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Top Lawyers In Canada In 2019

Sheila Block

Partner, Torys LLP, Toronto, Ont. One of the sharpest litigators in the nation, Block has served as lead counsel on a newly dismissed $5-billion class action lawsuit against CIBC and a $100-million suit brought by roughly 8,000 inhabitants of Barbados against Manulife.  She was also staunch counsel for former Manitoba associate chief justice Lori Douglas from the inquiry of this judge's role in a scandal involving her husband, one of his former customers, and salacious photographs of herself submitted on the internet.  Block additionally received an honorary LLD from the Law Society of Upper Canada this past year.  An advocate dedicated to teaching law in Canada and around the globe, she has coached advocates for the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal in Rwanda and the Special Court in Sierra Leone. What voters had to say: Elle demontre son interet a la fois pour l'schooling du publique et des affaires.  (She has demonstrated her fascination for the instruction of the public and company.)

Mark Tamminga

Partner, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, Hamilton, Ont. Tamminga has committed his career to automating lawful practices.  His information technology focus started in 1986 while he was still a law student and was given the job of systemizing the manufacturing environment for mortgage files.  Since that time, Tamminga's capability for legal technology has just grown with Gowlings LLP.  Three decades back, he had been called Gowlings' Innovation Initiatives leader.  He's responsible for automating the Gowlings recovery solutions clinic.  He has designed and built a number of additional practice systems in the areas of debt collection, loan placement, and civil litigation.  His role has demanded re-thinking that the thornier aspects of large firm operations: managing cultural change, inducing client-side believing, and building the reimbursement mechanisms, which induce new behavior. Exactly what the panel had to say: Tamminga has shown actual vision in handling tough issues that many law firms aren't quite prepared to take on.

Murray Klippenstein

Creator, Klippensteins Barristers & Solicitors, Toronto, Ont. Back to the second year on the Top 25, Klippenstein's continuing representation of 13 members of this indigenous Mayan Q'eqchi' inhabitants from El Estor, Guatemala, continues to make waves.  Three associated lawsuits are before the Ontario courts against Canadian mining company Hudbay Minerals within the brutal killing of Adolfo Ich and the gang rape of 11 girls from Lote Ocho.  In a precedent-setting judgment in July of 2013, an Ontario court decided that lawsuits could proceed to trial in Canada over the objections of Hudbay Minerals.  At home he's also taking on the big guys in a situation against Encana Corp. which 's challenging the law and practice of hydraulic fracking at Canada. What voters had to say: Kudos for standing up for, upholding Canadian values, where we function.

Fred Headon

Assistant general counsel, labor and employment law, Air Canada, Montreal, Que.  As chairman of the Canadian Bar Association's Futures Initiative, Headon has contributed over 25 presentations to lawyers, law students, professors, librarians, law firm staff, and labs in Toronto to Buenos Aires, Victoria to Halifax, in person and online.  The Futures report was released in August 2014 and its recommendations put Headon squarely in the middle of several important discussions on subjects essential to the profession.  He continues to direct the Futures steering committee as it now turns its guidelines into actions.  Headon is an essential part of the debate on the future of this profession and he was the very first in-house counselor to become the president of the CBA. What Republicans needed to say: Brings energy and decency and the smarts to what he does.

Allison Dellandrea

Crown counsel, Ministry of the Attorney General,Toronto, Ont.   Dellandrea was a key participant in advancing the understanding of crimes against children by law enforcement officials, fellow attorneys, and the judiciary.  She had been included in a child sexual abuse case in March where Ontario's former deputy education minister Ben Levin pleaded guilty to child pornography related charges.  The fees included making composed child porn, counseling a individual to commit a sexual assault, and possession of child porn.  Dellandrea's role for a Crown includes function as education lead for Ontario's provincial plan on Internet crimes against children.  She's an instrumental leader in this area within the justice department. What Republicans needed to say: Allison is a tireless source and is the penultimate legal mind to get a prosecutorial place on all things associated with child abuse and sexual assault offences.  For this difficult subject that inherently involves quite reckless emotional and legal problems, Allison always has the time to provide sound guidance to additional Crowns prosecuting these very difficult and sensitive offences.  Her efforts have made a concrete difference in making our society safer.

Dennis Edney and Nate Whitling

Defence adviser, Edmonton, Alta. In a rare move, Edney and Whitling have been termed as Best 25 honourees as a team.  Both have spent over a decade recommending for Omar Khadr, nearly universally on a pro bono basis.  From Guantanamo Bay to the Supreme Court of Canada (three times), the unlikely duo have fought for Khadr to get him released from prison (victory in May), have him treated as a child soldier, and continue to battle for his legal rights at home and abroad.  It's been what the Globe and Mail called waging a war of legal attrition against the authorities, that has always done everything to paint Khadr as a dangerous terrorist who should be held behind bars.  Edney, a former soccer player who only started practising law in 40, has become the public and press face of the continuing legal conflicts, even taking Khadr into his own home after he was recently released on bail.   Whitling, a Harvard law graduate and former SCC clerk, is a much quieter and reserved drive behind the scenes. What Republicans needed to say: Dennis has gone above and beyond the call of duty in his defence of Omar Khadr.  The nobility of the profession depends on lawyers like Dennis as we are occasionally called upon to defend unpopular entities or people -- but individuals who are no less deserving of natural justice and procedural fairness.   Whitling is an intelligent and highly effective advocate who stays out of the limelight.  He's a excellent lawyer.  Exceptionally intelligent and excellent to work with.