In recent years, Lenczner Slaght has received several industry-leading awards to recognize the firm’s excellence in litigation, client service, innovation, and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

• Canadian Law Awards – Litigation & Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year (2020-2025)
• Canadian Lawyer – 5-Star Pro Bono Firm (2023-2025)
• Precedent Innovation Awards – Data-Driven Decisions: The SCC Leave Project (2021)
• Chambers Canada Awards – Litigation/Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year (2021)
• Best Lawyers in Canada – Administrative & Public Law Firm of the Year (2022)
• Canadian Law Awards – Mid-Market Deal of the Year (2021)
• Benchmark Canada Awards – Ontario Firm of the Year (2021)
• Precedent Innovation Awards – Commerciallist.com (2020)
• Canadian Law Awards – Canadian Boutique Law Firm of the Year (2020)
• Benchmark Canada Awards – Medical Defense/Health Firm of the Year (2019 & 2020)
• Precedent Innovation Awards – R&R Lounge (2019)
• Legal Marketing Association’s Eastern Canada Your Honor Awards – Client Services: ReferToHer (2019)
• Legal Marketing Association’s Your Honor Awards – Content Marketing: commerciallist.com (2019)
• Benchmark Canada Awards – Ontario Firm of the Year (2018)
• Life Sciences Awards – Canadian Patent Contentious Firm of the Year (2017)
• Life Sciences Awards – Canadian Firm to Watch (2017)
• Legal Marketing Association’s Your Honor Awards – Website, Analytics, and SEO: litigate.com (2017)
• Chambers Canada Awards – Dispute Resolution Team of the Year (2015)

Lenczner Slaght remains a leading force in dispute resolution, recognized alongside notable full-service, national, and international firms. Our litigation excellence continues to be highlighted in the following areas:

• Disputes (International & Cross-Border)
• Intellectual Property: Litigation 

In addition to the firm’s ranking, seven of our expert litigators have earned global recognition:

• Sana Halwani (Intellectual Property: Litigation)
• Jordana Sanft (Intellectual Property: Litigation)
• Monique Jilesen (Dispute Resolution)
• Lawrence E. Thacker (Dispute Resolution: Arbitration)
• Tom Curry (Dispute Resolution)
• Peter Griffin (Dispute Resolution)
• Ian Binnie (Dispute Resolution: Most In Demand Arbitrators)

The Chambers Global rankings reflect the result of comprehensive research and interviews with firm clients and legal professionals worldwide, who have recognized Lenczner Slaght and its litigators for their unparalleled trial expertise and unwavering commitment to delivering the best results for clients.

Lenczner Slaght is also recognized in Chambers Canada 2025 for its exceptional litigation expertise in the following areas:

• Construction (Nationwide – Canada)
• Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Defence) (Nationwide – Canada)
• Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada)
• Insurance: Dispute Resolution (Nationwide – Canada)
• Intellectual Property: Litigation (Nationwide – Canada)
• Litigation: General Commercial (Nationwide – Canada)
• Litigation: Administrative & Public Law (Ontario)
• Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
• Litigation: Securities (Ontario)

To view more details, click here.

About Chambers

Chambers and Partners, headquartered in London, UK, publishes guides to the legal profession in 185 jurisdictions throughout the world. They conduct in-depth research throughout the year on legal knowledge and experience, ability, effectiveness, and client service.

After extensive research and interviews with firm clients and legal professionals across Canada, Chambers Canada 2026 recognizes Lenczner Slaght’s litigation excellence in the following areas:

• Construction (Nationwide – Canada)
• Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Nationwide)
• Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Defence) (Nationwide – Canada)
• Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada)
• Insurance: Dispute Resolution (Nationwide – Canada)
• Intellectual Property: Litigation (Nationwide – Canada)
• Litigation: General Commercial (Nationwide – Canada)
• Litigation: Administrative & Public Law (Ontario)
• Litigation: General Commercial: The Elite (Ontario)
• Litigation: Securities (Ontario)

In addition to the firm’s rankings, 25 Lenczner Slaght lawyers are further recognized as top litigators in their respective fields.

