Ontario

A relatively new entry into the Toronto litigation boutique community, Adair Goldblatt Bieber is composed of partners from several other Toronto-based firms, and has, almost immediately upon arrival, taken the market by storm. “I come across Adair Goldblatt Bieber tons,” confirms one contemporary, “and I come across all of them. They mostly have a similar practice to me, general commercial litigators, but they also take on some other left-field really interesting work.” Perhaps as remarkable is the average age of the firm’s respective partners, which, in several cases, is 40 years old. 

     The three name partners, John Adair, Simon Bieber and Jordan Goldblatt, all generate acclaim. “John Adair in particular is on my radar, whether I like it or not,” quips one peer. “Every time I’m against him I have an absolute dogfight with him.” Adair is proving his stripes in a lightning rod of a case, representing a high-ranking former Minister of Cabinet in the Saudi government who is alleged, along with a number of close family and friends and the former Crown Prince, of embezzling a massive amount of money and moving it into various offshore havens and who, once stripped of his titles and position, fled to Canada. “This is major, a case that everyone is talking about,” confirms one peer, summing up the general consensus. Adair isalso co-lead counsel into a significant public inquiry into the construction of Ottawa’s transit line. Bieber is universally championed among Bay Street peers. “Simon is almost unparalleled at his vintage,” raves one, who addresses Bieber as “a phenomenal lawyer who is really good at bringing in the work and also doing it, as opposed to a lot of rainmakers that are great at bringing in work but can’t really do it themselves.” Bieber is also noted as “just a good guy and a great mentor.” Goldblatt is cheered by a client as being “professional, very personable and committed, extremely knowledgeable. He gets the job done and has an edge that you need in defending a client. [He is] Fast, efficient and very detailed and [he] Represents our best interests well.” Goldblatt is class counsel in an action alleging that an insurer wrongfully denied coverage of trip benefits where credits were available. A successful mediation in 2022 has resulted in a multi-million-dollar settlement, to be considered by court in 2023. Several future stars among the firm’s ranks would seem to have benefited considerably from this mentorship. Julia Wilkes receives resounding and widespread praise, with one peer calling her “tough as nails, practical, great and pleasant to work with.” Another peer testifies, “I had the pleasure of being opposing counsel to her on a very bitter business dispute which thankfully we shepherded to a settlement. I was really in awe of how she handled all of that.” Still another testifies, “She is extremely knowledgeable and explains the law well. She is a good listener, and I appreciate that she is willing to work with us on solutions. She has made herself available on short notice, which I appreciate.” Jordan Katz is called “unimpeachably smart, really cool, calm and collected. He comes across well beyond his years and has a strong background in quasi-criminal cases and also in the medical field.” Nathaniel Read-Ellis is yet another of the firm’s “next-generation” level of stars. “I’ve known Nate since law school,” confirms one peer. “He is a solid litigator and very insightful. We refer each other cases. He is not one of these people who is blinded by ego, he is just all about, ‘How do we move this forward?’ He’s very professional and has maturity and civility beyond his years. He’s going to wind up with one of those ‘civility’ awards.” Robert Stellick makes his debut as a future star in this edition, identified by a peer as “a more junior partner, but an excellent one. He’s about 7 years out seems like someone who’s been in a courtroom for 25 years.”

Formed in 2012 when former Osler Hoskin & Harcourt intellectual property stars David Aitken and Marcus Klee decamped from their former firm to set up their own eponymously named boutique, Aitken Klee was blessed with near-instant celebrity upon arrival thanks to the historic win on the part of Aitken in the landmark 2012 decision of the Supreme Court of Canada holding the patent for Viagra invalid. “David Aitken is THE toughest opponent to go against,” confirms a peer. “He’s as tough as nails and when he’s put on a case he’s at the top of his game very difficult to beat.” Based primarily in Ottawa, the firm has since expanded into Toronto, where Jonathan Stainsby provides a seasoned perspective on patent litigation and a canon of experience with Teva Canada Limited and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries regarding a wide variety of matters including pharmaceutical patent infringement actions and injunctions, proceedings under the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations, commercial litigation and judicial review proceedings. “Aitken Klee are doing better than everyone thought they would be, once Teva experienced some well-publicized workforce reduction! It didn’t seem to affect the firm – they have retained a bunch of Teva files and they have diversified, pulling in other generics as well as non-pharma-related patent work.” As an example of this diversification, Aitken and Klee are representing Betser-Zilevitch in patent infringement proceedings relating to oil and gas technology. Klee and Stansby are representing Pharmascience in defence of Lilly’s claim for damages for patent infringement. The pair is also advancing a counterclaim for invalidity of the three asserted patents. The product is tadalafil (Cialis.) The pair is also representing Pharmascience in its claim for Section 8 damages related to pregabalin and zolpidem. Stainsby is representing Taro in proceedings under the PM(NOC) Regulations relating to the pharmaceutical fampridine. Michael Crinson, who joined the firm’s Toronto office in 2016 when his former firm Dimock Stratton was absorbed into DLA Piper, represents two Boston Scientific corporations and two LivaNova corporations in a multinational patent infringement suit.

A Toronto litigation boutique, Babin Bessner Spry is viewed favorably by all Bay Street peers familiar with it, notably several at much larger firms. “Babin Bessner is a different type of firm but very effective,” observes one peer. “We have referred them cases and would again.” Senior partner Edward Babin, a noted “lifer” who was previously with two of Toronto’s top brand names is regarded as a true trial lawyer. “Ed is almost a ‘throwback.’ You don’t see many these days with his trial experience.” Cynthia Spry, a “next-generation” partner is also a recipient of robust peer commendations. “I have a lot of confidence in her work,” states one peer. “She does commercial work and is also regularly before the Ontario Securities Commission.” Another peer testifies, “I’ve had a major file against Babin Bessner for three years, and Cynthia Spry has taken on more and more of the file.” 

