WWW.LEXPERT.CA
|
2016
|
LEXPERT 27
Lowenstein, Larry P. Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
(416) 862-6454 llowenstein@osler.com
Mr. Lowenstein focuses on complex litigation, including corporate governance
issues, class actions, securities regulatory matters, dealership disputes and
environmental liability. Frequent conference presenter and editor of Corpo-
rate Litigation.
Lisus, Jonathan C. Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
(416) 598-7873 jlisus@counsel-toronto.com
Mr. Lisus focuses on commercial disputes as trial and appellate counsel in
courts across the country including the Supreme Court. He is a Fellow of the
ACTL, IATL and a member of the Chief Justice of Ontario's Advisory Committee
on Professionalism.
Linder, QC, Peter T. Peacock Linder Halt & Mack LLP
(403) 296-2282 plinder@plhlaw.ca
Mr. Linder, QC, is a founding partner of Calgary's premier litigation boutique,
Peacock Linder alt & Mack LLP. Recognized as one of the top 25 trial lawyers
in Canada and Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Advocacy, with leading rankings
from Chambers and Partners Canada, Benchmark, Lexpert, Best Lawyers
and Who's Who Legal and peer rated for High Professional Achievement by
Martindale-Hubbell.
Lichty, Mark G. Blaney McMurtry LLP
(416) 593-3961 mlichty@blaney.com
A leader in Blaney McMurtry's Litigation & Advocacy practice, Mr. Lichty is a
recognized expert and "go-to" counsel for insurance coverage and reinsur-
ance matters. His practice focuses on commercial general liability and com-
mercial property policies. He is regularly sought out by insurers, both nation-
ally and internationally, for his experience with complex coverage claims.
Leon, LSM, Jeffrey S. Bennett Jones LLP
(416) 777-7472 leonj@bennettjones.com
Mr. Leon, trial lawyer & co-head Bennett Jones's litigation department, pro-
vides strategic advice & representation in business disputes before courts
and in arbitrations: commercial, corporate, securities, product liability, pro-
fessional negligence, class proceedings. Treasurer, ACTL; Fellow, IATL; Past
President, Advocates' Society. Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation, LSUC.
Lenz, QC, Kenneth T. Bennett Jones LLP
(403) 298-3317 lenzk@bennettjones.com
Mr. Lenz is the co-head of the firm's litigation department and has significant
experience in special situations involving corporate and shareholder dis-
putes, class proceedings, claims against directors and officers, and manag-
ing corporate reorganization and the realization of assets. He is also widely
recognized as an expert in corporate insolvency issues.
LEXPERT-RANKED LAWYERS
beginning, you may be further behind when
you consider your legal fees and internal costs
of the litigation over several years. "Your deci-
sion, with the help of your lawyers, has to make
good business sense whatever the legal merits of
your position."
Designate an internal manager. One of
the best ways to manage the cost of litigation is to
have the client do as much work as they can, says
Bill Kenny, a litigator and partner in the Edmon-
ton and Calgary offices of Miller omson LLP.
Most clients are sophisticated; they have the
capability, says Kenny, to designate an internal
project manager — and that person "basically
owns the litigation from the client side." Kenny
says the lead person on the client side has access
to all the documents that are produced and, fur-
ther, knows the company's internal systems bet-
ter than external counsel. "So when there are un-
dertakings that are given in the discovery, the ex-
ternal lawyer doesn't have to try and dig out the
information one nugget at a time." is kind of
scenario, he adds, makes the litigation a lot more
cost effective, and has the potential to reduce the
number of external lawyers involved in the file.
Internalize reporting. Laurent Nahmiash, a
senior partner and co-chair of the Canadian class
action group at Dentons Canada LLP, feels one
of the most useful steps he's undertaken, with
certain clients, is getting their legal departments
more involved in the file.
One area that can be very cost-intensive is
the reporting structure to management and the
board, especially when you're dealing with high-
end litigation. "So having the reporting function
done at a high hourly rate by external counsel can
become very significant over the life of the file,"
he says. In contrast, "if you get your legal coun-
sel actively involved and they assume the report-
ing function, you are already saving a significant
budgetary item."
At the same time, by having your legal depart-
ment play a significant role in the litigation, says
Nahmiash, you're working as partners from the
start to the finish of the file. He's had some files
where the in-house counsel undertakes docu-
ment review and some research. In turn, the law
firm "focuses on the key strategic and specialty
areas of the file — the areas for which the client
wants to pay the law firm."
He suggests if clients "identify the areas that
can be delegated to the in-house law department
