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Methodology
Category Definitions
What is Class Actions?

Best class action lawyers in Canada as ranked by Lexpert

By now established in Canada, Class Action lawyers continues to work on actions pertaining to personal injuries, including those involving defective medical products and procedures, defective products (automobiles, building products, etc.), and commercial loss (securities).

 

Please note that the Lexpert Directory has separate sections for:

  • Litigation, corporate and commercial lawyers
  • Litigation, securities lawyers
  • Medical negligence lawyers
  • Workers’ compensation lawyers

 

What does a class action lawyer work on?

Generally, a class action is a civil action where the plaintiff is composed of multiple persons, who have been similarly injured and representing a larger class or sector, filing a suit against a defendant or a group of defendants. Class action lawyers can be counsels of either party – for the plaintiff, they ensure the equitable award of damages; for the defendant, class action lawyers would try to mitigate the damages sought to be recovered, or even disprove its totality.

 

Class action lawyers in Canada

Every province or territory in Canada has their own respective class action law or statute except for Prince Edward Island, although the nature and proceedings of the class action differs between the common law provinces and Québec civil law.

 

There are two stages in class actions in Canada. To institute a said action, the first stage of the action is the certification, where the class action is certified by the court for the common law provinces or where the application is authorised for those filed in Québec. During certification, common issues or questions of fact or law are certified to be determined during the trial proper, which is the second stage of class actions. This procedure has been undergoing changes due to case law, especially with the class action sequencing.

 

Although, some cases would be referred to arbitration, whenever necessary or when circumstance do permit it.

 

Class action lawyers primarily assists clients during these two stages, most importantly during the certification in order to proceed to trial. This would include preparation of pleadings, witnesses, or pieces of evidence to be presented.

 

Class actions in Canada does not employ national consolidation of similar suits or actions. This is because every province or territory is a separate and sovereign court jurisdiction with the other courts of other provinces. Hence, class actions can simultaneously proceed in different courts in different provinces. This may happen when there the different plaintiffs of a class action may be residents of different provinces.

 

Mass tort vs. Class action

A mass tort and class action are different in each other. Mass torts are multiple actions filed against a single defendant or group of defendants. It is similar to class action, where plaintiffs are made up of individuals suffering from the same injury or damage. However, their differences the procedure of each case – in class action, a class representative would be selected, who would pursue the action for class's common claim; but in mass torts, each plaintiff would still have to prove his/her claim since each person is treated differently, although their claim is from the same source or injury.

 

In pursuing a case either as mass tort or class action, it is better to consult with the best class action lawyers near you to determine which kind of action is beneficial, based on the circumstances of the specific claim.

 

Canada’s largest class action

The case of the Indian Residential Schools class action lawsuit is considered as one of the largest class actions in Canada. Starting from the 18th until the 19th century, the Canadian government began the assimilation of Indigenous Peoples through a system of residential schools. Similar to a boarding school, the Indigenous, First Nations, Métis and Inuit are mandated under the Indian Act to send their children to these residential schools, which are also mostly ran by churches. As a result, children are separated from their families and cultures, experienced abuse from teachers and administrators, and subjected to oppressive living conditions.

 

A class action lawsuit was filed against the Canadian government by the survivors, with class action lawyers as counsels, to sue the government over the lingering effect caused to the victims by the Indian residential schools. As a result, both parties have agreed to reach an Agreement-in-Principle for victims who have attended these schools from 1951 until 1992. The Agreement created a fund amounting to $1.9 billion as an award of damages.

 

What is the purpose of class actions?

Class actions provide for a simpler procedure to claim damages against established, large entities which at first look might be difficult to pursue. Since there’s collective effort among the plaintiffs and their class action lawyers – supposing that there are numerous lawyers becoming counsels – the chances of claiming award of damages against these big corporation or groups, or even from the government, are higher.

 

As to the judicial system, it is also easier and more convenient to purse class actions, rather than multiple lawsuits which arising from the same cause of action.

 

What are the benefits of class actions?

Classically, there is strength in numbers of plaintiffs, which would put further pressure on these defendant large corporations or the government to settle these actions through compensation to victims. The best class action lawyers are able to effectively use these large groups of people to get justice for all faster than one at a time.

 

Class representative
As mentioned above, before a class action will prosper in the court, there has to be a certification, and as part of it is the selection of the class representative/s, or lead plaintiff/s to speak for and on behalf of the other plaintiffs. This will unburden the other plaintiffs, which is not available when they individually pursue their cases.

 

Lower costs

Due to the multiple plaintiffs in class actions, the necessary costs for class action lawyer fees and other costly litigation fees are spread out between them. When an award is granted at the end of the trial, these fees and costs may also be levied from the award.

 

One-time payment

Defendants also benefit out of class actions, because, if awarded, the damages paid to the plaintiffs would prevent future litigations out of the same cause of action, thereby saving the defendant further loses.