• Jim Lepore – Intellectual Property: Litigation (Nationwide – Canada)
• Aoife Quinn – Employment & Labour (Ontario)
• Aaron Grossman – Construction (Nationwide – Canada)
• Brendan Morrison – Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada)
• Brian Kolenda – Litigation: Securities (Ontario)
• Andrew Moeser – Intellectual Property: Litigation (Nationwide – Canada)
• Paul-Erik Veel – Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Defence) (Nationwide – Canada); Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada)
• Matthew B. Lerner – Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
• Andrew Parley – Construction (Nationwide – Canada); Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Nationwide – Canada)
• Sana Halwani – Intellectual Property: Litigation (Nationwide – Canada)
• Jaan Lilles – Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada)
• Dena N. Varah – Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada)
• Rebecca Jones – Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada); Litigation: Administrative & Public Law (Ontario)
• Eli Lederman – Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario); Litigation: Securities (Ontario)
• Matthew Sammon – Construction (Nationwide – Canada); Employment & Labour (Ontario); Employment & Labour: Non-Unionised Employees (Ontario); Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada)
• Jordana Sanft – Intellectual Property: Litigation (Nationwide – Canada)
• Monique Jilesen – Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
• Nina Bombier – Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada); Insurance: Dispute Resolution (Nationwide – Canada)
• Mark Veneziano – Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada); Insurance: Dispute Resolution (Nationwide – Canada)
• Risa Kirshblum – Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada)
• Lawrence E. Thacker – Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Nationwide – Canada)
• William C. McDowell – Litigation: Administrative & Public Law (Ontario)
• Tom Curry – Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Defence) (Nationwide – Canada); Healthcare: Contentious (Nationwide – Canada); Litigation: Administrative & Public Law (Ontario); Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
• Peter Griffin – Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Defence) (Nationwide – Canada); Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
• Ian Binnie – Dispute Resolution: Most in Demand Arbitrators (Nationwide – Canada)

Peers and senior members of the legal profession across the country continue to recognize the depth and breadth of Canada’s leading litigation firm in the latest 2025 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. 

After a comprehensive survey, 35 of our expert litigators have been recognized with 126 rankings across 19 practice areas. Their exceptional advocacy, experience, and subject-matter expertise are why clients turn to them to solve their most complex legal problems.

The following Lenczner Slaght lawyers have been selected through peer surveys as leading practitioners in their field: Ian Binnie, Peter Griffin, Tom Curry, William C. McDowell, Lawrence E. Thacker, Risa Kirshblum, Cynthia L. Tape, Mark Veneziano, Scott Rollwagen, Nina Bombier, Monique Jilesen, Jordana Sanft, Matthew Sammon, Eli Lederman, Rebecca Jones, Colin Johnston, Dena N. Varah, Jaan Lilles, Sana Halwani, Andrew Parley, Matthew B. Lerner, Paul-Erik Veel, Andrew Moeser, Amanda Smallwood, Ian MacLeod, Brian Kolenda, Christopher Yung, Brendan F. Morrison, Aaron I. Grossman, Jonathan Chen, Andrea Wheeler, Meghan Bridges, Madison Robins, Margaret Robbins and Aoife Quinn.

Also in this directory, Lexpert has once again placed Lenczner Slaght at the centre of the Bull's Eye – its highest possible rating for a litigation practice.

Click here for the Lexpert® "Litigation – Toronto" Bull's-eye graphic.

Click here for the Lexpert® "Commercial Litigation – Toronto" Bull's-eye graphic.

Best Lawyers in Canada is an annual guide to the international legal profession.

Since the annual peer ratings were inaugurated in Canada in 2006, Lenczner Slaght has been recognized for the excellence of its practitioners in a wide range of areas.

