BABIN BESSNER SPRY
Cynthia Spry at Toronto boutique Babin Bessner Spry is an all-purpose commercial litigator. Her cases frequently involve high-dollar shareholder-oppression disputes.
CRAWLEY MACKEWN BRUSH
Melissa MacKewn, name partner at Crawley MacKewn Brush, is a securities powerhouse who is championed by peers and clients alike as “a force to be reckoned with.” One client specifies, Melissa is sharp, strategic, and a pleasure to work with. She knows the law inside and out, handles complex issues with ease, and always stay one step ahead. On top of that, Melissa is responsive, thoughtful, and genuinely great with her clients.” Securities luminary
Linda Fuerst joined Crawley MacKewn Brush last year, further amplifying the firm's bench strength in the securities specialty. Fuerst is acknowledged by a client as “very experienced and thoughtful, with great client-relationship management skills and great credibility with the regulatory authorities.”
FARRIS
Ludmila Herbst is an all-purpose litigator who earned her stripes at Farris over the past several years and has since emerged as “a de facto leader now.” “Ludmila has fully taken over now in leading the team,” asserts a peer. “She is a top lawyer and person, she deserves all of the top billing she gets.” Herbst led a firm team that represents the Law Society of British Columbia, one of the participants granted standing in a commission inquiry that was established by the provincial government in 2019 to investigate allegations of money laundering in several specific industry sectors.
Rebecca Morse attends to an insolvency and estate litigation practice, with a substantial level of this dedicated to the construction sector.
GILLIAN HNATIW
Toronto-based civil and administrative practitioner Gillian Hnatiw has amassed admirers on Bay Street over the course of her career trajactory, which has included stints at other renowned litigation shops before her strategic move of hanging out a shingle with her own eponymously named firm. "She's going to blow up," asserts one contemporary, speakng to Hnatiw's breakout status. "Her star is well on the rise." Building upon a niche in professional negligence - particularly regarding claims concerning abuse, assault and harassment - Hnatiw has boldly taken on venerated institutions in high-profile litigation actions and has been appointed for investigations and inquiries.
HUNTER LITIGATION CHAMBERS
Claire Hunter is the firm namesake of Hunter Litigation Chambers and identified by all as what one peer calls “the engine” of her firm. “When I’m referring cases, I will send things of higher complexity to Claire,” declares one peer, who goes on to stress, “but she doesn’t need me to send her work. She might be the busiest litigator in [Vancouver].”
JSS BARRISTERS
Stacy Petriuk, a recent KC recipient with Calgary boutique JSS Barristers, is said to be "really stepping up" on a range of commercial files. Petriuk is part of a firm team representing dissenting shareholders in the resulting hearing to determine fair value for the shares in a “dissent-rights action” under the Alberta Business Corporations Act arising following a hostile takeover bid.
LANGLOIS
Montréal-based Elisabeth Neelin practices commercial and civil litigation as well as professional liability and public law, often involving some cutting-edge issues. "I had a case against her," testifies another well known practitioner in this space, "and I think she's fantastic." Sophie Perreault joined Langlois from the Montréal office of a major global firm in 2019 and is considered by peers to be "quite a good recruit." Perreault is considered particularly well versed in fraud and regulatory proceedings, and had the honor of being welcomed into the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2022.
LAVERY
Myriam Brixi is one of the youngest and most prominent leaders in the litigation capacity at Quebec regional firm Lavery. Acclaimed by peers and clients alike, Brixi maintains a specialty in class actions, an area for which she has developed a reputation for both her skills and versatility. "Myriam takes on a lot of class actions," testifies a peer, "including some funny ones, such as one dealing with whether olives were 'the right color.'"
LAWSON LUNDELL
In the Calgary office of Western Canada powerhouse Lawson Lundell, Shannon Hayes was part of a firm team that scored a significant victory for Remington Development in a commercial case in which CP Rail reversed course on a proposed sale of a parcel of land to Remington for a project involving unused rail property on the edge of Downtown Calgary, opting to sell it to the Province of Alberta at a higher price instead. After an eight-week trial, the Lawson team scored big for their client; although the project will now never advance, Remington was awarded over $160 million in damages. This matter has wowed the entire Calgary community.
Shannon Wray has been busy with a number of cases over the past year, in addition to her efforts in driving and fostering the team culture in Calgary. Wray acted on a milestone commercial matter for Shaw in which the Western Canadian telecommunication entity would, if the plan receives final approval from regulators, combine with the more national-based Rogers in an ambitious expansion. Wray also acted on behalf of Crescent Point Energy in a $10 million commercial dispute.
Marika Strobl comes equipped with a varied commercial practice. She has a particular strength in domestic arbitrations and, in one example, was part of a team representing key firm client TransAlata in post-arbitration appeals. Vancouver's
Amy Nathanson is recognized as "a super talent with many good years ahead of her." Nathanson balances a varied practice composed of pension work, trust and estates and insolvency. Several of her cases touch on all three of these aspects at once. Vancouver's Nicole Skuggedal attends to a thriving labor and employment practice, including issues of wrongful dismissal, labor relations, human rights and privacy issues in courts, in arbitrations and before various tribunals. "I view her as very strong in the employment field," asserts a peer.
