Find Lawyers in Ontario, Canada for Administrative and Public Law
Practice Area Overview
The subject matter within the scope of administrative and public law is broad and diverse. Generally, “public law” refers to the areas of law that govern relationships between individuals and their governments, as well as those relationships between individuals that are of importance to society as a whole. It is an umbrella term encompassing such areas as constitutional law, competition law, professional discipline, aboriginal law, energy law, municipal law, health law, human rights law, immigration law, labour law, environmental law, information and privacy law, securities law, competition law, public inquiries, inquests, and professional regulation.
All of these fields have an administrative law component. “Administrative law” refers to the area of law that regulates the procedures and powers of administrative agencies, boards, and tribunals which exercise delegated authority in the various spheres of public law.
Administrative and public law lawyers help clients navigate the complex web of legal institutions that regulate their personal and business activities. As a starting point, this includes helping clients understand how their activities are regulated, as well as how to navigate the bureaucracy created by statutes and regulations and how to comply with legislation as well as agency, board, and tribunal policies. This may involve compliance advice, obtaining a permit or license, representing clients at regulatory hearings, and providing strategic advice to achieve business objectives.
At the enforcement stage, administrative and public lawyers represent clients being investigated by public authorities, and defend clients in hearings involving allegations of non-compliance before adjudicative tribunals as well as in courts, inquests and inquiries. Lawyers also assist clients challenging decisions or actions taken by governments, agencies, and tribunals. Where a client is dissatisfied with an expert tribunal’s decision, administrative and public lawyers may assist clients in appeals and judicial reviews of the administrative body’s decision.
Some lawyers practicing administrative and public law have general experience navigating the legal institutions by which governments impose rules, provide policy and strategic advice, or represent clients in hearings and in courts. Others have very specialized expertise in specific regulated spheres.
Philip Abbink, Hons BA, MA, JD, practices in the areas of professional regulation and labour law, primarily providing advocacy for health care professionals in grievance arbitrations and at professional Colleges. He also represents employees in investigations, quasi-criminal regulatory proceedings and at Coroners' Inquests. Philip is also the Co-managing Partner at Cavalluzzo. After earning a JD and a MA in International Relations from the University of Toronto, Phil articled at Cavalluzzo. D...
Addario Law Group has earned a reputation as one of the best criminal law firms in Canada. Frank Addario is the principal of Addario Law Group. He leads a group of smart, hard-working advocates committed to finding innovative ways to help clients solve their criminal, regulatory and constitutional law problems. Frank has been counsel on numerous individual and corporate investigations, criminal trials in the Superior Court of Justice and appeals in criminal matters before the Ontario Court of...
Jeff has extensive experience advising Unions on an ongoing basis. He practises before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Canada Industrial Relations Board, the courts, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, at arbitration hearings and inquests. He also practises in the fields of privacy and wrongful dismissal. Jeff is the Past Chair of the Labour and Employment Law Section of the Ontario Bar Assoc...
For over 30 years, trade unions have relied on Steven Barrett to represent their interests, and the interests of their members, in all types of legal proceedings. Grievance and interest arbitration, labour relations board applications, collective bargaining – Steven does it all and makes it look easy. That’s why a member of parliament once referred to Steven as “the Wayne Gretzky of labour law”. From protecting the scope of bargaining unit work, to challenging discipli...
During his practice of over 40 years, Alan Bromstein has come to be recognized by his clients as an expert in matters relating to Regulated Health Professions (Colleges). His work has included the preparation of regulations, bylaws, policies, procedures, rules and submissions to government. Alan has had the privilege of advising Councils (Boards of Directors), Statutory and Standing Committees and College staff to assist them in meeting their public protection mandate. Although his current pr...
John is the former head of the firm's litigation practice. With degrees in both engineering and law, he practises in the areas of environmental law, litigation, and administrative law, and has appeared as counsel on matters in all levels of the courts in Ontario, and before several administrative tribunals, including the Environmental Review Tribunal, the Board of Directors of the College of Chiropractors of Ontario, the Commercial Registration Appeal Tribunal, the Law Society of Upper Canada...
As the senior partner in his firm, Paul is a leading constitutional, labour and administrative law lawyer, arguing significant cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Courts of Ontario, and labour and administrative tribunals. Paul was appointed by Associate Chief Justice Dennis O'Connor to act as lead commission counsel to the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar. Previously, Paul acted as lead commission counsel in the Walkerton Inquir...