The Toronto outpost of global juggernaut firm Baker McKenzie has made a considerable impression in a short period of time, a remarkable feat considering that much of its litigation activity revolves around disputes that don’t specifically involve traditional “Bay Street” issues. One client goes so far as to testify, “I have no hesitation in saying that there are only a handful of Canadian lawyers who have had the involvement in cross-border and multi-jurisdictional exposure than the Baker team in their career. represents their clients with skill, vigor, and adheres to the highest level of ethical standards and professionalism.” John Pirie, a practitioner with a practice largely dedicated to white-collar trials and investigations, elicits overwhelming client review. One declares, “John is the senior partner that I deal with on a regular basis. I’ve known him for many years professionally and have acted as co-counsel and in other capacities in several cases with him, including in Canada’s largest shareholder fraud/misrepresentation case, and as co-counsel in the recent high-profile Paramount Foods shareholder/civil fraud case where John and his team succeeded on an extraordinary motion taking control of the Paramount empire for their clients.  John is a well-known, respected litigator. He has acted for a range of high-profile clients including Ontario judges in sensitive matters on more than one occasion. Clients trust John’s judgment when the stakes are high, and his courtroom presence is compelling.” A member of the bench even voices favor on Pirie’s behalf: “I am a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. When I was a lawyer, John and I were on several files - sometimes with interests aligned, other times against each other. We developed a mutual respect from the outset, nearly 25 years ago.  We had several court appearances together, including one lengthy 10-month trial, and then the subsequent resulting appeal.  I honestly can't think of something John doesn't do well. He is the best litigation strategist I have known, an excellent cross-examiner, a reasonable negotiator, a thorough researcher and a pleasure to deal with. He is always available to discuss matters, whether as a client or an opposing counsel. John was my only choice to represent my firm. Even if the file wasn't his bailiwick, John would be able to get up to speed and fulfil the client's needs like he did mine.” Matthew Latella and David Gadsden are both more commercial litigation-focused partners. Latella successfully represented Israel's largest coffee chain in a franchise dispute with precedent-setting court proceedings in Ontario, resulting in a judgment setting aside two arbitral awards totaling $12.5 million on the basis of reasonable apprehension of bias. Gadsden is cheered by a client as “an excellent lawyer, knowledgeable of the law and with good strategic sense.” Another testifies, “David worked with John Pirie in overseeing and running a two-month trial defending their multinational client in what was a truly a ‘bet the company’ situation. I know their client was delighted with the result. Only a handful of Canadian litigators have overseen a trial of this magnitude which involved more than 40 witnesses, thousands of documents, and multiple experts.” Gadsden and Pirie have been engaged to defend Avet in a national class action alleging price fixing. The Canadian claim followed on the heels of the client's entry into a plea deal in the context of a US DoJ investigation. In Canada, the plaintiffs seek damages of CAD 5 billion and allege that Avet played a central role in conspiring with over 50 generic drug manufacturers to allocate market share, fix prices and manipulate the supply of generic drugs in Canada. The claim seeks to certify a class comprising all Canadian private sector purchasers of generic drugs from January 2012 to present. The certification motion will be argued before the Federal Court in December 2024. George Avraam, a labor and employment practitioner, is addressed as “incredibly responsive, professional, service oriented, skilled and discerning” by a client. Another testifies, “George is detail oriented and a strategic thinker, who has a vast breadth of knowledge on complex areas of law. He led multiple teams of lawyers on complex cases at courts of appeal and the Supreme Court for us this year, and we were extremely pleased with the work in these cases. We feel honored to have a lawyer of such high caliber and knowledge represent us.”

 

Borden Ladner boasts twin-pillar coverage in Ontario, with offices in Toronto and Ottawa housing litigators attending to a number of specialty areas, including defamation and public law, municipal law and health law, in addition to its other key practices. “They restructured the group,” offers one peer, speaking to Borden Ladner’s Toronto office, “and have done a great job cornering the market on some niche areas.” In the health group, Mary Lynn Gleason is praised as “really strategic and smart,” by peers, one of whom notes, “She defends hospitals in malpractice claims and brings immediate credibility that she really wants to do the right thing.” Nadia Effendi is routinely cheered as “such a versatile and dynamic court presence” by her contemporaries. “She came up under [celebrated Ottawa-based BLG senior partner] Guy Pratte and got great experience to the point where she is now leading the charge.” Effendi’s practice touches on multiple capacities, with public law noted as the most prominent standout. “Nadia is bilingual and very convincing, which is extremely helpful in the constitutional and human rights cases she gets involved in and wins!” Hugh Meighen is identified as “someone who hits that ‘BLG sweet spot’ of arbitration and construction, and he has made his mark in this area at a fairly young age.” The firm’s insurance practice is on display in both of its Ontario offices. “We see them when we’re doing bond claims because they act for sureties,” confirms one peer. “I see Andrew Punzo in this surety space and I also see James MacLellan quite often and think very highly of him.”

 

 

The Toronto office of Cassels Brock elicits accolades from peers and clients for its diverse array of litigation services on offer, most of which center upon business-centered litigation such as securities, insolvency and general commercial. “Cassels has one of the stronger securities teams in Toronto,” confirms one peer. Securities chair Lara Jackson is regarded by peers as “the next in line behind [celebrated senior securities partner] Wendy Berman [who is currently on secondment to the Ontario Securities Commission]. She is a really good, confident lawyer.” Jackson is defending IBM against a claim by the Province of Ontario for breach of contract in respect of the delivery of a component of the Province’s Road User Safety Modernization Project. The claim involves complex contractual interpretation and factual issues involving a procurement process, technical requirements surrounding an enterprise resource planning system and the issue of whether the solution could be delivered as required using a commercial off-the-shelf integrated solution as specified in the RFP. Jackson also represents Royal Bank of Canada in two separate class actions commenced in Ontario and in the Federal Court alleging that the defendants conspired, agreed, or arranged with each other to fix, maintain, increase, decrease, control, or unreasonably enhance the price of supranational, sub-sovereign, and agency bonds during the class period. The actions were commenced in November and December 2017. Christopher Horkins, whose commercial litigation bucket contains elements of franchise law, securities and product liability, makes his debut as a future star in this edition of Benchmark Canada on the strength of vibrant peer review. “Chris is a smart, well put together, capable lawyer,” states one peer, who adds, “He is kind of a sleeper hit, who’s not someone who draws a ton of attention to himself and so probably doesn’t get the kudos that he deserves.”