 

Procedurally easy

Since multiple suits are merged through class actions, courts are declog of repetitive litigations arising from a similar cause of action. For class action lawyers, it is also easier for their work since preparation of legal briefs and pieces of evidence are done through work effort and is already consolidated into one.

 

Litigations may work best individually or through class actions. Hear more from the best Lexpert-ranked class action lawyers to see what fits your case by scrolling below.

Ontario

Toronto Leading Firms - Major Full Service
Most Frequently Recommended
Bennett Jones LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Torys LLP
Consistently Recommended
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Goodmans LLP
Gowling WLG
McMillan LLP
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Repeatedly Recommended
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
Dentons Canada LLP
Toronto Leading Firms - Boutique Firms
Most Frequently Recommended
Koskie Minsky LLP
Lenczner Slaght
Consistently Recommended
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Lerners LLP
Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP
Phillips Barristers PC
Rochon Genova
Sotos LLP
Tyr LLP
Repeatedly Recommended
Adair Goldblatt Bieber LLP
Groia & Company Professional Corporation
Kim Spencer McPhee Barristers P.C.
Orr Taylor LLP
Pape Chaudhury LLP
Roy O'Connor LLP
Toronto Leading Practitioners
Most Frequently Recommended
Sarah Armstrong
Toronto, Ontario
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Daniel Bach
Toronto, Ontario
Siskinds LLP
Kirk M. Baert
Toronto, Ontario
Koskie Minsky LLP
Chantelle Cseh
Toronto, Ontario
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Tom Curry
Toronto, Ontario
Lenczner Slaght
Michael A. Eizenga
Toronto, Ontario
Bennett Jones LLP
Sandra A. Forbes
Toronto, Ontario
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Laura K. Fric
Toronto, Ontario
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Peter Griffin
Toronto, Ontario
Lenczner Slaght
Katherine L. Kay
Toronto, Ontario
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Eliot N. Kolers
Toronto, Ontario
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Gordon McKee
Toronto, Ontario
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Linda M. Plumpton
Toronto, Ontario
Torys LLP
Kent E. Thomson
Toronto, Ontario
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Margaret L. Waddell
Toronto, Ontario
Sotos LLP
Cheryl M. Woodin
Toronto, Ontario
Bennett Jones LLP
Consistently Recommended
Rahool Agarwal
Toronto, Ontario
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Sandra L. Barton
Toronto, Ontario
Gowling WLG
Sarit E. Batner
Toronto, Ontario
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Catherine Beagan Flood
Toronto, Ontario
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Wendy Berman
Toronto, Ontario
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Sonia L. Bjorkquist
Toronto, Ontario
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Eric Block
Toronto, Ontario
Ross Nasseri LLP
Sheila R. Block
Toronto, Ontario
Torys LLP
James (Jim) Bunting
Toronto, Ontario
Tyr LLP
David D. Conklin
Toronto, Ontario
Goodmans LLP
Laura F. Cooper
Toronto, Ontario
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Emrys C. Davis
Toronto, Ontario
Bennett Jones LLP
Gillian B. Dingle
Toronto, Ontario
Torys LLP
James W.E. Doris
Toronto, Ontario
Tyr LLP
John Fabello
Toronto, Ontario
Torys LLP
Mark A. Gelowitz
Toronto, Ontario
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Nicole Henderson
Toronto, Ontario
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Sinziana R. Hennig
Toronto, Ontario
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Lara Jackson
Toronto, Ontario
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
Peter R. Jervis
Toronto, Ontario
Rochon Genova
Monique Jilesen
Toronto, Ontario
Lenczner Slaght
David W. Kent
Toronto, Ontario
McMillan LLP
Andrea Laing
Toronto, Ontario
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Paul H. Le Vay
Toronto, Ontario
Stockwoods LLP
Jonathan C. Lisus
Toronto, Ontario
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Craig Lockwood
Toronto, Ontario
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Scott Maidment
Toronto, Ontario
McMillan LLP
Ian C. Matthews
Toronto, Ontario
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Matthew Milne-Smith
Toronto, Ontario
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Garth Myers
Toronto, Ontario
Kalloghlian Myers LLP
Dana M. Peebles
Toronto, Ontario
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Peter J. Pliszka
Toronto, Ontario
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Celeste Poltak
Toronto, Ontario
Koskie Minsky LLP
Jonathan Ptak
Toronto, Ontario
Koskie Minsky LLP
Derek D. Ricci
Toronto, Ontario
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Joel P. Rochon
Toronto, Ontario
Rochon Genova
Sylvie Rodrigue
Toronto, Ontario
Torys LLP
Michael Rosenberg
Toronto, Ontario
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Linda R. Rothstein
Toronto, Ontario
Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP
James Sayce
Toronto, Ontario
Koskie Minsky LLP
Crawford G. Smith
Toronto, Ontario
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
David L. Sterns
Toronto, Ontario
Sotos LLP
Paul-Erik Veel
