious and politically sensitive disputes in Canada over the past 40+ years,” insists a peer, “His ability to argue the merits of a case, particularly in intricate legal principle terms by which a case should be judged, is legendary. His ability to rapidly digest case facts, understand complex aviation law processes, and to provide case risk analysis is a strong factor why he is a top choice for us in recommending clients with complicated files to him and Stockwoods."
Paul Le Vay is another revered senior partner, particularly within the securities community. “We retain Stockwoods to assist with multiple ongoing regulatory investigations. They conduct interviews of witnesses, review/evaluate and assess evidence obtained, correspond with firm's counsel (internal and external), draft orders and/or settlement agreements, etc. Stockwoods also provides legal advice on a number of discreet issues as requested. Paul was the senior lawyer on the litigation. He focused on the litigation tactics and worked with lawyers in other jurisdictions to develop a strategy.
