Benchmark Litigation

 

*NEW* 2025 RESEARCH CYCLE

 

Benchmark Litigation Canada

The definitive guide to Canada's leading litigation law firms and lawyers 

 

OVERVIEW

Benchmark Canada was spawned by Benchmark Litigation, the only publication on the market to focus exclusively on litigation. Since its inception, the Benchmark brand has grown dramatically and garnered industry-wide accolades as the definitive hub for in-depth analysis of the players shaping the dynamic practice of litigation. 

Research is conducted through extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists and their clients to identify the leading litigators and firms. During these interviews, we examine recent casework handled by law firms and ask individual litigators to provide their professional opinions on peers and practitioners within their jurisdiction or practice area.

 

RESEARCH TIMELINE

      • Research begins: October 8
      • Research Webinar: October 8 - 3pm ET - Download the presentation here
      • Submission deadline: December 6
      • Research interviews (virtual or in-person): October 2024 - January 2025
      • Practitioner survey & Client survey launches: TBD
      • Awards shortlist announced: March 2025
      • Firm & lawyer rankings published: April 2025
      • Benchmark Canada Awards Ceremony: TBD

 

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

PLEASE NOTE: We can no longer accept research documents via email as it goes against our GDPR policy. All submissions must be submitted via the secured platform.

  • Download the Research Questionnaire (Word Doc) and the Client Referee Template (Excel Doc)
    • Documents must be submitted in word and excel formats, respectively, to be considered.
  • Schedule your Research Interview by contacting both: 

    Managing Editor, Michael Rafalowich at mrafalowich@benchmarklitigation.com
    Head of Business Development, Rebecca Synnott at rebecca.synnott@benchmarklitigation.com

     

    We will be conducting on-site meetings and interviews in the following locales (confirmed dates coming shortly.) If you are interested in booking one, please get in touch as early as possible to do so, as time in each location will be limited.

    Montréal - OCTOBER 22-24, 2024
    Calgary - NOVEMBER 11-12, 2024
    Vancouver - NOVEMBER 13-19, 2024
    Toronto - TBD

    All others will be conducted remotely via Zoom or your preferred equivalent, or by phone if you prefer.
  • Upload both documents via the secure Delinian Accreditation Portal HERE. For more information regarding this portal, see below.
  • Take part in the Practitioner survey
  • Encourage your clients to take part in the Client Survey


ACCREDITATION PORTAL

In 2022, we launched the Delnian Accreditation Portal. With thousands of submissions every year across our research products, this new submissions portal has been designed to allow firms and external providers of law firm business development or marketing to submit in a secured, user-friendly way. To start using the portal, you must create an account by resgistering at the link above. Once your account has been confirmed, you can start uploading your submissions for the relevant research cycle.

 

Methodology

In an effort to provide the most accurate and comprehensive coverage of the Canadian litigation market, we have taken a two-fold approach to our research.

The national section of our guide identifies eight select firms and attorneys who have displayed the ability to consistently handle complex, high-stakes cases in multiple jurisdictions. These selections are consistently recommended within the Canadian business and legal communities for the quality of their litigation professionals and trial work.

Additionally, we have identified individual litigators who were noted as having strength in a particular practice area – either exclusively or as a specialty component of their general practice. These practice areas include intellectual property, insurance, securities, competition, class actions, insolvency, medical/health law, product liability, arbitration (encompassing international as well as domestic arbitration), white-collar crime/constitutional/inquiries, and the uniquely Canadian practices of energy/resources law and Aboriginal law.

Regional and local expertise is also a crucial factor in commercial litigation, and in the second section of the guide we identify the leading litigation firms and partners in each of the major Canadian provinces. Each province chapter includes:

 

Rankings of the top local litigation firms

We divided the firms in each local market into “highly recommended” and “recommended” categories. All listed firms were consistently mentioned by peers and clients, but the “highly recommended” firms received the most mentions, and were held as dominant in their particular jurisdiction.