A litigation boutique with Bay Street “big law” credentials (its three name partners splintered off of Torys to form this firm), the practitioners of Chernos Flaherty Svonkin have “gotten themselves a seat at the table” in the eyes of peers at much larger firms. “They are just three amazing people who really do great work,” sums up one peer, regarding the name partners. Clients are equally appreciative; one calls the firm’s practitioners “attentive, sharp and very client oriented. They are very practical and tactical and do not waste your resources or time.” Another client extols “their depth of expertise, availability to jump in on these matters on very short notice, and solutions-focused approach.” The firm is also championed for its culture, in which younger talent is being nurtured and actively featured. “I’ve seen one of their associates make submissions in court, with senior people from bigger firms across him, and I was blown away by the quality of the advocacy. I was very surprised when I looked up his year of call.”The firm’s practices span a fairly liberal spectrum but are primarily concentrated around business and commercial litigation. Some of these matters take on novel trajectories. David Chernos and Patrick Flaherty act for one of four shareholders in a multibillion-dollar privately owned real estate development firm. The shareholders have brought claims against one another for oppression that go to the entirety of the business enterprise. The case went to trial before the Commercial List of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in November 2020 and, in June 2021,the oppression claim against the firm’s client was dismissed. Flaherty and Stuart Svonkin are defending a contempt proceeding brought against a former government official of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a lightning-rod case that has ripple effects far beyond Canada and includes several related proceedings in the US. As a sanction in the contempt case against the client, the plaintiffs seek judgment in the amount of USD$3.5 billion. A peer insists, “Dealing with Pat Flaherty has left me exceptionally impressed.” A client weighs in for Svonkin: “Stuart is very attentive and service oriented. He is incredibly sharp and has worked tirelessly to service our matter. When working with Stuart I feel like he understands our business and the key risks and issues that are important to us and applies that constantly. He is always a step ahead, thinking about how to make everything as easy as possible for us. He is really fantastic.”

A global conglomerate that some speculate is “the world’s largest law firm” by volume and headcount, Dentons made an entry into the Canadian market approximately 10 years ago through a strategic acquisition of a Canadian firm and has steadily built out ever since. While it has seen growth in all of its office across Canada, the Toronto office is arguably its most visible in the commercial litigation space. Marina Sampson has the support of many Bay Street peers. “I think she’s excellent,” extols one. “She does commercial litigation but also class actions, and I have been very impressed with what I’ve witnessed from her.” In just one example of a client base composed of household names, Sampson leads a team that represents Amazon in three significant class action mandates, in addition to an existing portfolio of commercial litigation representing Amazon. These class actions touch on a variety of allegations, including competition claims. Sampson is also championed for her expertise handling matters requiring urgent and extraordinary relief, including injunctions and Anton Piller orders. In an example of this work, she acted as lead litigation counsel nationally and in Ontario to Canadian National Railway Company, succeeding in obtaining injunctions in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec and Manitoba to bring an end to the widely reported unlawful blockade activities which took place in February 2020. Matthew Fleming, the co-lead of the firm’s global Financial Services Litigation group, was retained by a consortium of 32 airport authorities in Canada which manage and operate Canada’s airports in proposed class actions seeking damages on behalf of a proposed class of airline employees and others who allege that they should not have been charged airport improvement fees when traveling on employee travel passes. Fleming has also been retained by Honda Canada and Honda’s parent company in Japan to represent them in product liability class actions in Ontario, British Columbia and Québec seeking damages associated with alleged defects in airbag control units.

Toronto litigation boutique DMG Advocates comes instilled with instant Bay Street credibility. The firm saw its genesis in its three partners, Ryder Gilliland, Hugh DesBrisay  and  Kathryn Manning, establishing this shop upon leaving their former respective posts at Blake Cassels & Graydon. As such, DMG Advocates comes with its own built-in individual and collective fan base. “They hit the ground running and are already getting traction,” observes one peer. The firm is also observed to be in growth mode; the headcount is up to nine lawyers, with two of these being new partners Katey Pulfer and Corey Groper, both of whom make their respective debuts as future stars in this edition. Pulfer, a former junior Gilliland’s at Blakes, attends to a mix of labor, arbitrations, and the defamation work that has been a historical calling card for the firm. Groper meanwhile comes equipped with a white-collar background and is working to push a fraud-related agenda, a new frontier for the firm. Gilliland is a commercial litigator who mines a niche in defamation and privacy law. “Ryder is a go-to guy if you have any media-type issue, he pretty much owns that space now, and is at the right time of his life to be there.” Gilliland is also getting an increasing level of appointments as a neutral arbitrator, a phenomenon that peer attest “really lends to his credibility, especially at his [relatively young] age point.” Beyond this specialty, the firm is juggling a workload composed of a variety of novel matters ranging from arbitrations – a noted growth area for the firm – to product liability class actions to shareholder disputes. Manning is focused primarily on shareholder disputes work and has also been growing her arbitration practice, which was further enhanced by her recent qualification to conduct neutral arbitrator work. DesBrisay maintains a “nearly all-consuming” niche in litigation for major household-name automotive clients; this work encompasses product liability, including class actions, as well as franchise work. DesBrisay just scored a major win for one such client in a class-action matter that is now on appeal. A relatively new partner, John Mather has attended to a diverse workload that includes appearances on the aforementioned automotive class action as well as acting as duty counsel to individuals involved in a high-profile inquiry concerning COVID-related deaths at long-term care homes. Mather is also developing a niche in cryptocurrency. Mather has also been developing an inquiry-related practice; this burgeoning practice was given a significant boost in profile with his representation of a justice in an inquiry regarding the “State of Emergency” act introduced by government to address the controversial Freedom Convoy, which blockaded Canadian roadways in early 2022 to oppose COVID vaccine mandates. The Commission tabled its report in February 2023 “This is a real feather in John’s cap,” opines a peer. “His days as an ‘emerging star’ are just about over, he’s getting to be one of the busiest and most diverse people [at DMG.]” This forecast proved correct; Mather makes the impressive leap from future star to litigation star in this edition. Bolstering his reputation as a go-to for inquiries, Mather is also working for the Center for Free Expression on a matter concerning whether or not China and Russia meddled in Canadian elections.

