LEXPERT • December 2014 | www.lexpert.ca | 85
DEFAMATION AND MEDIA
Partner. Will McDowell's wide-ranging practice has included many landmark cases,
most notably in the Supreme Court of Canada, focusing on professional discipline, libel
and criminal law. From 2005 to 2008, he was Canada's Associate Deputy Minister of Jus-
tice, with responsibility for civil litigation, national security and issues involving federal
agencies. He subsequently assisted Ontario's Truth and Reconciliation Commission in-
quiry into Native residential schools, served as amicus to the Superior Court with regard
to land occupations in Brantford and was chief counsel to the City of Mississauga Judicial
Inquiry. McDowell's work in resolving the Maher Arar v. Canada case was honored by a
Department of Justice National Award. McDowell is an elected Bencher of the Law Soci-
ety of Upper Canada.
Ryder Gilliland is a litigation partner with a wide-ranging counsel practice spanning
many litigation areas including complex corporate commercial litigation, commercial ar-
bitration, tax, securities, defamation, competition and constitutional. He has appeared as
counsel at all levels of court in Ontario, and before the New Brunswick Court of Queen's
Bench, the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Tax Court of Canada and the
Supreme Court of Canada. He also practices outside the court system in commercial ar-
bitrations and before specialized tribunals such as the Ontario Securities Commission.
Gilliland speaks at conferences, writes regularly, and holds memberships with the Cana-
dian Bar Association and e Advocates' Society. He is an Adjunct Professor at Ryerson
University, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Media Lawyers Association (Ad IDEM)
and Chair of the Education and Program Committee of the Toronto Commercial Arbi-
tration Society.
Broad litigation practice, including commercial, white-collar crime, regulatory, consti-
tutional and public law. Represents Canada's major media on defamation and freedom–
of-speech cases. Counsel on leading Charter cases dealing with freedom of speech, equal-
ity, judicial independence, fundamental justice and search and seizure, many in the Su-
preme Court of Canada. Bencher of e Law Society of Upper Canada; Fellow of the
American College of Trial Lawyers; Director, Canadian Civil Liberties Association, e
Advocates' Society, e Law Foundation of Ontario and e Osgoode Society. Past Pres-
ident, Pro Bono Law Ontario and of Ad IDEM/Canadian Media Lawyers Association.
Published many articles on media and Charter issues, and frequent speaker at confer-
ences. Named one of Canada's "25 most infl uential lawyers" by Canadian Lawyer maga-
zine, 2011. Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law (media and
defamation law course).
Rick Dearden, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, is a Gowlings senior
litigation partner, practicing primarily in the areas of international trade, investor-state ar-
bitration, media and defamation law, freedom of information, and administrative law. His
accomplishments have been recognized by Lexpert®, e Best Lawyers in Canada, the Ca-
nadian Who's Who, the International Who's Who of Trade and Customs Lawyers, Bench-
mark Canada, the Who's Who Legal: Canada and Chambers Global. He acted as counsel
for the Ottawa Citizen before the Supreme Court of Canada in the seminal cases of Cusson
v. Quan and Grant v. Torstar that created the "public interest responsible communication"
defence to libel actions in Canada. Dearden has also acted as counsel at all levels of courts
in Ontario, the Federal Courts, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and investor-
state arbitration under NAFTA. He served as Chair of a so wood lumber panel under
Chapter 19 of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and counsels on NAFTA and
WTO disputes, particularly intellectual property issues.
William C.
McDowell
Lenczner Slaght
Royce Smith
Griffi n LLP
Tel: (416) 865-2949
Fax: (416) 865-2850
Toronto
Ryder
Gilliland
Blake, Cassels &
Graydon LLP
Tel: (416) 863-5849
Fax: (416) 863-2653
Toronto
Paul B.
Schabas
Blake, Cassels &
Graydon LLP
Tel: (416) 863-4274
Fax: (416) 863-2653
Toronto
Richard G.
Dearden
Gowling Lafl eur
Henderson LLP
Tel: (613) 786-0135
Fax: (613) 788-3430
Ottawa
wmcdowell@litigate.com
ryder.gilliland@blakes.com
paul.schabas@blakes.com
richard.dearden@gowlings.com