Rankings of the top local litigation stars

The list of “local litigation stars” for each state/province reflects only those individuals who were recommended consistently as reputable and effective litigators by clients and peers.

 

Editorial Analysis

We have made every effort to offer in-depth coverage of the ranked firms. In some cases, however, we were not able to provide editorial content for every ranked firm due to a lack of participation or available information.

Recommendations are based on interviews with the nation’s leading private practice lawyers and in-house counsel. These interviews were conducted between October and January. Firms cannot pay to be recommended for the guide. Instead, firms have been independently offered the opportunity to take a professional listing regardless of editorial content.

 

Litigation Stars and Future Stars

Alongside our firm rankings we also recognise the work of outstanding individuals. Our recommendations are based on the same three factors as our law firm rankings and consist of the following categories:

Litigation Stars

Lawyers who are highly regarded by their peers and possess a strong case record and positive client feedback.

Future Stars

'Ones to watch' these are lawyers who are building their reputations in the market. Future stars are NOT age-specific.

 


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

How does Benchmark differ from Chambers or other competitors?

Benchmark focuses exclusively on dispute resolution and litigation. This allows us to provide a much more in-depth analysis of the market. Benchmark is also editorially driven, rather than statistically driven, and strives to avoid being over-inclusive. We aim to cover only firms and litigators that are of an elite status.

How much influence do we have over our ratings vs. the external market?

Firms are encouraged to tell their story via our research form and through interviews. We then measure the firm’s input against the feedback we receive via studying the market. If our studies are in harmony with the firm’s assertions, we weight them equally. If there is an extreme disparity between the firm’s views and a pronounced percentage of the market, we will provide greater weight to the market consensus.

If we participate, are we guaranteed to get rated and/or have commentary?

All firms who submit and can prove they are doing notable work in the relevant practice areas will receive some form of editorial coverage, however we do not guarantee rankings or lawyer ratings.

Should we list confidential cases/clients? How do we ensure these remain confidential?

You can provide confidential clients/cases if you feel we should be aware of these, and we will certainly be respectful of confidential agreements – please mark confidential information clearly.

When/how do you contact client referees?

We contact all client referees provided to us via email and invite them to take part in an online client survey. The survey asks clients about the firms they use, why they use them, what they use them for and how long they have been using them. The information provided by clients is confidential though we do publish non-attributed client quotes in the guide.

Do you only rate those of partner level?
Yes, and this includes those being considered for future star status.

We’re a small boutique firm – what chance do we stand against the big brand name firms in your ratings?

Because Benchmark focuses exclusively on disputes, which is often the focus for specialist firms in the market, smaller firms stand a very good chance of being just as highly rated as large corporate firms, and in some cases even more highly rated.

How do we get an in-person interview?

In-person interviews are welcomed. Simply contact us and request one, and, depending on the schedule flexibility of our researchers, we can arrange one.

Should I wait until the firm questionnaire is complete before scheduling partner interviews?

There is no need to wait, as the interviews are not about going through the submission again. Interviews allow lawyers to tell our researchers their stories in general personal summary form, and provide us with the feedback that we require regarding peer review, market trends, in-house counsel references, etc.

Can I review my firm’s editorial in advance of press and suggest changes to it?

No. Firms cannot be allowed to view their editorials prior to press, and are never allowed to have their own input into how they read.

What is the readership of Benchmark Canada?

The readers of Benchmark include law firms and buyers of legal services/in-house counsel.

Is Benchmark "pay-to-play?" If I don’t support the project financially do I still get rated?

Benchmark is absolutely not "pay-to-play." Firms cannot pay to appear in the guide, and can only be rated if the market deems them worthy of consideration.

I have a question that’s not answered here. Can I contact anyone to ask it?

Managing Editor, Michael Rafalowich at mrafalowich@benchmarklitigation.com

Head of Business Development, Rebecca Synnott at rebecca.synnott@benchmarklitigation.com