 

Duncan Glaholt’s eponymously named Toronto boutique focuses on the construction industry, and is another to make its debut in this edition of Benchmark Canada, propelled by a raft of peer and client acclaim. One peer confirms, “Duncan is a fantastic lawyer, who built a marvelous construction practice. He’s my primary competition.” One client declares, “Glaholt provides the highest level of legal counseling and advocacy in resolving professional liability claims. Glaholt specializes in construction litigation and is one of the finest firms in the Greater Toronto Area specializing in this industry as well as arbitration.” Another elaborates with a lengthy rave review: “As a construction law firm, I find them highly experienced, knowledgeable and efficient with contracts as it pertains to the field of architecture, always meeting any tight deadlines we may impose. The partner we deal with was trained as an architect before pursuing law, and this understanding of our business is extremely beneficial in the work they do for us. A great benefit of developing this relationship with Glaholt is having the opportunity to participate in their seminar sessions and podcasts as it pertains to the construction industry so that we can elevate our internal risk awareness and knowledge base. In addition to these learning opportunities, Glaholt has also lectured to staff at our office on topics relevant to risk and liability issues in our industry.” Beyond the firm’s namesake and figurehead, others, at a more junior level, are making their mark. Andrea Lee has earned her own client plaudits. “Andrea is excellent to work with. Her level of knowledge and responsiveness meets our expectations fully.” Lee represented Vestacon, who registered a claim for a lien valued at over $1.9 million for construction services and materials supplied as general contractor to improve tenanted premises owned by two corporate entities.

A Bay Street institution, Goodmans wins plaudits from appreciative peers who cheer the firm as “an excellent litigation team, particularly in the areas of commercial litigation and insolvency.” Historically the domain of some more dominant senior partners who have since gone to the bench, others have taken over with aplomb and are making their mark. One client raves, “David Conklin provided excellent advice to handle litigation raised by the company in which we were shareholders, to have baseless litigation dismissed or handled in a cost-effective manner consistent with our strategic goals.” Andrew Brodkin, who occupies a significant intellectual property space, is called “the heir apparent” in this area in the light of some more senior partners stepping back. A peer muses, “I once saw a judge compliment another IP lawyer by telling him, ‘Now you’re thinking like Brodkin!’” Howard Wise is one of the firm’s noted practitioners in the construction and infrastructure capacity “Howard concentrates primarily on sub-contractors,” offers a peer in this capacity. “He’s got a big case he’s running in New Brunswick right now. “

A full-service firm with a pronounced emphasis on litigation, Lerners sets itself apart from many other firms in Ontario. Its origins lie in London, where it still houses a healthy percentage of litigators and enjoys a stature on par with its Toronto counterpart. It is also one of the few litigation shops to offer a range of services falling outside of the typical stream of Bay Street corporate-driven work, attending to matters including health law, professional liability, family law, and personal injury. In the Toronto office, Anne Spafford represented a paediatrician in a prosecution by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario against the client alleging sexual abuse. The charges were dismissed. She also represented a cardiologist in another prosecution by the same body alleging the client’s practice breached the standard of care in several respects. The charges were dismissed. Also in Toronto, Angus McKinnon is representing the defendant in a complex insolvency proceeding in the context of orphaned and abandoned gas wells and the Receiver’s right to abandon non-economic wells. He is also representing the defendant in a complex multi-party/multi-jurisdiction series of class actions involving allegations of price fixing in the auto parts industry. Cynthia Kuehl represented Clublink, the owner of a golf course in a dispute, wherein Clublink sought to demolish the golf course and turn it into a residential community. The Town of Oakville opposed this request, as the golf course, and the property on which it is situated was designated as a heritage site, under the section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. At issue was whether or not the golf course was considered a structure; the court found that the golf club was not only comprised of structures, but is also in itself a structure which includes all of the land, and Clublink’s application under Section 34 of the OHA was granted.

In the Toronto office of McMillan, Brett Harrison represents Citibank in bringing an application before the Ontario Superior Court for certain relief against a high-profile Mexican high net worth individual and his related-investment vehicles. The bank sought disclosure regarding a global investment structure that includes Canadian partnerships, Delaware LLCs and Cayman segregated portfolio corporations to hold Spanish real estate investments. Jeffrey Levine, along with Stephen Brown-Okruhlik and Samantha Gordon, represents cannabis market entity iAnthus in defending a secondary-market securities class action alleging misrepresentations arising from public disclosure. The case involves allegations of various misrepresentations by iAnthus and its leadership. The claim involves alleged losses to investors during a period when iAnthus’ market capitalization fell by over $100 million. The McMillan team successfully opposed a motion seeking broad pre-discovery production in connection with the plaintiff’s motion for leave to proceed with the statutory claim.

Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein earns a pride of place amongst Toronto firms for its litigation pedigree. Peers (throughout Toronto and beyond) are nearly unanimous in their praise and appreciation of its practitioners. One peer testifies, “Paliare is on the other side of a pretty big case from us, which is pretty typical. That firm is always in the running on some of the bigger and more difficult cases.” One peer – who is also a source of referral work – states, “Paliare Roland lawyers are professional, extremely knowledgeable, and results oriented. I appreciate that as a referring lawyer and also as co-counsel when we are working on files together.” Another contemporary sings the team’s praises for being “exceptional colleagues at the bar and also just very good people, which is not always the case. Sometimes in these matters people can be excellent advocates but also have elbows up, but that’s not the case with the Paliare group. They are a lot like [fellow revered Toronto litigation boutique] Stockwoods in that way – although both firms do different type of work, they are both thoroughly a class act.” It is also noted that “Paliare has some young people who are just awesome, really strong at their vintage.”
     While the firm attends to a varied basket of work, the firm occupies a near-dominant position in employment law space, with almost all of its practitioners having at least some experience with these types of cases. “Considering that they are not exclusive to this practice like an employment law boutique, Paliare is one of the most uniquely positioned to handle that work, and they do it quite often.” Lindsay Scott, historically a commercial litigator, has been one of the firm’s most visible employment litigators of late. “There was quite a bit of this during the pandemic, as you can imagine,” voices a peer. “Mandatory vaccinations, accommodations, etc., and Paliare, and Lindsay in particular, is developing quite a niche in the C suite. Lindsay has also done a lot of workplace investigations.” Scott, Ken Rosenberg, Odette Soriano and Jeff Larry composed a team that acts as class counsel in a certified class proceeding in which they recently obtained judgment in favor of the class. The class members are holders of registered accounts at BMO Nesbitt Burns and BMO InvestorLine who allege that, between 2001 and 2011, those companies charged undisclosed fees on foreign exchange transactions in their registered accounts. The Court ordered disgorgement of the profits the defendants generated on the approximately $102.9 million it obtained in breach of trust and breach of fiduciary duty, with the quantum to be determined at a subsequent hearing. Soriano has a class-actions focus, with an additional niche in defamation. Larry meanwhile has a practice that emphasizes real estate litigation, with much of this touching on estates litigation. “They get a lot of good briefs in this area lately, and Jeff Larry is attracting these because of his commercial background,” offers a peer. A client concurs, “Jeff Larry is an excellent lawyer with good commercial sense and strong legal knowledge.” Perennial favorite Megan Shortreed continues to attract accolades for her diverse practice that covers commercial, employment litigation, administrative law and professional liability. A client remarks, “Megan is an excellent lawyer and leader at her firm. She has a positive attitude and is extremely bright and hard working.” One peer observes, “There has been a lot of arbitration work because of the lack of access to the courts, and [senior statesman] Chris Paliare and [future star] Ren Buchholz are doing a lot of this work. They are going up against some of the top firms in Toronto on some huge files.”

 

Toronto boutique Pape Chaudhury is a two-partner shop that has forged a maverick position and left an impression on the community. Several peers voice appreciation for its model which, some concede, is increasingly coveted. Clients are not short on praise, either. One raves, “The firm has successfully concluded a motion for directions which included complex legislative interpretation and public policy debates. The team is very smart and masterful in their written and oral submissions.” Historically the domain of Paul Pape, a no-nonsense barrister who built and cultivated what was previously Pape Barristers entirely on his own, the firm developed into its current formation in 2018, when  Shantona Chaudhury  became a name partner. Chaudhury, who joined Pape’s firm in 2009 as a brand-new lawyer, has blossomed into one of Toronto’s most promising young litigators. “Shantona is highly intelligent, a clear legal thinker [with] tremendous analytical skills – both oral and written,” testifies a client. “[She is] a hard-working, passionate advocate.” Cementing her stature in the Toronto market, Chaudhury was chosen as Co-Chief Commission Counsel on the Emergencies Act inquiry concerning the state of emergency called by the government concerning the 2022 “Freedom Convoy. Chaudhury was consumed by this on a nearly full-time position until the Commission tabled its report in February 2023. “Everyone knows she’s a powerhouse but now they’re going to know she’s a superstar,” declares a peer. Further augmenting this status, Chaudhury has been appointed lead counsel for the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions. For his part, Pape is still recognized by clients as “likely the best appellate lawyer in Ontario, well respected by both the bench and the bar” who “excels at identifying client's key issues and finding a solution to the problem. He has incredibly strong perception and advocacy skills.” The firm remains actively engaged in a number of different novel appeals as well as general commercial work, including one five-day trial in April 2023, in which it acted for a construction entity in its claim against a realty company for breach of contract in connection with the provision of general contracting and construction management services on a commercial construction project.

 

Toronto litigation boutique Polley Faith continues to see its profile rise, with its partners attracting a steady stream of glowing peer and client review. “Those guys are just amazing,” extols one peer in summation. Another elaborates, “They are all ex-McCarthy [Tétrault] people so they come with a prestigious pedigree. They were bred as trial lawyers and that has paid off for them big time. They get some really impressive work, especially for a firm of their size and relative youth.” One peer even asserts, “They are knocking on the door of your top-tier firm rankings for sure. I would keep an eye on them over the next year or two – in terms of just sheer skill set they are highly recommended already.” Clients are also appreciative: one declares, “The Polley Faith lawyers are very flexible and capable of thinking outside the box. They have a deep team of competent staff and working with them is a pleasure. I am consistently impressed by the quality of the work.” Another testifies, “This is a wonderful firm that assisted us with a dispute we were told was impossible to win. We did win, and we won fast and decisively, and that was because the firm drove strategy from the start and had a good and clear vision of how we could win.” Bucking a global phenomenon of challenges to growth and talent retention in the wake of the COVID pandemic, Polley Faith continues to foster homegrown talent, with two new partner announcements as of January 2022. These come hot on the heels of another recent addition to the partnership, Jeffrey Haylock, who achieved that status last year and has been actively involved in litigation and arbitration work. Mark Polley represented Sienna Senior Living, whose participation in Ontario’s Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission involves both informing the commission about the measures Sienna took in response to the pandemic and also providing recommendations as to how the long-term care sector can improve during the pandemic’s second wave. Polley played a role in assisting Sienna in navigating this process by ensuring that it is prepared to respond to any questions or requests from the commission. In another COVID-related matter, Andrew Faith represented the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario. The appeal to the Divisional Court successfully resulted in the overturning of various legal and factual errors made by the Discipline Panel in finding that an engineer was not guilty of professional misconduct. 

