The Legal 500 > Canada > Canada > Dispute resolution

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP fields a comprehensive national disputes practice, which benefits from market-leading litigators in all of Canada’s four largest commercial centres. Notably, the firm is a strong performer both locally, where it advises on a range of province-specific core regional industries; and nationally, where it is a popular choice for major cross-province cases, including class actions. The Alberta group has also has a standout year—particularly in the energy and construction spheres—under the leadership of high-profile litigator David Tupper. Other recommended names in Calgary include increasingly prominent commercial litigator Renee Reichelt and associate Ian Breneman, who focuses on transport and energy matters. In British Columbia, James Sullivan QC is recommended for product liability, class actions and energy-related cases, while national arbitration co-lead Joseph McArthur handles a mix of commercial litigation and arbitration. In Ontario, Michael Barrack is a name to note, as is Gordon McKee, widely recognized as a leader in class actions. Toronto litigation lead Bradley Berg and up-and-coming partner Iris Fischer are also recommended in Ontario. Montréal managing partner Robert Torralbo is a highly regarded litigator in Quebec. Also of note, the Quebec group was recently boosted by the arrival of insurance and construction-focused litigator Matthew Liben, who joined from Stikeman Elliott LLP.

The ‘result-oriented’ group at Dentons has received praise for its ‘excellent legal analysis and advocacy’. Well-represented throughout the firm’s offices in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, the group can also plug into its wider global network for support on cross-border cases. Calgary-based Gordon Tarnowsky QC leads the national litigation and dispute resolution group and is best known for his experience in energy and oil and gas disputes. Rachel Howie co-heads the Calgary litigation and dispute resolution group and is developing a strong practice in arbitration and litigation matters. Vancouver’s David Wotherspoon spearheads the growing British Columbia group, which also includes prolific senior associate Emma Irving. Matthew Fleming, who is the deputy head of the national practice, continues to raise his profile in Toronto, particularly in the class actions space. Quebec litigation head Margaret Weltrowska and Montréal-based associate Erica Shadeed are also recommended. In 2019, Morgan Camley and Sarah Nelligan joined the Vancouver office from Miller Thomson.

Fasken’s sizeable national practice ranks among the best in British Columbia, where its deep and experienced bench handles a wide variety of civil, commercial and public law cases, both in court and in arbitration. The department also has a robust platform in Ontario, as well as growing teams in Alberta and Quebec. National litigation head Geoffrey Cowper QC sits in Vancouver and is recognized as a leader in complex disputes. The Vancouver group also includes senior litigator Tracey Cohen QC and associate Alexandra Mitretodis. Toronto-based Laura Cooper chairs the Ontario litigation group and is recommended for her experience in class actions. Sarah Armstrong is another key contact in Toronto, and senior litigator Marc-André Fabien Ad E is a name to note in Montréal. Also of note, the Montréal group was recently boosted by the arrival of commercial litigation partner Sébastien Richemont from Woods LLP; and the Calgary office was also bolstered by the hire of Darren Reed from Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP.

Gowling WLG’s litigation group is particularly active in Ontario, where it benefits from platforms in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and the Waterloo Region. It also maintains broad teams in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec. The wider firm’s first-class IP practice marks it as a premier choice for IP disputes, while other areas of experience include insurance-related disputes, construction litigation, energy claims, financial services disputes and Indigenous law matters. Scott Kugler steers the national commercial litigation and class action groups from Toronto and handles the full suite of commercial disputes. David Bishop leads the Calgary advocacy group and is highly regarded for his broad expertise, spanning corporate litigation, insurance disputes and environmental cases, among other matters. Warren Foley, also in Calgary, is recommended for his focus on energy, product liability and construction disputes. Other key contacts include Vancouver advocacy head Martin Palleson and Guy Poitras, who was recently appointed head of the litigation group in Montréal. Sahil Shoor is a recommended associate in the Waterloo Region.

Hakemi & Ridgedale LLP’s ‘cohesive and very thorough’ team stands out for its ‘genuinely personal commitment’. The Vancouver-based litigation boutique is adept in a wide range of contentious matters, with notable experience in corporate and commercial disputes, securities litigation and administrative law. Tom Hakemi focuses on business disputes, fraud cases, defamation and competition and co-heads the practice alongside Lisa Ridgedale.

Hunter Litigation Chambers’ reputation in dispute resolution is reflected in its diverse case list, which blends a variety of complex commercial, criminal, regulatory and constitutional law matters. A popular choice for challenging cases, the firm’s deep bench—especially at mid-level—allows it to ably handle large, resource-heavy files. Among the key contacts, Randal Kaardal QC is noted for commercial litigation and labour and employment matters, and Claire Hunter QC ranks among the BC market’s most highly regarded up-and-coming litigators and is recommended for her diverse commercial litigation experience. Brent Olthuis and Ryan Dalziel are also impressive next-generation litigators, while Rebecca Robb is a talented associate.

Lawson Lundell LLP’s focus on Western Canada marks it as a popular choice for clients in core regional industries, including mining, energy, forestry and technology. The group is also distinguished by its ability to lean on the wider firm’s robust offerings in complementary practice areas, such as Indigenous and environmental law. The department is split between offices in BC and Alberta, with its Vancouver team remaining the most prominent. Craig Ferris QC is a name to note in Vancouver; he is recommended for his experience in shareholder remedies, product liability, mining litigation and financial services, particularly pension disputes. In Calgary, Michael Donaldson has a strong record in energy litigation.

