Best Lawyers in Ontario, Canada for Corporate and Commercial Litigation
Michael Watson is a partner in Gowling WLG's Toronto office, practising in the area of corporate and commercial litigation, administrative law, and employment and labour relations. Michael handles a wide variety of commercial, energy, constitutional and administrative matters. He has appeared before all levels of courts in Ontario, in the Federal Court of Canada, and in the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as the trial and appellate courts of Alberta. Throughout his career, Michael has been h...
Dan Thomas is a litigator with many years of experience in complex trial advocacy and strategy. He maintains a practice in corporate, commercial, securities, and public law litigation, alongside a focus on white collar defence and investigations. Dan is recognised by The Best Lawyers in Canada ™ in Corporate and Commercial Litigation, and is ranked by Benchmark Litigation Canada as a "Litigation Star". In 2024 - alongside leading public law, regulatory, international lawyer Leila Ghahha...
Chris G. Paliare is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law, Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Class Action Litigation, Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Labour and Employment Law. Chris G., who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Chris G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geograp...
Barbara Green is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Labour and Employment Law. Barbara, 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 Barbara is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Barbara Green is a Partner in the Commercial Litigation Group at Robins Appleby ...
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. ...
Sean Bawden is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Labour and Employment Law. Sean, 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 Sean is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
David is a founding partner in Roy O’Connor LLP, a litigation boutique in Toronto. He was previously a partner in a large national law firm. His practice is focused on commercial and class action litigation (both defence and plaintiff side). He was recognized as a finalist by Benchmark Canada for Class Action Litigator of the Year in 2015 and again in 2017, and for plaintiff counsel of the year in 2019, 2020 and 2021. He has been consistently recognized by Benchmark Canada as a litigati...
Greg Richards is a skilled and experienced courtroom lawyer. For more than 37 years, Greg has successfully litigated a wide variety of cases, some of which have been precedent-setting. His practice has engaged corporate and commercial matters, complex contracts, tort claims, government liability, and a range of other issues. Greg has appeared before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as several administrative tribunals. He has been counsel in arbitrations and ...
Zohaib Maladwala combines a strong work ethic, strategic thinking, and practical judgment to secure optimal outcomes for his clients. With significant experience in class action defence, product liability and complex commercial litigation, Zohaib works closely with clients across a range of industries including life sciences/pharmaceuticals, automotive, mining, technology, industrial and consumer products, and professional/financial services. He is Vice-Chair of Fasken’s Ontario Litigat...
Ken Dekker, a partner of Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP, has over two decades of successful trial and appellate experience. Ken has litigated noteworthy and complex cases, including class action defence, securities and broker-dealer litigation and regulatory proceedings, corporate and shareholder disputes (including oppression and winding up cases), defamation, civil fraud litigation, disputes over contracts, injunctions, professional liability litigation, employment litigation and cross-border ...
John Doherty is a partner in the firm's Waterloo Region office practising in civil litigation, with a focus on municipal and commercial litigation. In his commercial litigation practice, John is an advocate before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Divisional Court and Court of Appeal for Ontario. In addition, John's municipal litigation practice leads him to appear before municipal boards and councils, and a variety of administrative tribunals, including the Ontario Municipal Board, with...
Brendan Brammall is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate and Commercial Litigation. Brendan, 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 Brendan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jacqueline Armstrong Gates is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law. Jacqueline, who practices law in Kitchener, Ontario, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jacqueline is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Considered by many to be one of Ontario's most respected civil litigators, David Williams practices in the areas of class action litigation, complex commercial litigation and personal injury . Notably, Dave also has a special record of achievement in medical malpractice cases where he has successfully represented plaintiffs. He has also been active in representing Ontario lawyers in litigation supported by LawPro — the Ontario lawyer’s professional liability insurance plan. As a v...
Susan Metzler’s practice encompasses both commercial and personal litigation. She has represented clients at all levels of court throughout Ontario and in other provinces. Susan’s personal litigation practice includes defence for institutions against whom claims are made regarding members or employees who allegedly abuse others physically, sexually, or emotionally, a variety of issues related to educational institutions and family and estate matters, divorce and separation. Her co...
Michael Fenrick is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law, Appellate Practice, Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Labour and Employment Law. Michael, 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 Michael 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.