Toronto litigation boutique Ross Nasseri is one of the newest arrivals to the Bay Street legal community and since its formation has been nothing short of a market disrupter; the firm has generated a steady stream of peer recognition and has clients turning out in full throat to voice their appreciation for its services. “They have been very aggressive on marketing and other initiatives since their formation,” confirms one peer, “so the word is definitely getting around. But it’s not just fluff – they’ve earned their notice through hard work, and they are legit.” Another supports this with a testimonial: “This firm represented a client for whom we also acted as co-counsel. I found the firm's legal judgment, work ethic and professionalism to be extraordinary and they skillfully guided our mutual client through very a difficult liability issue. This firm demonstrates extremely elevated knowledge in appellate advocacy and the rules applicable to administrative tribunal advocacy. I would consider these to be some of this firm's outstanding attributes. An outstanding firm with ethical, hardworking lawyers from start to finish.” The firm, noted as being on “an impressive hiring spree,” is largely comprised of lawyers who have trained at large law firms – notably McCarthy Tétrault – and other smaller firms like Pape Chaudhury, which has imbued the practitioners with an impressive pedigree while now enjoying the autonomy of a model that “allows them to service their clients with the level of personal touch, creativity and professionalism that is truly unique, and also at a more accessible price point.” A peer also marvels, “They are up to about 15 lawyers now! They are doing a great job of attracting talent.” This alluded-to hiring spree has been evidenced in the recent recruit of Erin Pleet, who recently joined the firm from another revered Toronto boutique, Thornton Grout Finnigan, and was continued this year, when Ross Nasseri lured Eric Block – another former McCarthy’s partner – to the firm. “That’s yet another great move,” ventures a peer. “I expect they’re getting into the class action game with Eric there now.”
     One of the firm’s name partners on the younger end of the spectrum, Justin Nasseri is arguably the most visible of the firm’s team. “Justin is both a former McCarthy’s guy and also came up under [celebrated Toronto barrister] Paul Pape, so you can bet he got excellent training,” asserts a peer. Another testifies, “Justin is a good lawyer and excellent marketer – he’s exceptional in that regard. We have co-counseled cases together we refer cases to each other regularly.” Nasseri attends to a varied commercial docket that intersects with niche areas like estate litigation and franchise litigation. The other name partner, Mark Ross is also viewed with praise by his contemporaries. “Mark Ross is not getting as many props as he should,” opines one peer. “He is a really good lawyer and always had a really good reputation, especially on lawyers’-negligence claims, which is not a field a lot of lawyers want to go into. It takes a certain type of person to bring a respectability to that practice.” Another peer declares, “I’ve had so many files against Mark, and he knows how to win. He’s built a good business for himself. I know him from the Advocates Society and he was great, [he had] lots of great ideas [and was] very entrepreneurial, and his firm has just exploded so they must be doing something right.” Ross handled a novel case concerning whether a worldwide real estate investor whose contract was breached by a seller in Toronto could be awarded damages based on lost opportunity to cash in on the local real estate boom. Peers also advise, “Keep an eye on Jacqueline Cole. She’s young, dynamic and really emblematic of the new wave of litigators in this market.” Cole represents Mercedes-Benz of Canada in a group of actions arising out of an alleged fraudulent export scheme whereby individuals secure the purchase of luxury vehicles in North America for export and inflated resale overseas in China. Another young partner receiving resounding enthusiasm on Bay Street, Eric Brousseau was personally approached and chosen to be Commission Counsel to the Public Order Emergency Commission, the public inquiry investigating the circumstances that led to the declaration of emergency that was in place in February 2022, and the measures taken for dealing with the emergency. Eric began his role as Commission Counsel in early July and continues in that role today. “For him to tipped for that role at his age and at this stage in his career points to a very bright future for him,” speculates a peer. “That’s a big-time feather in his cap and an overall asset to whole firm.” Peer enthusiasm is also strong for Helen Richards, who makes her debut as a future star in this edition. “We worked together at Blakes,” confirms a peer, “and I think she’s excellent and worth considering.”

Toronto boutique Roy O’Connor has, since its genesis in 2004, etched itself a position as an independent player in the market, free to straddle a mix of plaintiff and defense capacities. In particular, David O’Connor receives a pronounced level of praise for his role in some of the most hotly contested class-action matters in Ontario. “David is basically running the firm these days from the plaintiff class-action perspective,” observes a peer. “He has a great combination of youthful energy and beyond-his-years experience, which greatly behooves him in taking on cases that involve real risk, particularly in the plaintiff role. Many others have tried to do what he does and ended up looking like complete fools, just shooting in the dark and hoping their weak arguments take root. David, meanwhile, takes a very creative tack and it works.” O’Connor triumphed in his key position in the class-action claims of unpaid overtime against several banks and has more recently been working with a consortium of leading plaintiffs’ counsel firms across Canada in the Volkswagen emissions class actions. Another peer observes, “David has certainly been fearless in taking on the banks, but he also has taken on cases of a much more diverse nature.” In one such recent example, in late 2020, O’Connor launched a case against the City of Thunder Bay for the use of sodium hydroxide in the water that allegedly led to pipes leaking. O’Connor also initiated a case against Bell concerning internet service plans in rural areas, for which the price paid is the same as those in urban areas while the service provided is alleged to be vastly inferior. Peter Roy continues to generate plaudits for his work in commercial and directors and officers liability insurance work. “Peter Roy is a true trial lawyer,” voices a competitor. “He has made a name for himself as someone who attracts clients who are not afraid to roll the dice and take matters all the way if they feel they are suffering an injustice.” Roy recently triumphed in a significant appeal on behalf of a prospector for royalties concerning diamonds. While the two name partners command the most visibility, peers also weigh in for Sean Grayson and Adam Dewar. Grayson maintains a diverse portfolio that includes D&O class-action defense work as well as some “under-the-radar securities regulatory work.” Dewar attends to primarily class-action work, in the defense and plaintiff capacities. “Sean is excellent,” insists a peer. “I have been opposite him and it was a great match, it was such a pleasure working with him and sparring with him. He is so rock-solid, with great judgment.” 

