Practice Areas

This is the focus of our practice.  We enjoy collaborating with individuals, entrepreneurs, owner-operated businesses, and corporations in seeking solutions to their litigation interests, whether via negotiated settlement or full adjudication at trial.  

We can manage mandates before all courts in both Ontario and Quebec, including those with a cross-border aspect.  Contract disputes, shareholders disputes, oppression remedies, Commercial List, and injunctions are just some of the matters we regularly litigate. 

We have both prosecuted and defended actions and applications on the Commercial List, including summary judgment motions.  The Commercial List is a specialized commercial Court of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.  Approximately seven or more judges experienced in commercial law and litigation are assigned to the Court.   The Consolidated Practice Direction Concerning the Commercial List identifies the types of cases the Court will hear, including matters under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), the Canada Business Corporations Act, and Securities Act. 

The firm is growing its practice in international commercial arbitration and domestic arbitration matters.  As our lawyers are trained in both the common law and civil law traditions, we have a particular interest and advantage on international matters.    

Injunctions often need to be obtained under significant pressure and time constraints, with an all-hands-on-deck mentality by both you and your lawyers.  We can obtain an injunction for you or defend against one.     

As an independent litigation firm, we can clear conflicts quickly and dedicate ourselves to the urgency of your matter within hours.  We have experience obtaining Mareva injunctions involving cases of fraud and corporate embezzlement.  Mareva injunctions allow for a form of asset-freezing and identification to preserve your ability to collect judgment later (and avoid a “paper judgment”).  We also have experience with Norwich Orders, which is a pre-action discovery mechanism that compels a third party to preserve and provide evidence in its possession to a potential plaintiff for use in litigation.

We believe in standing up for individuals against the State.  When you are being prosecuted criminally and possibly facing prison time, you need strong, capable counsel in your corner to assert your rights and guide you through a challenging, and at times frightening, process.  

We take on select criminal defence files, including white collar defence.  We have defended clients in significant cases at the Ontario Court of Justice, Superior Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and Cour du Québec.  We have defended clients facing aggressive, RCMP-led prosecutions in both Ontario and Quebec.  

Criminal charges often lead to related proceedings in the civil arena:  this is where a firm with a broad practice in civil, commercial, and criminal litigation is valuable, allowing clients to preserve resources by using one firm.  Elements at the intersection of commercial and criminal law are reflected in other areas of our practice, including securities and competition litigation.  We have defended clients in quasi-criminal prosecutions, such as those brought by the Ontario Securities Commission, RCMP-led Integrated Market Enforcement Teams (IMETs), the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), and have experience with the Criminal Matters Branch of the Competition Bureau. 

We have experience litigating shareholder disputes, proxy contests, and corporate restructurings such as plans of arrangement.  We successfully defended clients in criminal and quasi-criminal prosecutions, such as those brought by the Ontario Securities Commission, RCMP-led Integrated Market Enforcement Teams (IMETs), and the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF).  

We have a strong interest in Competition law, especially as it blends areas of commercial litigation with criminal law, including cartels and price-fixing.  Our lawyers have had the benefit of having an inside view of the Criminal Matters Branch of the Competition Bureau.  

In coordination with The Law Office of Calvin Goldman, K.C., the former head of the Competition Bureau, we have capabilities in competition litigation and access to some of the top minds within this interesting legal discipline underlined by economic theory. 

We have defended clients in various regulatory and professional discipline proceedings, including the Mutual Fund Dealers Association (MFDA), the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario, and the College of Early Childhood Educators.  Regulators have increasing power in Canada, and clients need vigorous counsel to guide them through such proceedings, especially as their livelihood may be in jeopardy.  

From the lodging of an initial regulatory complaint against our professional clients, to responding to the same, and mounting a full defence should prosecution result, we guide and defend our clients throughout.  We understand how much you have sacrificed to become a professional and build your reputation, and will forcefully defend you when your professional standing is challenged.

We have extensive experience both prosecuting and defending breach of contract claims, including on the Commercial List.  We also have relationships with top-tier third-party experts, particularly for damages quantification, to ensure that your overall case benefits from the most credible expertise to present to the judge.

We represent clients ranging from individuals to corporations in respect of shareholder disputes, oppression remedy claims, derivative litigation, and corporate governance issues. 

We deal with contentious estate matters, including beneficiary disputes, lost wills, validity of wills, and disputes over whether property properly belongs to an estate.  We also have experience litigating on behalf of vulnerable, elderly clients, including those under power of attorney for care and property, to ensure their financial assets are preserved from predatory behaviour.