78 | LEXPERT December 2016 | www.lexpert.ca
PRODUCT LIABILITY
McNamara, William W., Torys LLP Toronto - (416) 865-7988 - wmcnamara@torys.com
Practice involves a broad range of commercial litigation matters, with emphasis on the defence of product
liability class actions, anti-trust law (price-fixing, bid-rigging, misleading advertising, illegal trade practices and
deceptive marketing practices), infrastructure and construction claims, banking law, insolvency, restructuring
and corporate disputes. Has appeared before the courts in Ontario, Québec, British Columbia and Alberta;
the Competition Tribunal; the Federal Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal; and numerous pri-
vate arbitral panels. Served as counsel to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Presence of War Criminals
in Canada between 1985 and 1987. Past President of CBA's National Construction Law Section and former
member of CBA's National Sections Council Executive. British Columbia, 2013. Québec, 1986. Ontario,
1983. BCL, 1985, McGill University. LLB, 1981, McGill University.
Thomson, Mary M., Gowling WLG Toronto - (416) 862-4644 - mary.thomson@gowlingwlg.com
One of Canada's pre-eminent litigators, Mary omson serves as head of Gowling WLG's national Ad-
vocacy Group and leader of its Product Liability Group. Over the past three decades, she has represented
clients in some of Canada's most high-profile legal matters, including class actions, mass tort litigation and
public inquiries. She has appeared in courts across Canada on matters involving product liability, particu-
larly pharma and medical devices, as well as in the areas of health law, consent law, privacy law and more.
omson has been repeatedly singled out as a top legal practitioner by leading legal directories. In 2013,
she was awarded the prestigious Lexpert® Zenith Award for extraordinary leadership in the legal profession.
In addition to her legal practice, omson has taught both trial advocacy and negotiation theory. For more
than a decade, she was an adjunct professor in the graduate department of the Faculty of Medicine at the
University of Toronto, instructing in ethical and legal issues related to health law. She currently serves as
Chair of Outward Bound International.
Kryworuk, Peter W., Lerners LLP London - (519) 640-6317 - pkryworuk@lerners.ca
Practices civil litigation, including personal injury and insurance law, medical negligence and professional
liability, class-action litigation, commercial litigation and appellate advocacy. Certified Specialist in Civil
Litigation by e Law Society of Upper Canada. Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Leader
of Lerners' Health Law Group. Author and presenter of numerous papers and articles on various legal topics.
Called to the Ontario Bar in 1984.
Pliszka, Peter J., Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP Toronto - (416) 868-3336 - ppliszka@fasken.com
Peter Pliszka has a national practice as trial and appellate counsel before courts across Canada, including the
SCC. He is the Chair of Fasken's National Product Liability Group, and is rated by numerous lawyer-rating
publications as one of the leading litigation lawyers in Canada. Pliszka's practice focuses on product liability
and class actions, with extensive involvement in cross-border litigation. Pliszka is regularly retained by US,
European and Asian companies sued in Canada and he works frequently with US counsel in parallel cross-
border lawsuits. His practice covers an array of products, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, food,
cars, aircra, industrial machines, sports equipment and various consumer products. He is very experienced
in international jurisdictional disputes. He has acted as counsel in leading cases on the law of jurisdiction over
foreign parties, including the landmark SCC decision that established a new and beneficial (for defendants)
test for determining when a Canadian court may assume jurisdiction over a claim against a foreign defendant.