A Toronto boutique, Rueters is the eponymously named firm established in 2003 by commercial litigator Bob Rueter following his departure from Stikeman Elliott. “Rueters is a group with a culture of ‘go-getter’ entrepreneurial spirit, with young partners who have been groomed separately and internally. In Bob Rueter, they have a senior figurehead with brand-name recognition.” The firm acts for a lot of small to mid-sized companies, in both the litigation and advisory roles. The firm is noted for its increasing involvement in private arbitrations, particularly concerning real estate. Rueters is also observed to have “developed inroads into a lot of the Chinese Canadian market.” While Rueter remains the namesake and rainmaker, peers note that “Bob at this point is entrusting his younger partners with a lot of the legwork, which is a smart move.” At the younger level, Sara Erskine, who joined the firm in 2006, is emblematic of the “young go-getter” demographic. Erskine attends to a broad practice encompassing commercial disputes, securities law, labor and employment law, administrative law, constitutional law and class-action litigation. Erskine is acting for an estate in a contractual dispute regarding a share of approximately $135 million in net profits of a land development. “Sara is very responsive and brings whatever resources are required to the table as needed, but manages the overall service,” attests a client. A noticeably growing number of peers is standing in agreement with one’s assessment: “We have a lot of time for Malik Martin, he is definitely getting a name for himself and building a strong practice on his own.” Barry Weintraub is also championed by a client as a “dedicated professional, with excellent listening and interpretation skills, and integrity that is visible at all times.” This client extrapolates further, “For us failure was not an option and Barry delivered in court. As well, I believe he changed how the court now views environmental impacts in Ontario in relation to the Ministry Of Environment own guidelines for minor releases with little or no impact.”

Founded as a construction boutique firm in 1982, Vancouver-based Singleton Urquhart amended its name and firmly established a second office in Toronto when it attracted Toronto construction luminaries Bruce Reynolds (who manages the Toronto office) and Sharon Vogel to its bench several years ago. The combined unit continues to gain traction and win the acclaim from clients in both markets. “The lawyers at Singleton are particularly good in construction and insurance matters,” testifies one such client. “They are very responsive, timely, provide solid work products, flexible and are able to overlay legal issues with a commercial lens. They are excellent at collaborating with us to develop defenses and strategies. They provide an exceptional level of service across all aspects.” Specifically, a peer notes, “They are familiar with dealing with claims and disputes in the P3 contract setting and are very thorough in their assessments.”
     Reynolds and Vogel continue to command respect from the legal community. “Bruce is a subject matter expert in construction law,” emphasizes one client. “He is extremely knowledgeable and thorough. He is candid but extremely diplomatic. He is great at forming relationships and anticipating client needs.” On Vogel’s behalf, one client extols, “Sharon is extremely knowledgeable about the industry and provides excellent legal advice that is customized to her clients’ needs. She is able to provide a solid legal basis for her recommendations but also takes into consideration the interests of different commercial stakeholders to provide practical advice and fair advice. Sharon's vision, leadership and overall service is exemplary.” Speaking to Vogel’s leadership, another client beams, “She quickly grasps complex technical issues that are common on light-rail projects, she develops and recommends strategies to approach dispute resolution, she clearly sets out what is required from both sides, she delivers to aggressive timelines, delivers high quality documentation, identifies strong independent experts, arbitrators and mediators. All in a warm, friendly, and ‘part-of-the-family’-like manner. She ensures the entire organization is an absolute pleasure to work with.” Another client quips, “If Sharon could clone herself so that there were more of her, that would be excellent, but in place of doing that, she is mentoring and training a solid team of junior lawyers that are excelling in their own right.” As a testament to this, two younger members of the team, Jesse Gardner and James Little, make the leap in this edition from future stars to full-fledged litigation stars. “James is responsive and has great attention to detail. He ensures that all of our needs are met in a timely, transparent manner,” declares one client. A peer speaks on Gardner’s behalf: “He’s as involved and active as anyone else in that group at this point.” A brand-new partner, Cheryl Labiris, makes her debut as a future star in this edition. “Cheryl is able to assess complex issues and claims,” states a client. “She takes the time to review the documentation to understand all the details. She can meet tight timelines and make herself available for last-minute discussions. Cheryl is highly respected within the team and her input is always considered when determining a strategy.”

Plaintiff specialist outfit Siskinds operates out of a head office in London, as well as in Toronto and two additional offices in Montréal and Québec City, giving it more comprehensive coverage than most firms with its business model. "Siskinds is still one of the top-drawer go-to shops for plaintiff work," confirms one Bay Street defense lawyer, who goes on to quip, "No one has been more committed and dedicated, and frankly, no one has been a more constant pain in our you-know-whats. They are attack dogs – that's their job, and they are very devoted to it." Domiciled in London but recognized all throughout Ontario and beyond, Charles Wright is co-lead counsel in the Canadian chapter of the saga of the Volkswagen diesel emissions litigation. He is also co-lead counsel to plaintiffs in foreign exchange manipulation, and co-lead counsel to the plaintiff class in multiple auto parts price-fixing litigation. In each of these litigations, hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements have been secured.