The 2026 Best Lawyers in Canada guide recognizes the following Lenczner Slaght lawyers: Ian Binnie, David Doherty, Peter Griffin, Tom Curry, William C. McDowell, Lawrence E. Thacker, Risa M. Kirshblum, Cynthia L. Tape, Mark A. Veneziano, Scott Rollwagen, Nina Bombier, Monique Jilesen, Jordana Sanft, Eli S. Lederman, Matthew Sammon, Colin Johnston, Rebecca Jones, Sarah Millar, Jaan Lilles, Dena N. Varah, Sana Halwani, Matthew B. Lerner, Andrew Parley, Paul-Erik Veel, Andrew Moeser, Brian Kolenda, Amanda Smallwood, Ian MacLeod, Brendan F. Morrison, Christopher Yung, Aaron I. Grossman, Jonathan Chen, and Andrea Wheeler.

Further Meghan Bridges, Aoife Quinn, Margaret Robbins, Madison Robins, Corey McClary, Jonathan McDaniel, Jonathan D. Langley, Jim Lepore, Sean Lewis, Zachary Rosen, Bonnie Greenaway, Samantha Hale, Jessica Kras, Sahar Talebi, and Cassie Chaloux are recognized in the latest edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada.

Based on extensive research, client feedback, and interviews with leading lawyers, Lenczner Slaght is also featured for its expertise in Construction, Insurance, Insurance: Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, IP Litigation, Life Sciences, and Restructuring and Insolvency.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Hall of Fame

• Tom Curry
• Peter Griffin

Leading Partners

• Matthew B. Lerner
• Monique Jilesen

Next Generation Partner

• Brian Kolenda

Recommended Lawyer

• Eli Lederman

Legal 500 had this to say about our expert litigators:

Lenczner Slaght is a reference in the market for dispute resolution matters in Ontario, representing public and private companies, governments and regulators. Monique Jilesen leads the team, focusing on class actions, injunctions and insolvency matters, with practice co-head, Eli Lederman, handling franchise disputes, commercial contracts and securities litigation. Standout members of the team include Peter Griffin KC, who has represented clients in numerous trials, arbitrations and appeals, and Tom Curry is rated for his work on business disputes, judicial reviews and professional liability matters. Matthew Lerner (real estate disputes and partnership disputes) and Brian Kolenda (professional negligence and defamation) are other names to note.

CONSTRUCTION

Leading Partner:

• Andrew Parley 

Next Generation Partner:

• Aaron Grossman

Recommended Lawyer:

• Matthew Sammon

Toronto dispute resolution boutique Lenczner Slaght houses a growing contentious construction practice. The group acts for an impressive roster of construction companies, developers, project owners and insurers on the full range of judicial and arbitral proceedings, with a strong record in claims related to large-scale transport projects. Andrew Parley, who is also a qualified engineer, anchors a team that includes high-profile trial lawyer Matthew Sammon and newly promoted partner (January 2025), Aaron Grossman.

INSURANCE & INSURANCE: DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Leading Partner

• Nina Bombier – Insurance, Insurance: Dispute Resolution

Next Generation Partner

• Aoife Quinn – Insurance: Dispute Resolution

Recommended Lawyer

• Mark Veneziano – Insurance, Insurance: Dispute Resolution

Lenczner Slaght centres its Toronto-based insurance practice on representing clients in policy, coverage and defence mandates. The firm’s bench has strong expertise in insurance matters and before all levels of courts. The team has litigated cases among and against insurers involving a wide array of issues, such as trigger of coverage, covered and excluded claims, obligations, allocation of defence and indemnity. The firm is noted for its work in the reinsurance space, class actions, director’s and officer’s liability, environmental property damage claims and professional negligence claims. Practice head Nina Bombier is an insurance expert who handles complex insurance cases involving coverage issues, product liability claims and environmental contamination cases. Mark Veneziano is experienced in insurance and commercial litigation, while Aoife Quinn is a civil litigation specialist.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LITIGATION

Leading Lawyers

• Sana Halwani – Intellectual Property, IP Litigation
• Jordana Sanft – Intellectual Property, IP Litigation

Recommended Lawyers

• Martin Brandsma – IP Litigation
• Andrew Moeser – Intellectual Property, IP Litigation

Forming a key pillar of the firm’s dominant dispute resolution offering, Lenczner Slaght’s IP group is distinguished by its formidable track record in patent, trademark and copyright proceedings before all court levels. Acting for a diverse roster of life sciences, media and entertainment, technology and other IP-rich companies, the team routinely represents domestic and international clients in sophisticated multi-jurisdictional litigation. High-profile litigators Sana Halwani and Jordana Sanft co-chair the practice… Andrew Moeser has in-depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical and biologics, information technology, and oil and gas industries, and Martin Brandsma was promoted to partner in January 2025.