LAX O'SULLIVAN LISUS GOTTLIEB
Nadia Campion at Toronto boutique Lax O'Sullivan stands out as being one of the youngest and most prominent female partners at the firm. "Nadia Campion is one of the partners on for the Sackler family in cases regarding opioids," testifies a peer, "so I see her almost every week.”
LCM
Dominique Ménard, Managing Partner of Montréal litigation boutique LCM, is mentioned in glowing terms. “She MUST be one of your top women litigators in Canada,” insists a peer. “She keeps getting these high-profile cases where she is retained as counsel for injunction matters, Anton Piller, Mareva, Norwich, just incredible.”
MURPHY BATTISTA
Murphy Battista continues to garner notice in Vancouver largely on the profile of Angela Bespflug, who has etched herself a position in the class actions community locally as well as on a more national level. Bespflug focuses on the plaintiff side of class actions, securing herself quite a loyal following in doing so. “Angela does a lot of federal court stuff – they brought her in because she has that expertise,” ventures a peer.
NATHANSON SCHACHTER & THOMPSON
Karen Carteri, a commercial and securities litigator at famed Vancouver boutique Nathanson Schachter & Thompson, is enjoying an increased level of market recognition. Carteri acted on a matter involving two civil forfeiture proceedings brought by the Director of Civil Forfeiture in British Columbia, as well as on a related claim in British Columbia under the International Business Association Act. Both cases involve allegations of participation in money laundering and involve coordinating with counsel in other jurisdictions.
PAPE CHAUDHURY
Shantona Chaudhury, who joined [veteran Toronto barrister] Paul Pape's firm in 2009 as a brand-new lawyer, got her name on the door with a firm name change to Pape Chaudhury in 2018. Chaudhury is revered by peers and clients. 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.
PALIARE ROLAND ROSENBERG ROTHSTEIN
Linda Rothstein is a name partner of prized Toronto litigation shop Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein and is acknowledged as "one of the shrewdest and most seasoned" litigators on Bay Street. She has been a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers since 2002 and is also a sought-after mediator and arbitrator.
Megan Shortreed, a perennial favorite, continues to attract accolades for her diverse practice that covers commercial, employment litigation, administrative law and professional liability.
Odette Soriano was part of a firm team that acts as class counsel in a certified class proceeding in which they recently obtained judgment in favor of class members, 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. Soriano has a class-actions focus, with an additional niche in defamation.
POULUS ENSOM SMITH
Laésha Smith, a quickly rising star within the securities community, joined Poulus Ensom Smith in 2022 and has gained considerable traction in the market – even so far as to getting her name on the firm’s door as of April 2023. “I find Laésha to be extremely effective, competent, strong in legal strategy, and has all the characteristics to be, if you will, a ‘lawyer’s lawyer,’” raves a client. “When acting as counsel to another lawyer (me), someone is watching over every piece of work that is completed, but I don’t think it fazes or intimidates Laésha. She is confident of her abilities and does not have any ego. Laésha gives thoughtful consideration to legal strategy and is open to wide range of ideas. If you need an out-of-the-box solution, she is your go-to lawyer. Not to mention that she is a highly empathetic and relatable lawyer, with just the right touch of professionalism and geniality, which I believe allows her to develop a strong lawyer-client rapport. On the file that she has represented us on, she applies just the right amount of politeness, friendliness, and aggressiveness with the opposing party to get us the results we want.”
SINGLETON URQUHART REYNOLDS VOGEL
Sharon Vogel is a name partner and construction luminary in the Toronto office of twin-pillared construction shop Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel. Long an authority in this area, she has led some of the firm's (and the province's) largest mandates. Vogel acts on a mandate involving the construction of the Stouffville RER Stations and Grade Separation, which is a large infrastructure project in Ontario with a total original program value of approximately $CAD255 million. This project includes the construction of several GO transit stations and a rail corridor grade separation in anticipation of the Regional Express Rail project in Ontario.
SOTOS
Margaret Waddell, previously one of two name partners at her own boutique, has since moved to celebrated plaintiff shop Sotos in late 2024, focusing on public law and social justice matters. “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. Waddell'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.”
STOCKWOODS
Luisa Ritacca of revered Toronto boutique Stockwoods maintains a practice that balances administrative and inquiry work. She also continues to do significant advisory work, including a recent file for the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sports.
Andrea Gonsalves is a peer and client favorite who attends to a broad commercial and administrative litigation practice. One client raves, "Andrea is incredibly hard working yet consistently pleasant and professional both to clients as well as to opposing counsel and witnesses for the opposing party in our matter. Her intelligence and strategic legal thinking and analysis are apparent in all of our interactions and she has remained accessible and dedicated to her work on our legal challenge despite handling a heavy case load involving other important and complex matters.”
THORNTON GROUT FINNIGAN
DJ Miller is an insolvency luminary at Toronto boutique Thornton Grout Finnigan. “There is no better than DJ,” insists a client, furthering, “Over 35 years I have worked with many insolvency lawyers and she is the best – logical, tactical, straight to the point.” Miller leads many of her own insolvency files, many of them being novel and precedent-setting.
Deborah Palter is one of the partners at Thornton Grout who attends to a broader commercial litigation practice. Among her recent high-profile engagements, Palter is representing a commercial landlord in a dispute with Hudson Bay Company, which failed to satisfy rent obligations throughout the course of the COVID pandemic.