Toronto, Ontario
Lenczner Slaght
Sarah E. Whitmore
Toronto, Ontario
Torys LLP
Glenn M. Zakaib
Toronto, Ontario
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Repeatedly Recommended
Melanie K. Baird
Toronto, Ontario
Tyr LLP
Jonathan G. Bell
Toronto, Ontario
Bennett Jones LLP
Robert B. Bell
Toronto, Ontario
Lerners LLP
Bradley E. Berg
Toronto, Ontario
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Andrew E. Bernstein
Toronto, Ontario
Torys LLP
Subrata Bhattacharjee
Toronto, Ontario
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Ren Bucholz
Toronto, Ontario
Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP
David R. Byers
Toronto, Ontario
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Sean R. Campbell
Toronto, Ontario
Tyr LLP
Nadia Campion
Toronto, Ontario
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Louis Century
Toronto, Ontario
Goldblatt Partners LLP
Jonathan Chen
Toronto, Ontario
Lenczner Slaght
Darryl A. Cruz
Toronto, Ontario
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Carlo Di Carlo
Toronto, Ontario
Stockwoods LLP
Nadia Effendi
Toronto, Ontario
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Andrew Faith
Toronto, Ontario
Polley Faith LLP
Matthew Fleming
Toronto, Ontario
Dentons Canada LLP
Steven Frankel
Toronto, Ontario
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Linda L. Fuerst
Toronto, Ontario
Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP
Jeff W. Galway
Toronto, Ontario
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Pierre N. Gemson
Toronto, Ontario
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Barry Glaspell
Toronto, Ontario
Glaspell Class Actions
Deborah A. Glendinning
Toronto, Ontario
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
James Gotowiec
Toronto, Ontario
Torys LLP
Adam Hirsh
Toronto, Ontario
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Ilan Ishai
Toronto, Ontario
Bennett Jones LLP
Brian Kolenda
Toronto, Ontario
Lenczner Slaght
Markus F. Kremer
Toronto, Ontario
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Jill Lawrie
Toronto, Ontario
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Jean-Marc Leclerc
Toronto, Ontario
Sotos LLP
Robin Linley
Toronto, Ontario
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Maureen Littlejohn
Toronto, Ontario
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Alan H. Mark
Toronto, Ontario
Goodmans LLP
Jeremy Martin
Toronto, Ontario
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
Paul J. Martin
Toronto, Ontario
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Golnaz Nayerahmadi
Toronto, Ontario
Rochon Genova
Anthony O'Brien
Toronto, Ontario
Siskinds LLP
Michael O'Brien
Toronto, Ontario
Tyr LLP
David F. O'Connor
Toronto, Ontario
Roy O'Connor LLP
Chris G. Paliare
Toronto, Ontario
Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP
Danielle Royal
Toronto, Ontario
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Caitlin Sainsbury
Toronto, Ontario
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Mohsen Seddigh
Toronto, Ontario
Sotos LLP
Louis C. Sokolov
Toronto, Ontario
Sotos LLP
Cynthia Spry
Toronto, Ontario
Babin Bessner Spry LLP
R. Paul Steep
Toronto, Ontario
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Deborah Templer
Toronto, Ontario
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Steve J. Tenai
Toronto, Ontario
Aird & Berlis LLP
Vera Toppings
Toronto, Ontario
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Brad Vermeersch
Toronto, Ontario
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
W. Grant Worden
Toronto, Ontario
Torys LLP
Caroline R. Zayid
Toronto, Ontario
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Barrie Leading Practitioners
Repeatedly Recommended
Ryan S. Breedon
Barrie, Ontario
Breedon Litigation
London Leading Firms - Major Full Service
Most Frequently Recommended
Siskinds LLP
Repeatedly Recommended
Harrison Pensa LLP
Lerners LLP
London Leading Firms - Boutique Firms
Consistently Recommended
Foreman & Company
McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP
London Leading Practitioners
Most Frequently Recommended
Jonathan Foreman
London, Ontario
Foreman & Company
Michael J. Peerless
London, Ontario
Peerless Law
Michael G. Robb
London, Ontario
Siskinds LLP
Charles M. Wright
London, Ontario
Siskinds LLP
Consistently Recommended
Linda Visser
London, Ontario
Siskinds LLP
Repeatedly Recommended
Matthew Baer
London, Ontario
McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP
Peter W. Kryworuk
London, Ontario
Lerners LLP
Kevin L. Ross
London, Ontario
Lerners LLP
Ottawa Leading Firms - Major Full Service
Repeatedly Recommended
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Gowling WLG
Ottawa Leading Practitioners
Consistently Recommended
Guy J. Pratte
Ottawa, Ontario
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Windsor Leading Firms - Boutique Firms
Consistently Recommended
Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP
Windsor Leading Practitioners
Consistently Recommended
Harvey T. Strosberg
Windsor, Ontario
Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP
Jay Strosberg
Windsor, Ontario
Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP
Repeatedly Recommended
Heather Rumble Peterson
Windsor, Ontario
Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP
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