Ontario

Firm overview

Miller Thomson LLP is one of Canada’s leading national business law firms with close to 550 lawyers. We consistently deliver the highest quality advisory and advocacy skills and expertise required by international clients doing business in Canada. We have more Canadian locations than any other national firm, allowing our lawyers to provide our clients with valuable local knowledge. More specifically, with offices in Montreal, Markham, Vaughan, Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, London, Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver, we are uniquely positioned to provide ‘on the ground’ insight and knowledge from the country’s key economic hubs, and under both the common law and civil law systems in Canada.

Miller Thomson’s national advocacy practice comprises close to 200 litigators, organized around a comprehensive range of sub-specialties. Our expertise covers complex commercial litigation, class actions, construction litigation, environmental litigation, insurance defence, IP litigation, securities litigation, shareholder disputes, tax litigation, insolvency, and labour & employment disputes, among other areas of litigation support. The national group has extensive experience acting for a wide range of clients in all industry segments in trial proceedings, court applications, arbitrations and appeals at the provincial and federal levels. These clients range from sole proprietorships and individuals to some of the largest and most recognized national and international corporations operating in Canada.

Our litigators look for opportunities for efficient and expedient dispute resolutions. In this regard, our litigators are experienced in mediation and arbitration proceedings of all types, whether required as part of the litigation process or undertaken pursuant to an agreement with the other side to a dispute. 

The Group also draws on the firm’s discovery capabilities. Our litigators adopt procedures to drive greater case management and discovery efficiency, thereby mitigating the resource intensive, often costly document production phase of litigation.   

We have extensive experience acting for clients in litigation concerning:

• Commercial contracts 
• Class actions 
• Constitutional challenges
• Employment and human rights 
• Real property disputes
• Environmental 
• Tax
• Antitrust
• Tort law
• Civil or extra contractual liability 
• Construction contracts, liens, claims
• Patent and trademark infringement
• Insolvency
• Professional liability claims
• Products liability claims 
• Defamation
• Injunctions
• Interim orders and other relief sought on an urgent basis
• Shareholder disputes
• Securities
• Regulatory
• Disciplinary
• Penal and criminal
• Directors’ and officers’ liability
• Breach of fiduciary obligations

Firm overview

Thornton Grout Finnigan LLP (“TGF”) focuses its practice in two areas: (i) commercial litigation; and (ii) insolvency and restructuring. Representative mandates reflect the breadth and depth of the team, and the creativity involved in resolving some of the most complex legal issues in Canada.

TGF is a mix of senior restructuring and litigation lawyers with a full range of experience gained by years of practice, both inside and outside full-service law firms, combined with talented and energetic

Representative Mandates:

