LEXPERT • December 2014 | www.lexpert.ca | 59
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Michael Barrack is recognized as one of Canada's top litigators. He has led dozens of
cases, ranging from criminal jury trials to civil and constitutional appeals before the Su-
preme Court of Canada. His work in Canadian courts and internationally caused one re-
viewer to write, "He's as good as it gets, fi rst-rate counsel, among the top fi ve in Canada."
He has been described as an assertive litigator who is very strategic and creative, with eff ec-
tive examination skills and persuasive advocacy techniques. Some of the major clients who
have retained Michael include former Justice Jack Ground as Litigation Trustee of Hol-
linger Inc., U. S. Steel, the Toronto Stock Exchange, TransCanada, Canadian Pacifi c Rail-
way, the Ontario Securities Commission, OMERS, major banks and multinational law
fi rms. He is a Past President of e Advocates' Society, a founding director of Pro Bono
Law Ontario and currently Vice Chair of the Heart and Stroke Foundation – Ontario.
Derek Bell's practice focuses on commercial list litigation, including merger and acquisi-
tion litigation, insolvency matters and competition litigation. He represents a wide variety
of industries and business sectors, including public issuers, individual directors and offi -
cers, banks, securities dealers, manufacturers, and private and public investment funds.
Recent mandates include Sino-Forest Corporation (Re) (insolvency), Timminco Ltd.
(Re) (securities class actions), and Boughner v. Greyhawk Equity Partners (fraud). Bell has
acted for the Commissioner of Competition on several occasions, most recently in obtain-
ing the largest administrative monetary penalty ever issued in a contested proceeding to
date in Canada, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal in February 2013 (Commis-
sioner of Competition v. Yellow Page Marketing). Prior to joining the fi rm from another
leading national law fi rm, Bell clerked with the Honorable Justice Charles D. Gonthier at
the Supreme Court of Canada.
Brad Berg's trial and appellate practice includes both complex commercial cases and
precedent-setting public interest litigation. He has appeared as lead counsel at all levels of
court, including the Supreme Court of Canada, and in international commercial arbitra-
tions. He is the practice group leader for Blakes Litigation in Toronto. Berg serves on the
executive and board of directors of e Advocates' Society, the principal association of
litigation counsel in Ontario. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
(FCIArb) and a member of the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society. Berg taught
trial advocacy at Osgoode Hall Law School for six years and is contributing editor to Ca-
nadian Legal Practice (LexisNexis). He clerked for the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan.
Admitted to the Ontario Bar, 1996; Saskatchewan Bar, 1994; LLM, University of To-
ronto, 1995; LLB, University of Saskatchewan, 1992; BComm, University of Saskatche-
wan, 1991.
Michael E.
Barrack
Thornton Grout
Finnigan LLP
Tel: (416) 304-1109
Fax: (416) 304-1313
Toronto
Derek J. Bell
Bennett
Jones LLP
Tel: (416) 777-4638
Fax: (416) 863-1716
Toronto
Brad Berg
Blake, Cassels &
Graydon LLP
Tel: (416) 863-4316
Fax: (416) 863-2653
Toronto
mbarrack@tgf.ca
belld@bennettjones.com
brad.berg@blakes.com
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