Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb (LOLG) is Canada’s premier counsel firm. The firm’s lawyers handle the most complex commercial disputes and public law cases. They carry a robust trial, arbitration, and appellate practice across the country and in the Supreme Court of Canada.
LOLG is regularly engaged as trial and appellate co-counsel by peer law firms, and as court officers in large and sensitive litigation mandates. The firm also acts as counsel in class actions, securities litigation and administrative law matters, as well as infrastructure, franchise, employment and health law disputes.
LOLG also has one of Canada’s leading restructuring & insolvency practices. The firm’s insolvency counsel are ranked among the top nationally and have material roles in Canada’s largest and most complex insolvency proceedings and restructurings.
LOLG’s practitioners are leaders at the bar, holding positions on the Chief Justice of Ontario’s Advisory Committee on Professionalism and the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute, and fellowships in elite trial organizations. Its associates are of the highest caliber, recruited primarily from judicial clerkships at the Supreme Court of Canada, provincial Courts of Appeal, and the Commercial List of the Superior Court of Justice. LOLG’s partners are among the most consistently recommended counsel in Canada and represent clients in Canada, the United States, and from overseas.
Partner profiles are as follows:
Jonathan Lisus practises commercial and public law trial and appellate litigation. He has deep experience with infrastructure and P3-related litigation, class actions for plaintiffs and defendants, product liability, oppression remedies, and securities litigation. He appears as counsel in courts and arbitral tribunals across the country and the Supreme Court of Canada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He is a member of the Chief Justice of Ontario's Advisory Committee on Professionalism and a member of the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute. He is a Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and regularly acts as Special Counsel on constitutional challenges to government actions. Jonathan has been lead counsel in many landmark decisions in the area of class actions, professional liability, public and constitutional law, and commercial litigation. He has tried over 85 cases to judgment and argued over 55 appeals in provincial appellate courts and the Supreme Court of Canada.
Matthew Gottlieb practises business litigation including corporate and commercial disputes, insolvency and restructuring and fraud and securities litigation. Matt’s extensive track record of success in complex, high-stakes disputes explains why he is recognized as one of Canada’s top litigation lawyers. He has significant expertise in trials and applications, in tribunal and arbitration hearings, and regularly appears at all levels of court in Ontario and other provinces, the Federal Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada. Matt has acted as counsel in many major proceedings, including those regarding Aon, the Stronach Family, Sears Canada, Mattamy Homes, Xplornet, and a number of material parties in complex insolvency proceedings. Matt is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and The International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He is a frequent instructor at many litigation related seminars held by the Law Society of Ontario, The Advocates' Society and other organizations.
Paul Michell is a trial and appellate lawyer. His focus is commercial litigation and arbitration, judicial review and public law. He has particular expertise in complex cases with a regulatory or cross-border dimension. Over 25 years of practice, he has built experience in a broad range of industries. Paul excels at resolving difficult issues through innovative litigation strategies. Clients rely on him for insight and a creative approach to simplify and resolve their most challenging disputes. Paul has extensive trial and appellate experience at all levels in the Ontario and Federal Courts, and has been counsel in 11 appeals in the Supreme Court of Canada. He has prosecuted cases before a wide range of administrative and arbitral tribunals. He acts as an arbitrator, as a presiding officer under the Competition Act, and a tribunal chair, and has been an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto for two decades.
Crawford Smith’s practice focuses on corporate commercial litigation, energy regulatory proceedings and securities and competition litigation, public and administrative law, and class actions. He has appeared in all levels of court in Ontario, in the SCC, in the Federal Court, in commercial arbitrations, and before a variety of administrative tribunals including the Ontario Energy Board, the OSC, the Competition Tribunal and the Environmental Review Tribunal. Crawford’s energy practice involves economic issues in multi-party litigation and frequent appearances as counsel before the Energy Board at hearings regarding rate regulation, infrastructure development and demand-side management. In his securities broker/dealer practice he also handles regulatory proceedings and investigations by IIROC and the OSC.
Hovsep Afarian is a recognized legal expert in the insurance industry. His expertise in insurance disputes is wide ranging, having acted in disputes involving D&O policies, cyber claims, fidelity bonds, E&O policies, CGL policies, property policies, life insurance policies, marine policies and environmental liability policies. Hovsep is a versatile, detail-oriented advocate with a proven record of success. Hovsep has appeared before all levels of court across Canada as policyholder counsel and has been at the forefront of the developing cyber insurance industry. Hovsep has been involved in some of the largest and most significant insurance claims in Canadian history.
