Best Lawyers in Ontario, Canada for Administrative and Public Law
Judith Rae is a Partner at OKT committed to advancing Indigenous peoples’ goals. Her focus areas include governance, child welfare, health and education. She has also worked on protecting Indigenous lands and resources, developing Indigenous laws, constitutional and human rights, and a number of other strategic, negotiation & litigation matters. In addition to her legal background, Judith also has a Masters in Social Work and experience working with youth at risk. She offers inter-d...
As a Certified Specialist in Municipal Law (Local Government/Land Use Planning and Development) and original member of the Law Society’s Municipal Law Specialty Committee, Steve O’Melia specializes in municipal, planning/development, and expropriation law. Since returning to private practice in 2003 his clients have included developers, landowners and more than 50 municipalities, school boards, and conservation authorities. Steve’s decade of experience as an in-house municip...
Julia acts for and provides advice to a range of corporate and individual clients in all manner of civil, commercial, and administrative proceedings, including professionals, statutory officers, shareholders, and directors and officers. She has a robust regulatory and administrative law practice assisting municipal integrity commissioners, athletes, university students, and regulated professionals accused of misconduct. A tried and tested advocate, Julia has acted as lead counsel on trials in...
Michael is a partner in Gowling WLG's Toronto's Climate Change and Environment Group. His practice focuses on environmental, municipal, administrative and civil litigation. With particular expertise in regulatory defense, Michael regularly guides clients through the often daunting process of inspections, investigations and the defense of prosecutions under provincial and federal environmental legislation. Michael's clients seek him out because they want a lawyer who is firmly on their team, w...
Nicola Simmons is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law. Nicola, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicola is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John Monger is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law and Labour and Employment Law. John, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Sharon Vogel has been recognized for her success at resolving and litigating disputes relating to large-scale infrastructure, industrial and commercial projects. Among the many professional acknowledgments she has received, Benchmark Litigation has named her Construction Lawyer of the Year (three times) and repeatedly one of the top women in litigation in the country, she is ranked Band 1 by Chambers Global , she was recognized as one of the 25 most influential lawyers in Canada by Canadian L...
Lisa Spiegel is a Partner with an advocacy practice in the health industry. Lisa works with public and private hospitals as well as other health care facilities on a broad range of professional staff matters, advising hospital Boards, Chiefs of Staff and Medical Advisory Committees. Lisa provides counsel on matters pertaining to, among other areas, professional staff credentialing, privileging and governance. She appears regularly before courts and administrative and regulatory tribunals, eng...
Christine (Chris) Muir's practice encompasses complex commercial litigation and high-profile administrative matters. She's skilled in complex litigation, including contract disputes, and public and appellate law. She also has experience advising on and managing defamation matters. She represents clients ranging from large corporations and institutions to small business owners and professionals in sectors including health, finance, construction and education. She has appeared as counsel before...
Alysha Shore is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law and Labour and Employment Law. Alysha, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alysha is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Stephanie Pearce is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law, Health Care Law and Public Procurement Law. Stephanie, who practices law in Ottawa, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephanie is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Anne draws on her decades of broad experience in complex commercial litigation, real estate disputes, corporate governance challenges, professional liability matters and medical negligence cases. She also has experience in the areas of human rights and privacy law. Anne’s judgment is respected by her peers, and she is often retained as a mediator to settle disputes. She is a frequent lecturer at trust and estates conferences with the Law Society of Ontario, the Advocates Society and the...
Megan Shortreed is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law, Labour and Employment Law and Trusts and Estates. Megan, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Megan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mark Giavedoni is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law, Education Law and Real Estate Law. Mark, who practices law in Hamilton, Ontario, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mark is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Brian Gover is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law, Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defence and Health Care Law. Brian, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brian is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lara’s practice encompasses Indigenous laws and governance work, Aboriginal and Treaty rights litigation, and constitutional and public law litigation with a focus on equality rights and anti-discrimination law and policy matters. Lara works with First Nations on lands and resource issues and is passionate about advancing Indigenous land and water stewardship, including through Guardians and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) initiatives. Lara has a background in internation...
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.