50 | LEXPERT • December 2017 | www.lexpert.ca/usguide-litigation/
DEFAMATION AND MEDIA
ONTARIO: TORONTO
OTTAWA
DEFAMATION AND MEDIA
Binnie, Ian, CC, QC, Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP Toronto - (416) 865-3737 - ibinnie@litigate.com
Counsel. One of Canada's most respected advocates, the Honorable Ian Binnie served for nearly 14 years as
a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. He has authored more than 170 opinions, including on landmark
cases involving issues of patent interpretation and validity, protection of trade-marks, media law, commercial
disputes, punitive damages, expert evidence and many aspects of constitutional, criminal and administrative
law. Binnie draws not only on his judicial insights, but also his wealth of courtroom experience acquired over
30 years as one of Canada's top litigators. Since returning to private practice, Binnie is regularly consulted by
governments and private parties on a range of private and public law issues, and carries on an active practice
as a domestic and international arbitrator.
Dearden, Richard G., Gowling WLG Ottawa - (613) 786-0135 - richard.dearden@gowlingwlg.com
Rick Dearden, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, is a senior litigation partner at Gowling
WLG, practicing primarily in the areas of international trade, investor-state arbitration, media and
defamation law, freedom of information, and administrative law. His accomplishments are recognized by
Lexpert®, e Best Lawyers in Canada, Who's Who Legal: Trade and Customs, Benchmark Canada, Who's
Who Legal: Canada, Chambers 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" defense to libel actions. Dearden has also acted as
counsel at all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Courts, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and
investor-state arbitration tribunals under NAFTA. He served as Chair of a sowood lumber panel under
Chapter 19 of the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement and provides strategic advice on NAFTA and WTO
disputes, particularly intellectual property matters.
McDowell, William C., Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP Toronto - (416) 865-2949
- wmcdowell@litigate.com
Partner. Will McDowell's wide-ranging practice has included many landmark cases,
most notably in the Supreme Court of Canada. He appears in commercial litigation, libel and public law
cases. From 2005 to 2008, he was Canada's Associate Deputy Minister of Justice, with responsibility
for civil litigation, national security and issues involving central agencies. In August 2017, he was named
Chief Commission Counsel to the Gillese Inquiry. He acted for the Chief of Police of Toronto, the Chief
Adjudicator of the Independent Assessment Process of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and as
amicus to the Superior Court in relation to Aboriginal land occupations in Brantford. McDowell's work
in resolving the landmark Arar v. Canada case was honored by a Department of Justice National Award.
McDowell is an elected Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Binnie, Ian, CC, QC, Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP
Downard, Peter A., Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Gilliland, Ryder, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Jacobsen, Peter M., Bersenas Jacobsen Chouest
Thomson Blackburn LLP
McDowell, William C., Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP
Porter, Julian H., QC, Julian H. Porter Q.C., Barrister & Solicitor
Robertson, Stuart M., O'Donnell, Robertson & Partners
Rogers, Brian MacLeod, Brian MacLeod Rogers,
Barrister & Solicitor
Schabas, Paul B., Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