Shaun Laubman practises corporate commercial litigation including shareholder and partnership disputes, fraud cases, franchise and estate litigation and real estate disputes. He is an experienced trial and appellate counsel and has successfully represented clients before all levels of court in Ontario, as well as before administrative and arbitral tribunals. Shaun also has extensive experience with cases involving Mareva and injunctive relief. He is the Past Chair of the OBA’s Civil Litigation Section and a member of the Commercial List Users’ Committee. Shaun is recognized as a “Next Generation Lawyer” by Legal 500, included in The Best Lawyers in Canada and a past recipient of the Lexpert Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40 award.
Paul Fruitman’s commercial litigation practice focuses on contract disputes, infrastructure and construction disputes, health law, employment law, shareholder disputes and product liability. He has extensive expertise acting for healthcare institutions and professionals in civil and regulatory proceedings, acts as counsel to corporate directors and officers, in shareholder disputes and oppression claims. Paul has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Court, and in administrative and arbitral tribunals. He regularly appears before the Toronto Commercial List. Paul frequently presents on litigation topics, trial advocacy, and is a frequent instructor at Osgoode’s Annual Intensive Trial Advocacy program. He is a member of OBA’s Alternative Business Structures Task Force and CBA’s working group for Solicitor-Client Privilege Claims at the Canadian border. His writing has appeared in the Annual Review of Civil Litigation and he is a regular contributor to The Advocates’ Journal.
Nadia Campion practises commercial litigation, shareholder oppression applications, D&O liability, class actions, estates and professional liability. She has an active land development and real estate litigation practice. Nadia appears regularly before the Superior Court of Justice, Ontario Court of Appeal, and various regulatory and administration tribunals, and has expertise in Toronto Commercial List proceedings. With both US and Canadian law degrees, and practising in French, Nadia can deal with any case that comes across her desk. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers, Chambers Canada, and Benchmark’s 40 and Under Hot List. Nadia is recognized as Benchmark’s Canada’s Top 50 Women in Litigation. She regularly publishes articles as well as regularly presents at the Law Society of Ontario, the OBA, CBA, The Advocates’ Society, as well as other industry associations and forums.
Rahool Agarwal practises commercial and civil litigation, including class actions, contractual disputes, shareholder disputes, proxy fights, D&O liability, and complex fraud cases. He also acts in a broad range of constitutional and public law matters. Rahool has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario, the Quebec Court of Appeal, the BC Court of Appeal, and the SCC. He also regularly appears before the Toronto Commercial List. Rahool is also actively engaged in the broader legal community. He is a member of the editorial board of the Commercial Litigation and Arbitration Review as well as The Advocates’ Society’s 10+ Committee. He was previously the coach of the Lakehead University Wilson Moot team and a member of the board of directors of the South Asian Legal Clinic (Ontario).
Andrew Winton’s practice includes insolvency and restructuring, corporate governance, employment law, shareholder and oppression remedy disputes, real estate and franchise litigation. Andrew is experienced counsel in arbitrations and appears regularly before the Ontario courts, including the Toronto Commercial List. Andrew is a University of Toronto Faculty of Law alumni mentor, provides pro bono services to a Toronto charity that helps homeless people transition to permanent accommodations, and is a past member of the OBA’s Civil Litigation and Insolvency Law Executives.
Matthew Law’s practice focuses on corporate commercial litigation, administrative law, and general civil litigation. He often takes a leading role on files that involve injunctions, arbitrations, and trials. Matt has argued numerous matters before courts and administrative tribunals, including multi-day hearings, summary judgment motions and injunctions as well as lengthy private arbitrations. Matt has written for several legal journals. He also acts for pro bono clients and has volunteered with the Law Help Ontario Duty Counsel project and Divisional Court Amicus program. Matt was named a 2019 Lexpert Rising Star, one of Canada’s Leading Lawyers Under 40.
Brad Vermeersch practises complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on litigating high-stakes, multi-party infrastructure disputes. He also represents clients in a broad range of matters including contractual disputes, class actions, administrative law, regulatory investigations, and appeals. Brad is highly skilled at developing a trial strategy and has experience at all levels of court in Ontario, as well as in the courts of Alberta, BC, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Federal Court, and in commercial arbitration. Brad’s business and financial acumen give him a critical edge in difficult cases that involve sophisticated financial concepts or challenging damages.
Zain Naqi’s practice covers all aspects of business litigation. His experience includes oppression claims, contract and real estate disputes, directors’ and officers’ liability, enforcement of indemnities and guarantees, arbitrations and injunctions. Zain has acted in precedent-setting decisions, among them, the leading case on directors’ liability for corporate oppression. He has represented clients at all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Court, and the Supreme Court of Canada. In addition to his commercial practice, he has developed expertise in appeals and high-profile judicial review/public law proceedings, securing extraordinary remedies and significant damages awards against public authorities.
