Expertise
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Practice Areas:
- Bar Admissions:
- Education:
- Dalhousie University (2001) LLB
- McGill University (1998) BA (Distinction - History)
Details
- Bio
- Cases
- Associations
- Blog Posts
- News & Media
- Publications & Presentations
- Recognition
Eli S. Lederman
Eli's practice covers a broad range of complex commercial litigation matters, including securities law, class actions, commercial contracts, franchise disputes, oppression and other shareholder litigation. He regularly acts for directors and officers of private and public corporations and advises boards and their committees on governance and litigation matters.
Eli has extensive trial experience in commercial litigation and in medical malpractice actions, and also acts as counsel in commercial arbitrations. He has appeared as lead counsel at all levels of court including the Supreme Court of Canada, the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Court of Appeal for Alberta and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Eli represents clients in a wide range of sectors, including those in financial services, information technology, real estate, franchising and manufacturing. Eli is a frequent speaker in continuing legal education programs particularly on issues relating to contractual disputes, securities law and trial advocacy.
Eli is also a member of the firm's Management Committee.
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Counsel to the successful defendant physicians in a complex medical negligence claim involving the alleged misdiagnosis of cerebral palsy in an infant. In June 2024, the matter proceeded to a successful 8-week trial before a Jury.
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Metro Ontario Inc v Mouzakitis et al
Counsel to Metro Ontario Inc. successfully obtaining a Mareva injunction and Anton Piller Orders, against former employees for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, and fraud.
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Counsel to financial solutions company responding to injunction brought by telecommunications company for confidential data.
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Bluemoon Capital Ltd v Ceridian HCM Holding Inc et al
Counsel to applicant in Norwich application seeking information relating to the acquisition of Lifeworks.
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Hexo Operations Inc v Peter Hwang et al
Counsel to defendant director in successful summary judgment motion dismissing claim for breach of fiduciary duty and breach of the duty of good faith in relation to a supply agreement.
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Counsel to landlord in arbitration regarding option to purchase commercial property.
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Various DCR Strategies Inc Matters
Counsel to the Plaintiff DCR Strategies Inc. in a number of matters, seeking damages and injunctive relief relating to disclosure and use of confidential information.
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Gopal Bhatnagar et al v Cresco Labs Inc
Counsel to applicants in a proceeding claiming breach of the duty of good faith in relation to earn-out provisions in a share purchase agreement.
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City of Hamilton Judicial Inquiry
Counsel to the City of Hamilton in a Judicial Inquiry into the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
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Counsel to the successful partner of a multi-billion dollar residential and commercial real estate developer and builder in obtaining successful order winding up and selling the partnership.
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Canadian Bar Association
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The Advocates' Society
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Ontario Bar Association
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This past Friday, the Supreme Court of Canada released its much-anticipated decision in C.M. Callow Inc v Tammy Zollinger (“Callow”), the first of two appeals heard in December 2019 seeking clarification on the scope of the organizing principle of good faith recognized in Bhasin v Hrynew (“Bhasin”).
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Breaking down the Economic Barrier: Negligent Misrepresentation and Class Actions
Over the 25 years that Ontario’s Class Proceedings Act has been in force, there have been fewer than 20 common issue trials. While class actions have the potential to remove access to justice barriers and improve judicial economy and efficiency, in Ontario their scope has been limited.
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In a recent decision, the Ontario Superior Court awarded costs on a partial indemnity scale which constituted 75% of the costs actually incurred by the successful party. The decision demonstrates the possibility of a generous costs award on a partial indemnity scale where the issues at stake are important and complex, and both written materials and oral submissions are of high calibre.
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There’s nothing like a jury trial. The Honourable Justice Brian Dickson famously commented that juries were “endowed with an abundance of common sense”. The virtues of civil jury trials to our justice system may be too numerable to list here. But as a point of advocacy, the exercise of telling your client’s story to a jury of their peers – instead of to a judge sitting up on the dais – requires different skills, different sensibilities, and different presentation styles.
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Lenczner Slaght Lawyers Recognized as Canada’s Leading Litigators
Following an in-depth peer review process across the legal profession, 21 Lenczner Slaght lawyers have been recognized in the 2024 Lexpert Special Edition: Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers guide for their extensive courtroom experience and subject-matter expertise.
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Lenczner Slaght Recognized as a Leading Litigation Firm in Legal 500 Canada
Canada’s leading litigation firm has reaffirmed its Tier 1 ranking in Dispute Resolution in Legal 500 Canada.
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Chambers Canada Recognizes Lenczner Slaght’s Deep Bench of Expert Litigators
Canada’s leading litigation firm continues to advance their position in the latest edition of the world-renowned directory.
