Expertise
-
Practice Areas:
- Bar Admissions:
- Education:
- Osgoode Hall Law School (1998) LLB
- Queen's University (1995) BA (Honours - Political Science)
- LawVision Group (2015) Legal Project Management
Details
- Bio
- Cases
- Associations
- Blog Posts
- News & Media
- Publications & Presentations
- Recognition
Monique Jilesen (she/her)
"She is very client-focused, personable and strategic." — Chambers Canada
Monique is litigation counsel in complex proceedings from inception through trial. She focuses on class actions, contract and shareholder disputes, civil fraud cases, injunctions, bankruptcy and insolvency matters, and securities and derivatives cases. Monique’s clients include major financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, technology companies, and other multinational corporations who routinely face challenging, cross-border disputes. She appears at all levels of Court and in administrative tribunals. Monique has a record of success at trial in bet the company disputes.
Monique is widely recognized as leading counsel. Benchmark Canada has identified her as one of Canada’s top 50 trial lawyers and Lexpert has identified her as one of the leading 500 lawyers in Canada. The Advocates’ Society awarded her the Douglas K. Laidlaw Award for Excellence in Advocacy.
Monique is a member of the Toronto Commercial List Users’ Committee, the former Chair of the Advocates’ Society Commercial List Practice Group and the past chair of the Gale Cup Moot. She is a regular speaker on various topics, including expert evidence, class proceedings, and injunction advocacy. She is a Team Leader in the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program at Osgoode Hall Law School.
-
Agent for class counsel in a class proceeding by residents, employees, and businesses in Ottawa against the Freedom Convoy organizers. Successfully obtained an ex parte Mareva order freezing donations made to Freedom Convoy organizers and preserving the funds for the benefit of Ottawa residents, employees, and businesses.
-
Counsel for Canopy Growth Corporation in an insolvency of PharmHouse Inc., a cannabis greenhouse joint venture.
-
Counsel to Walmart in two proposed class actions (Ontario and British Columbia) relating to the manufacturing, supply and sale of Zantac Ranitidine.
-
In the Matter of the Receivership of Xela Enterprises Ltd
Counsel to the court-appointed receiver in an application to recover a judgment debt from Xela Enterprises Ltd., the parent company to several subsidiaries located primarily in Central America and the Caribbean.
-
First Hamilton Holdings Inc et al v Laurentian Bank Securities et al
Counsel to the Respondent Laurentian Bank Securities in opposing an application for an interim injunction with respect to the Applicants’ margin accounts brought at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in North America.
-
Counsel to the Vendors of a multi-tower condominium project in a claim alleging breach of contract.
-
Counsel to the defendant accounting firm in a claim alleging negligence and breach of trust against a former partner of the firm.
-
GCT Canada Limited Partnership v Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Attorney General of Canada
Counsel to Global Container Terminals in a judicial review of a decision of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority refusing to consider Global Container Terminal’s proposed port expansion project.
-
Counsel to the GIP Primus, LP in oppression proceedings brought by the Monitor in the context of Algoma's CCAA proceeding.
-
Petrochemical Commercial Company International Ltd v Nexus
Counsel to individual respondents in an application relating to a worldwide and multijurisdictional Mareva injunction, including Malaysia, Cyprus and Australia.
-
The Advocates' Society - Former Chair of the Commercial Litigation Practice Group
-
Canadian Bar Association
-
Ontario Bar Association
-
International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation
-
Commercial List Users’ Committee - Member
-
Turnaround Management Association
-
Gale Cup Moot Committee - Past Chair
-
Ontario Trial Lawyers Association Moot - Former Coach, Osgoode Hall Law School
-
Osgoode Hall Law School - Former Adjunct Professor
-
Women's White Collar Defense Association
-
The LCO’s Class Actions Final Report: The Defence Perspective
As has now been widely reported, the Law Commission of Ontario has released its final report on class actions which makes recommendations to improve the system of class actions in Ontario. Our colleagues, Brian Kolenda and Derek Knoke, commented on those that will be of interest to plaintiffs in their blog post here. We provide the defence counsel perspective here.
-
The Rules of Evidence Still Apply in PMNOC Section 8 Cases
It’s no surprise to litigators that some courts tend to be relaxed with the rules of evidence in civil cases. In many contexts, courts are prepared to admit inadmissible hearsay evidence and simply address evidentiary concerns by noting that such evidence may be given less weight. That type of approach was often taken in cases under section 8 of the Patented Medicine (Notice of Compliance) Regulations.
-
The weight of the corporate veil: It will be lifted with only the strongest tools
The "corporate veil" is an old and well-establish concept. Corporations are separate legal entities under the law and, generally, liability will not flow through the corporation and onto the owners and directors. This is why a corporate bankruptcy doesn't result in a flurry of debt collectors knocking on the door of every shareholder.
-
Battle over convoy cash continues as freeze order extended to May
CBC quotes Monique Jilesen on her recent court appearance, which extended the Mareva injunction freezing the funds donated to the Freedom Convoy protest and status of the digital currency. Monique says that the extension is to ensure all the money involved in the protests included in the civil case has been moved to the escrow account.
-
Digital currency donations for Freedom Convoy evading seizure by authorities
CBC Ottawa interviewed Monique Jilesen comments on our recent Mareva injunction freezing the funds donated to the Freedom Convoy protest and status of the digital currency.
-
'Freedom Convoy' assets to remain frozen through end of March
Monique Jilesen was quoted by CBC Ottawa on the status of the cryptocurrency that was frozen by Lenczner Slaght in a precedent-setting Mareva Injunction.
-
Freedom Convoy crypto holdings to remain frozen and in escrow pending lawsuit by Ottawa residents
Monique Jilesen was quoted by Law Times on her recent court appearance on Monday, February 28 at the Superior Court of Justice where the Court ordered that crypto holdings donated for the freedom convoy protest remain frozen and placed into an escrow account pending the court’s final decision on a proposed lawsuit against the convoy by Ottawa residents.
-
Monique Jilesen features in Toronto Life as the woman responsible for separating the leaders of the Freedom Convoy from millions of dollars in assets. She is interviewed about her recent success in obtaining a Mareva injunction, an extraordinary legal remedy, on behalf of the law firm representing the residents of Ottawa in a $300-million class-action lawsuit against the convoy leaders and protestors.
-
'Freedom Convoy' donations frozen, could flow to Ottawa residents
Monique Jilesen was quoted by CTV News Ottawa on how freezing the funds donated to the Freedom Convoy protest will benefit Ottawa residents and businesses affected by the protest if a proposed class action is successful.
-
The 2022 Lexpert Directory Recognizes Lenczner Slaght’s Litigation Excellence
31 of our expert litigators are recognized by their peers as the foremost practitioners across 18 fields.
-
Superior Court freezes millions in cash and crypto donations raised by freedom convoy organizers
Law Times interviewed Monique Jilesen on the legal test for a Mareva injunction, the implications of a successful freezing order on the Freedom Convoy leaders' assets, and the next steps for extending the order.
-
A civil law “nuclear bomb” to freeze organizers’ assets
Monique Jilesen is quoted in a La Presse article to discuss Lencnzer Slaght's success in securing a Mareva order freezing the bitcoin and cryptocurrency of Freedom Convoy leaders to help benefit Ottawa class members.
-
Court Freezes Millions in Canadian Trucker Convoy's Donated Cash and Cryptocurrency
Law.com International interviewed Monique Jilesen for her role in obtaining the first Mareva injunction freezing cryptocurrency in Canada for the benefit of Ottawa class members who are suing for damages against the leaders of the Freedom Convoy.
-
The Fearless Advocate: Litigating Polarizing Legal Issues
Monique Jilesen was invited to present at The Advocates' Society's program titled "The Fearless Advocate: Litigating Polarizing Legal Issues". Monique will speak on the panel Best Practices for Handling Media, New and Old.
-
Rethinking the Rules of Civil Evidence
In the March 2022 edition of The Advocates' Journal, Monique Jilesen and Jessica Kras provided a practical refresher on the evidentiary principles that govern the use and admissibility of documents to refresh a witness’s memory.
-
Ottawa and the Emergencies Act: A Big Round Table
Monique will be participating in a roundtable presented by Osgoode Hall Law School on how the Emergencies Act’s invocation and measures relate to associated developments, particularly the Ottawa residents’ class action lawsuit against the Freedom Convoy protesters and the resulting injunctions.
-
Examinations for Discovery: Building Block Series
Monique Jilesen presented at the second installment of The Advocates' Society's Examinations for Discovery: Building Block Series. Monique shared her expertise on the session "Discovery Questions and Techniques".
-
Second Chair, Not Second Fiddle
Monique Jilesen presented at The Advocates' Society's program titled "Second Chair, Not Second Fiddle". In this new program, Monique shared top tips and strategies for becoming an effective second chair – both before and during trial.
-
Putting People First in Workplace Modernization
Monique Jilesen was invited to speak at the Ontario Bar Association's Work That Works podcast. Monique spoke about the future of the legal workplace post-pandemic.
-
The Litigator’s Guide To the Business of Law
Brian Kolenda is co-chairing The Advocates' Society program titled "The Litigator’s Guide To the Business of Law". The program will help guide mid-career litigators who are new to department leadership or are looking to enter into this role. Monique Jilesen will attend and share her expertise as a panelist.
-
Litigating Polarizing Legal Issues
Monique Jilesen co-chaired The Advocates' Society's program Litigating Polarizing Legal Issues. In this program, experienced counsel considered how lawyers make the decision to litigate polarizing legal issues, whether there has been a generational change, how these cases affect the way we litigate, and how to manage our client relationships.
-
Canada's legal leaders - up close and personal
Monique Jilesen is featured in the first episode of Lexpert TV! Monique speaks about her leading litigation practice, how our firm quickly adapted to COVID-19, the future of legal service delivery, and the challenges and opportunities ahead.
-
Enabling Legal Innovation in a Disruptive Era
Monique Jilesen presented at the Canadian Legal Innovation Forum. Monique discussed the evolution of the legal innovation landscape in the COVID-19 era.
-
Douglas K. Laidlaw Medal for Excellence in Advocacy (2017)
-
Benchmark Canada (2017-2022)
Litigation Star – Class Action, Commercial, Insolvency, Securities; Top 50 Women in Litigation (2021), Top 50 Trial Lawyer in Canada (2021)
-
Benchmark Litigation (2017-2019)
Top 25 Women in Canadian Litigation
-
Best Lawyers in Canada (2016-2022)
Class Action Litigation, Corporate & Commercial Litigation, Director & Officer Liability, Insolvency & Financial Restructuring, Labour and Employment, Securities
-
Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (2014-2022)
Class Actions, Insolvency & Financial Restructuring, Litigation - Corporate Commercial, Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability, Litigation - Securities
-
Chambers Canada (2019-2022)
Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
-
International Academy of Trial Lawyers (2017)
Fellow
-
Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Lawyers in Canada (2013-2019)
Dispute Resolution, Corporate Commercial Litigation, Litigation Lawyer to Watch (2013)
-
Lexpert Rising Stars (2012)
Leading Lawyers Under 40
-
Lexpert Special Edition: Canada's Leading Litigation Lawyers (2014-2021)
Show more