Jeff Cowan is recognized as one of Canada's leading public law litigators. He acts as counsel before administrative tribunals and the trial and appellate courts in many aspects of public law, including professional self-regulation and discipline, judicial review of government decision-making, freedom of information and privacy matters, municipal and provincial planning and environmental approvals, municipal assessment and taxation, health, education, alcohol and gaming, legislative drafting a...
Brian Crane is a partner in Gowlings' Ottawa office. As senior member of Gowlings' Advocacy Law Group, he practises in constitutional, administrative and Aboriginal law. Brian appears as counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court and the Ontario Courts. He has worked extensively in the negotiation of native land claims and self-government agreements and related litigation, and in arbitration and mediation. An active member of the Canadian Bar Association, Brian has chaired ...
Christine Davies is a labour lawyer and civil litigator in Goldblatt Partners' Toronto office. She is known for her tenacious commitment to getting clients the best possible result. A skilled litigator who started her career as a research lawyer, Christine now has one of the broadest practices at the firm. She is equally comfortable before labour arbitrators and administrative tribunals as she is before the civil courts. Christine’s labour practice includes representing unions and their...
Jill Dougherty has over 20 years of experience acting on behalf of both private and public sector clients. She appears regularly as counsel before the trial and appellate courts and administrative tribunals in many aspects of public law. Jill specializes in public law and civil litigation focusing on professional self-regulation and discipline, judicial review of government decision-making, alcohol and gaming, access to information and privacy, municipal and provincial planning approvals and ...
Jackie practices in the areas of Labour, Constitutional, Public Law and Indigenous Rights. She has litigated at all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Courts and the Supreme Court of Canada. She has also appeared before many administrative tribunals. With an extensive background in writing policy, Jackie has written many policy submissions aimed at government, inquiries and public advocacy. She was also a researcher and writer for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final rep...
Bryan Finlay KC is recognized as one of the top litigation lawyers in Canada. Bryan's counsel practice is broad and has engaged the most complex commercial, constitutional, tort and public law issues. These have included issues of corporate espionage, spoliation, fraud, shareholder rights, directors' and officers' responsibilities, financial reporting obligations, responsibilities and obligations of government and its various agencies, securities regulation, fiduciary obligations, defamation,...
Paul Fruitman’s commercial litigation practice focuses on contract disputes, health law, real estate, departing employee cases, shareholder disputes and product liability. He has extensive experience acting for healthcare institutions and professionals in civil and regulatory proceedings. He also regularly acts as counsel to corporate directors and officers and in shareholder disputes and oppression claims. Paul has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Court and the F...
Guy Giorno leads the firm’s Political Law practice. He advises clients on lobbyist registration, government accountability and ethics, public-sector conflict of interest and government procurement. Former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada, Guy remains an active, influential force in shaping lobbyist registration laws in Canada. Widely recognized as Canada’s leading expert in lobbying law, Guy regularly represents corporate executives and lobbyists in enforcement proce...
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 has been recognized as one of Canada’s top litigation lawyers. He has significant expertise in trials, applications, tribunals and arbitrations and regularly appears at all levels of court in Ontario and other provinces, the Federal Cour...
Ben Kates is a litigation partner in the Regulated Professions and Industries Practice Group at WeirFoulds LLP. Ben’s practice straddles administrative and civil law. Ben provides advice and counsel to a number of industry regulators, and also practises civil litigation for public and private sector clients. Ben is experienced in civil, corporate-commercial, and administrative matters, having handled corporate and contractual disputes, as well as professional liability, media and defama...
Lara’s practice encompasses Indigenous laws and governance work, Aboriginal and Treaty rights litigation, and constitutional and public law litigation with a focus on equality rights and anti-discrimination law and policy matters. Lara works with First Nations on lands and resource issues and is passionate about advancing Indigenous land and water stewardship, including through Guardians and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) initiatives. Lara has a background in internation...
Josh Koziebrocki is the principal lawyer and founder of Koziebrocki Law. Josh is an experienced litigation lawyer and advocate who has appeared extensively before courts, tribunals, and regulatory bodies. His practice focuses on defending professionals in regulatory and disciplinary proceedings. He works with professionals in difficult and challenging situations involving their license to practice. Josh has represented countless professionals before licensing bodies from the complaint process...
Paul's practice includes corporate commercial litigation, securities litigation, class proceedings, professional liability, claims against directors and officers, employment litigation and professional liability and regulation. Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by The Law Society of Upper Canada. Bilingual, argues cases in English and French before all levels of Court as well as trib...
Jonathan’s practice focuses on 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, franchise litigation, aboriginal land claims, 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 Int...
Andrew practices in the areas of constitutional law, appeals, administrative law, labour and employment law, and pension litigation. He clerked for Madam Justice (now Chief Justice) Beverley McLachlin of the Supreme Court of Canada in 1989-90. Prior to joining Paliare Roland, he worked at a national law firm, and taught law at Ottawa University and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He has appeared in more than 20 cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, and regularly appears before ...
Senwung Luk is a partner at OKT. He has appeared in different levels of court and tribunals, including the Supreme Court of Canada and various courts of appeal, representing Indigenous clients fighting for their rights. He focuses on the protection of sacred spaces and cultural sites, in asserting treaty rights, in on-reserve service delivery, and in the duty to consult and accommodate Indigenous communities. He has published a number of peer-reviewed articles on the Crown's fiduciary obligat...
Richard was called to the Bar in 1993, and has extensive experience in a broad range of litigation cases including; contract, shareholders, real estate, condominium, employment, construction, defamation and other disputes. Richard has also developed considerable experience in government litigation including: coroner’s inquests, licencing, general administrative, Indigenous and constitutional law. In addition to extensive trial experience, Richard appears regularly in appeal courts and h...
Kate McGrann provides her clients with pragmatic and strategic representation on matters including complex corporate/commercial, securities, and administrative and public law issues. She has represented clients at all levels of the Court in Ontario, the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and before regulatory tribunals including the Ontario Securities Commission and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) (formerly, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and ...
Debra McKenna is a litigation partner and the Chair of the Professional Self-Regulatory Bodies Practice Group at WeirFoulds LLP. Debra’s practice is focused on professional self-regulation and civil litigation. She provides strategic advice and acts as counsel for a number of regulatory bodies, as well as public and private sector clients, in relation to regulatory issues, complaints and discipline, and civil litigation matters. She has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario, includ...
Paul practice focuses on corporate commercial litigation and arbitration, shareholder and fraud litigation, appellate litigation and judicial review with particular expertise in complex cases with a regulatory or cross-border dimension. He has litigated cases involving failed hedge funds, derivatives, fraud and Ponzi schemes, arbitration-related court proceedings, shareholder disputes, construction and infrastructure, defamation and employment law. A highly experienced and versatile litigator...
Derry Millar is a skilled and dedicated advocate with a broad civil litigation and administrative law practice who brings his skills in dispute resolution and as an advocate to his work as an arbitrator and mediator. Derry was elected as the Treasurer (President) of the Law Society of Upper Canada (governing body for Ontario lawyers and paralegals) on June 26, 2008 and May 29, 2009, and served as Treasurer from June 26, 2008 to June 29, 2010. Derry is the fourth partner in the history of the ...
Stephen is a member of the firm's litigation and labour groups, and is the co-chair of the civil group with responsibility over employment law, civil litigation, and class actions. He is bilingual and provides client service in both French and English. His practice focuses primarily on employment law, civil litigation, class actions, administrative law, and in assisting numerous unions, employees, and administrative agencies with litigation before courts, arbitrators, and numerous tribunals a...
Daniel Naymark has experience in a broad range of commercial and civil disputes and regulatory matters, including contract and shareholder disputes, securities matters, insolvency, administrative law, employment law, professional negligence and fraud. He has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario. Daniel founded the litigation boutique firm Naymark Law in 2015, after practising for several years on Bay Street at a leading Toronto litigation boutique and a large, full-service firm and ...
Steve O’Melia focuses on municipal, planning/development, and expropriation law. Acting for both public and private sector clients, he frequently appears before municipal councils, committees, and administrative tribunals such as the Ontario Land Tribunal. Steve has successfully represented clients before all levels of the Ontario Courts on municipal law matters. Steve is an LSO Certified Specialist in Municipal Law (Local Government/Land Use Planning and Development) and was appointed ...
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