• Counsel to Ernst & Young Inc., the Monitor in the ongoing restructuring of the Carillion Group in Canada
• Counsel to Ernst & Young Inc. the Monitor of JTI Macdonald Corp. in its CCAA proceeding
• Court appointed litigation counsel to the Litigation Trustee of Cash Store Financial in pursuing nine figure damage claims against Cash Store’s professional advisors
• Counsel to debtor company AgMedica and its subsidiaries, the first licensed cannabis producer to file for CCAA protection in Ontario
• Counsel to Grant Thornton Limited as court appointed Receiver of the Comsale Group of Companies in a Canadian receivership with foreign recognition proceedings in the U.S. and Malaysia
• Counsel to the Province of British Columbia in CCAA proceedings of Purdue Pharma L.P.
• Counsel to BDO Canada Limited as court appointed Receiver of Unique Broadband Systems Ltd. in Canadian receivership and Chapter 11 foreign recognition proceedings
• Represented the court-appointed Monitor in a CCAA and Chapter 11 proceeding of Pacific Exploration and Production Corporation, the largest privately-owned oil and gas producer in Latin America through the first Canada / US / Columbia cross-border insolvency proceeding, restructuring $5 billion in creditors’ claims
• Counsel to the court-appointed Monitor in the dual plenary proceedings under Chapter 11 and the CCAA of Performance Sports Group Ltd. and its affiliates, including a US$575 million sale transaction
• Canadian counsel to Square Two Financial Corporation and 17 affiliates in a CCAA and Chapter 11 restructuring of US$400 million of debt involving a stock sale in Canada and an asset sale in the US
• Canadian insolvency counsel to the Trustees of Nortel Networks UK Pension Plan and the UK Pension Protection Fund (the UK Pension Claimants) – the largest single creditor in the global insolvency proceedings of the Nortel Networks group of companies. TGF successfully obtained (i) a ground-breaking pro rata allocation of US$7.3 billion in sale proceeds among 40 insolvency estates in 19 countries, (ii) a CDN$600 million judgment following the disallowance of a claim by the Monitor
• Retained to resolve what had been described by the judiciary as “the longest running legal saga in Canadian history” and successfully ended the litigation through a creative application of the restructuring provisions of the CCAA
• Retained by the Ontario Securities Commission in the CCAA proceedings commenced by Sino Forest and coordinated those proceedings with the enforcement proceedings brought by the Ontario Securities Commission staff against Sino Forest, certain of its directors and officers and its former auditors
• Counsel to the court-appointed Receiver of Blockbuster Canada, in effecting an orderly liquidation of approximately 440 retail stores with significant cross border issues
• Counsel to the court-appointed Monitor in the restructuring of the Canadian Abitibi-Bowater entities, one of the world’s largest publicly traded pulp and paper manufacturers
• Counsel to Fraser Papers Inc. and its Canadian and US affiliates in a restructuring pursuant to the CCAA and Chapter 11, successfully obtaining amendments to pension legislation to address the company’s pension liabilities 
• Restructuring counsel to Hollinger Inc. in the windup of Hollinger and its subsidiaries
• Litigation counsel to the court-appointed Chief Restructuring Officer and Litigation Trustee of Hollinger Inc., in successfully harvesting litigation assets in the estate
• Counsel to the court-appointed Monitor in the restructuring of Stelco, one of the largest integrated steel companies in Canada
• Represented GE Capital Aviation Services, Inc., a principal stakeholder and the largest creditor in the CCAA restructuring proceedings of Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline
• Counsel for the court-appointed Receiver of the Portus group of companies, recovering over 95% of the more than $800 million of investors’ money
• Counsel to the Agent and lead lender in a syndicate of lenders to Allen-Vanguard Corporation, a publicly traded international military defence corporation, during its restructuring pursuant to the CCAA and its recapitalisation as a private entity
• Counsel to the Insolvency Institute of Canada as intervener on an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada in Re Indalex, following a Court of Appeal decision that significantly changed the pension and restructuring landscape in Canada
• Counsel to a syndicate of European lenders in connection with a $75M breach of contract claim against a major North American air carrier
• Counsel to a committee of contesting bondholders in the proposed privatisation of BCE Inc., involving the world’s largest leveraged buyout with an enterprise value of $52 billion. This case drew international attention as it sped through three levels of court in less than 9 months, including arguing the appeal at the Supreme Court of Canada
• Represented the former principal of Lakeport Brewing Corp. in the successful defence of a $50 million officer and director liability case
• Represented the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) before a major municipal judicial inquiry
• Counsel to the court-appointed Receiver in the Norshield hedge fund scandal involving the tracing and attempted recovery of over $400 million in investor funds in several jurisdictions
• Counsel to United States Steel Corporation as the DIP lender and largest creditor in the CCAA proceedings of US Steel Canada Inc.
• Counsel to a landlord of various properties in the Target Canada restructuring, in completing a pre-emptive transaction for its properties outside of the court ordered sales process and in various other retail insolvencies. Also represent the landlord in other retail proceedings including Sears Canada Inc. and BCBG
• Represented the court-appointed Monitor of Mobilicity, a Canadian mobile virtual telecommunications network operator
• Counsel to Endurance Energy Ltd., an exploration and production company focused on the acquisition and development of natural gas assets in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, in its restructuring pursuant to the CCAA commenced in Calgary, Alberta.

Updated March 2021

Firm overview

As Canada’s law firm, BLG provides high-value advice and advocacy to address our clients’ business challenges and problems. We go beyond legal to anticipate, consult and advise in a rapidly changing digital world.

We have extensive experience acting in specialized and complex deals and disputes. Vigilant, curious and collaborative, we harness technology and innovation to offer our clients exceptional service and value.

