Peter J. Pliszka

Peter J. Pliszka


Fasken

Recognized since 2018

Toronto, Ontario

Practice Areas

Aviation Law

Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

Class Action Litigation

Insurance Law

Product Liability Law

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Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Product Liability Law
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Peter Pliszka, a senior partner in Fasken’s Litigation Group, is regarded as one of Canada’s leading litigation lawyers. Peter’s practice is focused primarily on product liability, class action, commercial and insurance litigation matters, and it is national in scope. Peter manages litigation proceedings across Canada and has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario and other Canadian provinces as well as the Supreme Court of Canada.

Peter is Co-Leader of Fasken’s Life Sciences Group and the National Chair of the firm’s Product Liability and Insurance Practice Group.

Peter has substantial experience as defence counsel for manufacturing companies in private action and class action product liability and consumer rights proceedings. He has served as lead national defence counsel for clients in multi-jurisdictional and national product liability class actions in Canada involving motor vehicles, drugs, medical devices, food and sports equipment.

Peter also has extensive experience advising on Canadian defence of cross-border legal proceedings involving parallel claims on both sides of the Canada-US border. In this capacity, Peter closely collaborates with clients’ outside counsel in the US, developing and executing defence plans in a strategic and cost-efficient manner.

In addition to representing clients in lawsuits and other litigious proceedings (such as Coroners’ Inquests), Peter advises manufacturers, distributors, importers and retailers on the regulatory requirements of various products, risk management issues and corrective actions including product warnings and recalls.

Peter’s client base and his reputation are international in scope. He is regularly retained by clients from the US, Europe, and Asia in legal matters in Canada, and he has substantial experience in the area of private international law. In this context, Peter has been counsel in several leading cases respecting the law of jurisdiction in Canada. In particular, Peter was counsel for the foreign defendant in the precedent-setting Supreme Court of Canada case of Van Breda, which established a new (and improved, from the perspective of corporate defendants) test for determining when a Canadian court is entitled to take jurisdiction over a foreign defendant sued in a Canadian court.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 333 Bay Street, Suite 2400
    Bay Adelaide Centre
    P.O. Box 20
    Toronto, ON M5H 2T6
    Canada

Fasken
Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario

389 The Best Lawyers in Canada awards

90 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada awards

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Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Product Liability Law
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Product Liability Law, Toronto, Canada (2021)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2025 for work in:
  • Aviation Law
  • Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Insurance Law
  • Product Liability Law

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