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Lenczner Slaght Litigators Recognized as the Best Lawyers in Canada
In the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada, Lenczner Slaght is proud to receive 168 total rankings, with 45 of our expert litigators recognized for their expertise across 25 practice areas.
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The 2024 Lexpert Directory Recognizes Lenczner Slaght’s Litigation Excellence
Lenczner Slaght’s litigators continue to be recognized by their peers as the foremost practitioners in their fields.
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Lenczner Slaght Remains at the Centre of the Lexpert Bull’s Eye
The 2024 Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada recognizes Lenczner Slaght as the #1 firm in Toronto for Litigation and Commercial Litigation for the 23rd consecutive year.
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Lexpert Recognizes Lenczner Slaght’s Litigation Strength
An increasing number of our expert litigators continue to be recognized as the foremost lawyers in their fields by peers and senior members of the legal profession.
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Lenczner Slaght Stands Out as a Top-Tier Litigation Firm in Legal 500 Canada
Canada’s leading litigation firm is once again recognized as a “litigation powerhouse” according to Legal 500 Canada.
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Ontario CA Defers to Lower Court in Case With Awkwardly Written Commercial Contract
Interviewed by Law Times, Eli Lederman shared his expert insights on the Ontario Court of Appeal's decision in Obolus Ltd v International Seniors Community Care Inc. The important contract law decision involves an awkwardly written contract with a missing “to”, which the court chose to defer to the lower court instead of addressing an error in fact-finding.
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Lenczner Slaght Litigators Recognized as Best Lawyers in Canada
In the latest edition of Best Lawyers in Canada, 41 of our expert litigators are recognized for their expertise across 24 practice areas. The following lawyers have also been recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” for receiving the highest overall peer-feedback in their practice areas in Toronto.
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The Supreme Court and duty of good faith: What now?
Eli Lederman authored The Lawyer's Daily article “The Supreme Court and duty of good faith: What now?”. In this article, he analyzes two recent cases that raise important questions about the content of the duty of good faith and about honest performance of contractual obligations.
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Eli S. Lederman shared his expert insight on the panel Solving Shareholder Disputes at the Law Society of Ontario's 9th Business Law Summit.
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Eli S. Lederman spoke at the 2017 CFA Franchise Law Day on "Managing Default, Termination and the Duty of Good".
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2nd Annual Duties of Good Faith: An Update on Law
Eli S. Lederman once again led Lexpert's full day professional development course on "Maintaining Honesty in Today's World". The program... -
Examinations for discovery - Advanced Skills Workshop
Eli S. Lederman served as Program Chair at the Osgoode Professional Development Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop, Advanced Skills Series. -
Osgoode Professional Development: Examining Expert Witness
Lawyers Monique Jilesen and Eli S. Lederman co-chaired the Osgoode Professional Development advanced skills workshop Examining Expert Witnesses on... -
The Advocates' Society: Securities Law Update
Eli Lederman presented a Class Actions and Securities Litigation Update at The Advocates' Society's Securities Law Update event on November 17, 2016. -
Duties of Good Faith: Recent Developments in the Law and Practical Implications
Eli S. Lederman led an all day seminar on contractual rights, employee consideration and caselaw review on June 9, 2016. Marguerite Ethier also at the... -
Examinations for Discovery: Advanced Skills Workshop
Eli S. Lederman chaired a one day skills workshop on May 13, 2016 for Osgoode Professional Development. Matthew Lerner served as an instructor for the... -
36th Annual Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop
Lawrence Thacker, Risa Kirshblum, Monique Jilesen, Eli Lederman, Matthew Sammon, Rebecca Jones, Jaan Lilles and Dena Varah were among the distinguished...
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Benchmark Canada (2013-2024)
Litigation Star – Class Action, Commercial, Securities
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Best Lawyers in Canada (2014-2025)
Administrative & Public Law, Corporate & Commercial Litigation, Director and Officer Liability Practice, Franchise Law (2022), Health Care Law, Medical Negligence, Real Estate Law
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Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (2013-2024)
Litigation - Corporate Commercial, Medical Negligence, Professional Liability, Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability, Litigation - Regulatory & Public Law (2021), Litigation - Securities (2023)
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Chambers Canada (2025)
Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
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Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-border Litigation Lawyers in Canada (2015-2017)
Corporate Commercial Litigation, Litigation Lawyer to Watch (2015)
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Lexpert Rising Stars (2014)
Leading Lawyers Under 40
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Lexpert Special Edition: Canada's Leading Litigation Lawyers (2017-2024)
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Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada (2020-2021, 2024)
Corporate Commercial Litigation
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The Legal 500 Canada (2021-2025)
Dispute Resolution (Recommended Lawyer)