With over 750 lawyers across Canada, we serve clients throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Offering expertise in intellectual property, disputes and corporate transactional matters, our connectivity gives our clients the next-level service required to achieve success in complex and international matters. BLG advises businesses and institutions across all of their legal needs, including M&A and capital markets, complex disputes, financing, and trademark and patent registration.

At BLG, we regularly challenge our thinking to find better, smarter ways to enhance our services and find new ways to practise law. We recently announced a suite of innovative services called BLG Beyond that delivers value-driven, cost-effective solutions to our clients’ most pressing business challenges. Under the category of Managed Services, BLG Beyond offers Beyond eDiscovery, Beyond Leasing, and Beyond Lending. Under the category of Advisory Services, BLG Beyond provides Beyond IP Strategy and Beyond Consulting.

Fully bilingual throughout all practice areas and sectors, BLG excels in Canada’s common and civil law systems. Our five offices operate in Canada’s largest city centres. We offer our clients an established national presence and a global reach through our international network.

The firm continues to build a legacy of ‘firsts’: it was Canada’s first founded law firm, one of the first in North America to implement client service standards, and consistently receives legal industry recognitions for innovation in client service delivery and value.

International Work: We understand the needs of our international and domestic clients and the legal challenges that can affect their opportunities and operations in Canada or abroad. Whether seeking to do business in Canada or internationally, you require a legal partner that will help identify potential risks and provide guidance through any challenges that may arise.

With centuries of combined expertise, our International Group is peerless in our diversity and experience. Our multidisciplinary team of lawyers and intellectual property specialists provides efficient and effective advice to our business, individual and governmental clients.

We represent a diverse range of clients in over 30 languages from across the globe, including China, India, Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa).

We serve governments and private and public companies in numerous sectors. Our long history as Canada’s law firm combined with a global network of leading law firms enables us to resolve our clients’ most complex legal challenges, regardless of location.

Diversity: Diversity and inclusiveness are critical to the firm’s success. The principles of employment equity, diversity and human rights are an integral part of our culture. As Canada’s Law Firm, we work hard to ensure that everyone feels valued, respected and included. Our National Director of Diversity & Inclusion, in consultation with our D&I Council, proactively reviews all policies, processes and practices to eliminate barriers and support inclusion. BLG D&I initiatives include training and education, support for parental leaves, affinity groups, diversity-themed celebrations, and tracking and reporting on progress.

Our firm actively participates in and promote programs aimed at improving and celebrating diversity within the legal profession and the broader business community, including our robust Transgender Accommodation and Inclusivity Policy, BLG’s mental health strategy, unconscious bias training, and the development and continued growth of the Driven By Women™ initiative. BLG is a proud partners of Catalyst Canada, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and Pride at Work Canada.

Clients & Community: Outside our walls, we contribute to communities across Canada through our pro bono program, our BLG Reads to Kids literacy program, and supporting our members’ charitable efforts through fundraising and volunteer initiatives. BLG supports nearly 200 different non-profit organizations annually, ranging from local charities and grassroots community initiatives to international charitable missions. The firm’s cross-practice and cross-country firm provides more than 20,000 pro bono hours of legal support to nearly 200 not-for-profits and vulnerable individuals.

Firm overview

Waddell Phillips Professional Corporation is a boutique litigation firm located in downtown Toronto.

Its founding partners are Margaret L. Waddell, John Kingman Phillips and A. Julia P. Tremain – all highly experienced litigators, practicing in diverse areas. Waddell Phillips’ lawyers’ practices include civil and commercial litigation, class actions, family law, regulatory/administrative law, and human rights.

Both Ms. Waddell and Mr. Phillips are seasoned commercial litigators and class action lawyers. Ms. Tremain has a diverse family law practice that includes both separations, divorces and custody issues, but also child protection.

Margaret Waddell is recognized as a leader in the field of plaintiff-side class actions, who has acted on a variety of cutting edge cases across a diverse range of causes of action including securities fraud, consumer protection, product liability and defective medical devices, as well as human rights abuses. John Phillips has been counsel on precedent-setting cases in diverse areas of practice, and across the country. Julia Tremain came to the private practice of family law after years at the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, and remains one of its most trusted outside counsel.

Waddell Phillips is recognized for its fearless advocacy coupled with thoughtful and strategic advice for its clients. They know when and how to reach sensible solutions for their clients, but are decidedly determined and persuasive courtroom advocates when required.