Best Lawyers in Canada for Director and Officer Liability Practice
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Matt has a distinguished track record of success in complex, high-stakes disputes across multiple disciplines, including corporate and commercial litigation, insolvency litigation, fraud, and securities litigation. He has extensive experience in some of the most significant insolvency disputes in North America. Matt combines subject-matter expertise with creativity and ensures his litigation strategy aligns seamlessly with his clients’ long-term goals. Matt is highly regarded by clients...
Cynthia Spry joined the partnership at Babin Bessner Spry LLP in 2010. Prior to joining Babin Bessner Spry LLP, Cynthia practiced in the litigation departments of two top-tier firms: Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. Cynthia practices commercial litigation, including in the areas of class actions, shareholder disputes, competition law, and contractual and securities litigation. She is often recommended as conflicts counsel by Seven Sister firms, and...
Irwin Nathanson, K.C. is one of the top trial and appellate lawyers in British Columbia, and has litigated many of British Columbia’s leading complex business disputes. Leading publications have referred to Mr. Nathanson, saying: "Irwin is still going like a champ, a ‘senior statesmen’ who still doesn’t miss a beat“; You won’t find a better litigator anywhere in the country”; “He is the biggest gun in Vancouver”; He is “resolute, coo...
Patrick Flaherty is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Class Action Litigation, Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Director and Officer Liability Practice. Patrick, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patrick is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mark Pontin is a leading commercial litigator in Vancouver, BC. With a focus on corporate and securities litigation, Mark represents clients in a wide range of shareholder disputes including oppression and dissent proceedings, derivative actions and proxy contests. In addition, Mark has extensive experience in real estate disputes, and matters involving civil fraud. Mark has successfully represented both regional and national companies in commercial disputes.
Tracey Cohen, KC is a leading commercial litigation and dispute resolution Partner in the Vancouver office. Tracey has been recognized for expertise in Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Securities Litigation and International and Commercial Arbitration and has repeatedly been recognized as one of Canada’s top 25 female litigators. Tracey was appointed as King’s Counsel in 2015 and was admitted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in March 2019. Tracey has been n...
Paul practice focuses on corporate commercial litigation and arbitration, shareholder and fraud litigation, appellate litigation and judicial review with particular expertise in complex cases with a regulatory or cross-border dimension. He has litigated cases involving failed hedge funds, derivatives, fraud and Ponzi schemes, arbitration-related court proceedings, shareholder disputes, construction and infrastructure, defamation and employment law. A highly experienced and versatile litigator...
Geoff Cowper is a leading litigator with a national reputation and has been counsel in dozens of leading cases in a wide range of areas, including commercial litigation, class actions, constitutional law, and administrative law. Geoff’s experience includes conducting trials in several jurisdictions, ranging from summary trials to cases requiring over 200 days of hearing. He has appeared in over 150 appeals, including numerous appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada, and has repre...
Scott Kugler is a partner in the firm’s Toronto office and head of the firm’s National Class Actions Group. His practice emphasizes complex commercial matters, including class actions (securities and competition law/anti-trust), shareholder disputes, claims against directors/officers, broker/dealer disputes (civil and regulatory), product liability cases, franchise disputes, dealer/distributor disputes, and multi-faceted corporate litigation often involving the oppression remedy. ...
Described by his peers as ‘the gold standard in this space, a phenomenal litigator’, for more than thirty years Jonathan has won landmark decisions across a broad variety of subject matter including competition law, constitutional law, liability of public authorities, professional liability, criminal law, financial services, franchise law and contract disputes. He has tried over 90 cases to judgment and argued over 60 appeals in provincial appellate courts and the Supreme Court of...
Christiane Brizard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Director and Officer Liability Practice. Christiane, who practices law in Montréal, Quebec, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christiane is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mike is an experienced litigator known for his strong understanding of business, determined advocacy, and creative problem solving. He has been repeatedly recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers Canada, Lexpert, Best Lawyers, Benchmark, and others for many years for his work in arbitration, complex commercial litigation, and appellate advocacy. Mike has argued over 50 appeals before the Supreme Court of Canada, Alberta Court of Appeal, Federal Court of Appeal, and various regulatory appeal...
William Pepall has, for over 30 years, specialized in the field of civil and commercial litigation. He has pleaded cases before all levels of court in Ontario and before the Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Court. Special appearances have been made before the SEC, the OSC, the Estey Inquiry into Banking, and courts in Manitoba, South Carolina, California and British Columbia. Mr. Pepall has broad and diverse experience in the civil litigation field. He has developed particular expertis...
Justin Beeby is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Director and Officer Liability Practice and Insurance Law. Justin, who practices law in Montréal, Quebec, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Justin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.