The Toronto office of Torys has long held an enviable position as one of Bay Street’s crown jewels. “They have produced a long line of lawyers with reputations for fierce advocacy and they also have an equally long list of blue-chip clients,” testifies one Toronto peer. Another simply sums up the firm’s prestige and approach with, “Torys is just Torys, and they always have been and always will be.” This peer elaborates, “There’s a level of stature just in the brand and the culture that goes a long way.” Clients are quick to also sing the firm’s praises. “They are smart lawyers, who offer strategic advice,” extols one. “They are also very client focused and efficient. The folks I deal with are excellent strategists, tacticians and communicators (both in oral and written formats.)”
     Linda Plumpton is an all-purpose commercial trial lawyer who regularly crosses over into the competition, class action and securities fields with equal facility. “She shows excellent judgment, with superior written and oral communications skills. Although I am an American, she is my go-to legal advisor.” Plumpton is representing Upsher-Smith Laboratories, a generic pharmaceutical company, in a proposed class action in the Federal Court of Canada against 54 defendants active in the generic drug market in North America. The claim seeks $2.75 billion in damages on behalf of anyone in Canada who purchased generic drugs in the private sector since 2012, as compensation for an alleged conspiracy to fix drug prices. “The last time I was against Linda, it was brutal,” confides a former opponent. “Outside of court, I said to her, jokingly, ‘Linda, did you have to be so rough on me in there?’ She just unflinchingly replied, ‘Advocacy is advocacy.’ And you know, she lives by that, and it works.” Gillian Dingle enjoys a hard-earned rising profile as well. “She’s extraordinary,” summarizes a peer before going on to elaborate, “For someone of her vintage, she really stands up there with others who are much more senior to her in the Toronto bar. And she makes it look easy, shares that unique quality in that she’s a generalist. [She is a] Class act, [with] terrific judgment.” William McNamara prevailed in his representation of Vienna Insurance Group in a complex contractual dispute between two reinsurers in the context of a global insurance program. The program concerned international mining conglomerate Vale, which experienced a failure of one of its flash furnaces at its smelter in Sudbury, Ontario, which significantly curtailed its production capacity. Vale made a claim under its business interruption insurance policy in 2011, and this clam was settled in 2021 for $140 million. The lead insurer turned to its reinsurers to pay their respective portions of the settlement and claims adjustment costs, one of which refused, asserting that it was not contractually required to follow any settlement and that the settlement with Vale was inappropriate. Following a 13-day trial, the court ruled in Vienna’s favor. Andrew Bernstein, who is one of the firm’s key intellectual property partners as well as a commercial litigator, is representing Juniper Networks in a complex commercial dispute alleging breach of contract in connection with its acquisition of HTBASE, a developer of multicloud storage, and has also been brought in as co-counsel to NOVA on a judicial review it is bringing with respect to the addition to Schedule 1 of the CEPA “Plastic Manufactured Items” and related decisions. The client is one of the “Responsible Plastic Use Coalition,” which includes major petrochemical players and plastics recyclers, manufacturers and distributors across the country, and is seeking to quash the Liberal government’s decision to add “plastic manufactured items” to the list of toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. David Outerbridge is representing Tarion Warranty Corporation, Ontario's regulator of new home construction, in trial-level, appellate and administrative proceedings involving construction and regulatory disputes concerning alleged defective construction of homes and condominium developments.

Toronto boutique Waddell Phillips came into being when Margaret Waddell launched the firm with seasoned barrister John Kingman Phillips as a purely litigation-centric boutique free to take on a diverse spectrum of work in either the plaintiff or defense capacities. “Marg wanted to do class actions, some more challenging ones, which may or may not be financially successful but are important to do,” asserts a supportive peer. “John Phillips is very interested in the social justice agenda, so this firm was a great fit for him.” Waddell Phillips’s cases cover novel areas such as sexual assault, product liability, Aboriginal law, human rights and other areas that “get a lot of attention and political results.”
     One peer states, “John does a lot of the First Nations work, which are big, long, complicated cases, and you often have to wait a while to get paid on them.” Phillips’s tenacity and dedication to these cases recently paid off with the January 2023 announcement of a milestone $2.8 billion settlement with Canada that recognizes the collective harms suffered by Indigenous communities caused by Indian Residential Schools. This class action alleged that the Government of Canada is responsible for the collective damages to Indigenous communities caused by these controversial institutions, including collective loss of language and culture and damage to the social fabric. Cory Wanless, who was welcomed into the firm partnership two years ago and has hit the ground running, building a relatively new practice that focuses on human rights and corporate and police accountability. Wanless has pursued this path with dogged aplomb. In an example, Wanless is leading litigations against a Canadian mining company that was alleged to have engaged in egregious behavior in Guatemala including violence and rape. Wanless is also leading matters concerning alleged racial profiling in various capacities of local law enforcement, including a recent case concerning a First Nations individual who allegedly refused to comply with police orders while bicycling, stopped to enter his home, and was subsequently tased (along with his brother, who arrived to protest this treatment.) Wanless is co-leading another case concerning the criteria employed by Canada’s immigration system when determining what individuals are considered “flight risks.”

Toronto’s Wright Temelini takes “litigation boutique” to a new level. There are only two partners at the firm after seven years. “They have an interesting little niche,” observes a peer. “They do white-collar crime and securities, and they thrive on high-stakes litigation.” The firm is also noted for “not wanting to be so wrapped up in the billable hour that they are not able to take cases involving issues of justice. They’ve got quite a few insider-trading cases, and these are coming because of expertise. A lot of industry referrals are coming along with the standard client conflict referrals.” Another highly touted boutique in the Toronto market notes, “They are definitely worth your consideration. They are fantastic people, very solid, our go-to referral in this [securities] area when we want someone who knows their stuff and is not going to take the client to the cleaners financially. They take the client relationship very seriously too, it’s not commoditized services, which is sometimes a real risk.” Enjoying her fourth annual placement among both of Benchmark’s Top 50 Trial Lawyers in Canada and the Top 100 Female Litigators in the country, Janice Wright is a favorite of peers. “She does quite a few insider-trading cases.If I had a white-collar case, she would be my first call.” Wright’s reputation extends to the bench as well; “Janice is old-school, and she has enough credibility with judges to get away with her no-bullshit demeanor.” Greg Temelini also attends to securities and regulatory matters, as well as an array of commercial litigation mandates. He is experienced with every level of Ontario court as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. “Greg is a class act,” insists a peer. “He has a different style than Janice and a more varied client base. He’s not interested in being the biggest personality in the room but there are times where I think he might just be the smartest.”