LIFE SCIENCES

Recommended Lawyers

• Sana Halwani
• Jordana Sanft

Lenczner Slaght is a specialized litigation firm that utilizes its experience in IP litigation to advise on life sciences disputes. The team is adept at handling patent trials, representing clients in proceedings before the Federal Courts, the courts of Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada. The team also handles cross-border IP litigation involving the US, advising American companies on Canadian laws and regulations. The firm advises domestic and international clients from pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, IT, software, internet and manufacturing sectors. Sana Halwani leads the team and is an expert in cross-border IP disputes, while co-head Jordana Sanft focuses on patent impeachment and infringement actions under the Patented Medicine (Notice of Compliance) Regulations.

INSOLVENCY AND RESTRUCTURING

Recommended Lawyers

• Matthew B. Lerner
• Monique Jilesen

Lenczner Slaght are litigation specialists who are well-versed in handling commercial reorganizations for small, medium and large businesses. The firm has experience representing clients in all levels of courts up to the Supreme Court level and acts for creditors, debtors and court-appointed officers. Monique Jilesen co-leads the team and is a leading litigator who has vast experience counselling creditors and receivers in multi-party restructuring and insolvency proceedings. Co-head of the team, Matthew Lerner is an expert in commercial litigation and is adept at handling shareholder or partnership disputes alongside insolvency proceedings.

About Legal 500

The Legal 500 rankings are based on a series of criteria that recognize the practice area teams who provide the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. The research is based on feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law firms and interviews with leading private practice lawyers, and a team of researchers who have unrivalled experience in the legal market.

Lenczner Slaght continues to receive worldwide recognition for its intellectual property expertise and is proud to once again, earn the Silver Tier in the 2025 edition of IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals.

After a comprehensive qualitative research process that included peer and client feedback, the directory identifies world-class firms and individuals who are deemed outstanding in patent litigation based on their depth of expertise, market presence and quality of work.

In addition to the firm’s ranking, five of our expert litigators are recognized for their in-depth knowledge and extensive trial experience in patent matters.

Martin Brandsma
Andrew Moeser
Sana Halwani
Jordana Sanft
Cynthia Tape

About IAM Patent 1000

Over five months, IAM conducted in the region of 1,800 interviews with numerous lawyers, patent lawyers and in-house counsel to gather market intelligence on the leading players in the field. Individuals qualify for a listing in the IAM Patent 1000 when they receive sufficient positive feedback from peers and clients with knowledge of their practice and the market within which they operate. Only those individuals identified by market sources for their exceptional skill sets and profound insights into patent matters feature in the IAM Patent 1000.

Managing Intellectual Property’s 2024 IP STARS handbook, a leading guide to the world’s foremost IP firms and practitioners, continues to recognize Sana Halwani and Jordana Sanft.

Lenczner Slaght has also been recognized as one of Canada’s most notable patent contentious firms.

About Managing Intellectual Property’s IP STARS

IP STARS rankings are based on rigorous and extensive research carried out over a six-month period, starting from September each year. This includes a comprehensive and authoritative survey of the IP legal market. Research analysts from all over the world gather information from firms and their clients through interviews, emails and online surveys, as well as from existing public data. Rankings are determined by assessing the strength of the firm’s IP team, workload, outcomes achieved for clients and track record. Judgments about which firms to include in the rankings, and which tier and practice area they should be in, take account of all this information.

After an extensive survey of in-house counsel and clients from across Canada, