Cases

• Solmar Inc v Hall

  Counsel to the plaintiffs/respondents, Benny Marotta and Solmar Development Corp., in a defamation action. Successfully resisted an anti-SLAPP motion, which sought to dismiss the claim.

  William C. McDowell, Derek Knoke & Drew Black | July 1, 2024
• Xavier Tu v Ireland Byrne et al

  Counsel for the Defendants in a defamation action.

  William C. McDowell & Derek Knoke | January 1, 2024
• Moazzani v Ebrahimi

  Successful counsel to a defendant/moving party in a motion to strike a statement of claim, which sought $2,000,000 in damages for defamation. Despite being an opposed motion in-writing, the Superior Court of Justice granted the motion and awarded costs.

  William C. McDowell & Derek Knoke | July 25, 2023
• Paterson v Royal Bank of Canada

  Counsel to the Defendants in a $275 million defamation claim. Successfully brought a motion to strike the Claim on the basis that it was an abuse of process and barred by the Ontario Limitations Act. Reported at 2025 ONSC 1122.

  William C. McDowell, David Salter, Evan Linn & Mackenzie Faulkner | May 13, 2022
• Fiera Private Debt Inc et al v Private Debt Partners et al

  Counsel to the defendants (plaintiffs by counterclaim) in an action alleging conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duties by former employees of a company. The counterclaim alleges that the plaintiffs have engaged in constructive dismissal and promulgated defamatory comments.

  Tom Curry, Brian Kolenda & Adam H. Kanji | April 1, 2020
• Paul J. Murphy v Guyana Goldfields Inc

  Counsel to the former Chief Financial Officer of the corporate defendant in a case alleging the breach of an employment contract and seeking damages for libel.

  Lawrence E. Thacker, Christopher Yung & Adam H. Kanji | January 1, 2019
• Rutman v Rabinowitz

  Counsel to the respondent on an appeal in a seminal internet defamation case. The Court of Appeal for Ontario clarified the law of concerted action liability and upheld a very large damages awards for what it characterized as a prolonged, persistent and vicious internet campaign.

  Matthew Sammon & Jessica Roher | February 6, 2018
• Google Inc v Equustek Solutions Inc

  Counsel to Google in an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada from decisions of the Supreme Court of British Columbia and British Columbia Court of Appeal in a novel case regarding the limits to be placed on injunctions granted against non-parties.

  William C. McDowell, Scott Rollwagen & Madison Robins | April 30, 2017
• Subway Franchise Systems of Canada Inc v Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

  Counsel to Subway in a $210 million defamation action against the CBC and Trent University relating to a Marketplace episode. 

  Sana Halwani, William C. McDowell, Paul-Erik Veel, Brendan F. Morrison, Kaitlin Soye, Anna Hucman & Megan Bradt | March 6, 2017
• Crookes v Newton

  Counsel to an intervener in an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada regarding the novel question of whether an internet hyperlink to a defamatory statement constitutes republication of the defamation.

  William C. McDowell | November 12, 2014
• Éditions Écosociété Inc v Banro Corp

  Counsel to the appellant in the Supreme Court of Canada in an interjurisdictional defamation matter. The Court’s decision in this case is one of its leading precedents in the application of public law to defamation.

  William C. McDowell & Brian Kolenda | January 2, 2013
• The Catalyst Capital Group Inc v Veritas Investment Research Corporation

  Counsel to an equity research firm in an action arising from alleged defamatory statements in investment research reports.

  Brendan F. Morrison | May 17, 2001
• Goldhar v Ha'aretz

  Counsel to the plaintiff in a defamation action involving the online publication of an article by an Israeli newspaper.  Successful in responding to a motion and an appeal to stay the action due to lack of jurisdiction.

  William C. McDowell | February 22, 2001
• Borden Ladner Gervais v Barlow

  Counsel to the plaintiff in a defamation matter, including obtaining injunctions on the basis of internet defamation and trademark infringement.

  William C. McDowell & Lindsay Beck | February 19, 2001
• Elfarnawani v International Olympic Committee

  Counsel to the IOC in an action brought in Ontario by the plaintiff arising out of the IOC's decision to declare the plaintiff persona-non grata in the Olympic movement. Successful motion to stay the action on jurisdictional grounds.

  Ronald G. Slaght & Brian Kolenda | October 7, 2000
• Canadian National Railway Company v Google Inc

  Counsel to CN Railway in a successful proceeding for an order removing a defamatory blog.

  Monique Jilesen | September 3, 2000
• Michael L Goguen v Amber Laurel Baptiste

  Counsel to the plaintiff commencing an action to enforce a foreign judgement and obtaining a Mareva injunction in support of the action, ensuring that the defendants do not sell or dissipate any of their assets in Canada.

  Monique Jilesen & Sahar Talebi