First-class litigation boutique Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP houses some of the best trial lawyers in the country. The Toronto-based team advises on complex commercial and public law disputes and is routinely involved in high-profile, precedent-setting cases. Jonathan Lisus is highly sought after for commercial and public law cases, with a strong recent run in infrastructure and PPP-related litigation. Other senior names to note include Matthew Gottlieb, who ranks among the market’s leading trial lawyers; and Terrence O’Sullivan , who is recognized nationally for his reputation in landmark disputes. The firm’s future stars include Shaun Laubman, Rahool Agarwal (‘very strong in complex disputes’) and Paul Fruitman, who has built up an impressive track record in high-stakes cases. Lars Brusven is a standout associate.

McCarthy Tétrault’s commercial litigation group is commended by many for its ‘truly national practice’ and ‘very deep bench’. The firm is a regular player in precedent-setting cases at all levels of court and administrative tribunals and is highly regarded for its standout expertise in the areas of financial services, life sciences, mining, energy and retail. The department is particularly effective in Toronto, where Paul Steep is sought after for securities litigation, including class actions. Also recommended in Toronto are Sarit Batner, who has developed a significant trial and appellate litigation practice, and increasingly prominent litigator Eric Block. In Vancouver, Michael Feder QC has risen to become a force in the BC market, with recent cases covering regulatory, constitutional and product liability matters, including class actions. Miranda Lam and Aidan Cameron have both been highlighted as future stars in the BC team, while Patrick Williams is an accomplished associate. Simon Potter Ad E retired in Montréal, but the firm remains strong at the top level in Quebec, with standout litigators including Mason Poplaw. In Alberta, Sean Smyth QC is recommended for natural resources-related matters, as is talented associate Sandra Aigbinode Lange.

McMillan LLP’s national litigation group has a presence in the firm's offices across the country. The diverse group handles the full range of commercial litigation, class action and arbitration, with a strong record in competition and product liability matters. National dispute resolution co-chair David Kent is highly regarded for class actions work. Benjamin Bathgate, who co-leads the fraud practice, is noted for his experience in white-collar criminal cases.

British Columbia’s premier litigation boutique, Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson impresses with the breadth of its expertise and depth of its core team. A frequent participant in landmark regulatory cases, the group is often engaged by the Law Society of BC in matters involving major professional issues. On the commercial litigation front, the group has strong recent experience in real estate, construction and shareholder disputes. Irwin Nathanson QC is widely recognized as one of BC’s most capable litigators and focuses on corporate and commercial litigation. Stephen Schachter QC is another high-profile figure in the market. The group also includes up-and-coming partner Peter Senkpiel, who already has extensive trial and appellate experience, and associate Caitlin Ohama-Darcus.

Norton Rose Fulbright’s practice packs a punch in litigation involving heavily regulated industries, particularly infrastructure, transport, financial services, and energy and natural resources matters. In Calgary, Clarke Hunter QC is a standout name for energy litigation and regulatory matters. Calgary-based senior associate Kaitlin Long is also noted for energy, regulatory, environmental and Indigenous law issues. National group head Daniel Bennett QC is a key contact in Vancouver and is well versed in commercial, real estate and natural resource-related disputes. Orestes Pasparakis, who co-chairs the Canadian special situations team, is recommended in Toronto and has a solid record in shareholder activism and securities litigation. The firm’s Quebec litigation offering continues to rank among the market’s best, with Montréal-based global international arbitration co-head Pierre Bienvenu Ad E widely recognized for his experience in complex cases. Also recommended in Montréal are Sophie Melchers, who has an emphasis on securities litigation, and regulated industries specialist Jean Bertrand Ad E.

Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP is held up by sources as a ‘smart and dedicated group of litigators, who are passionate about what they do’. The Toronto boutique handles a broad scope of contentious matters, with notable expertise in commercial litigation, class actions, professional discipline cases and labour disputes. Highlighted for its ‘strong mix of senior and junior litigators’, the group includes standout litigators Chris Paliare and Linda Rothstein. On the class actions front, Odette Soriano is noted for her ‘spectacular problem-solving instincts’. Paul Davis is a recommended associate in the practice group.

Vancouver-based Robert Fleming Lawyers is recognized for its record in complex litigation and fraud matters. In particular, it continues to represent Equustek against Google in claims following on from their earlier high-profile battle concerning the court’s ability to control global content on the internet. Robert Fleming is the name to note.

Torys’ dispute resolution group is active in high-stakes litigation across the country, with a leading class action practice complemented by specialist offerings in financial services, product liability and IP. The firm’s position in the Ontario market is particularly commanding, but it also fields an increasingly prominent team in Montréal. Toronto-based litigator Sheila Block has built a standout record in precedent-setting cases and successfully represented Ontario First Nations Limited Partnership (a partnership of 132 of the 133 First Nations in Ontario) in arbitration brought against the Province of Ontario and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation concerning breaches of a gaming revenue sharing agreement. Other senior experts in Toronto include Patricia Jackson, who is a premier name for class actions, and department chair Linda Plumpton. Also in Toronto are Gillian Dingle, who coordinates the department, and senior associate Sarah Whitmore. Christopher Richter and counsel Geneviève Bertrand are recommended in Montréal.

A leader in Quebec, Woods LLP is held up as the ‘pre-eminent boutique litigation firm in the Montréal market’, with its ‘tremendous judgement’ and ‘good bench strength’ finding favour with clients. The team has broad expertise in contentious matters, with strong skill sets across litigation, arbitration and insolvency. High-profile name partner James Woods Ad E is highlighted as ‘one of the leading counsels in the province’. The group also draws upon the expertise of ‘outstanding litigator’ Patrick Ouellet, who specializes in high-end commercial and corporate litigation matters, and former Supreme Court judge Clément Gascon, who recently joined as senior counsel. Among its up-and-coming names, Louis Seveno is ‘one of the rising stars of the Bar’, and Laurence Ste-Marie is a well-rounded associate.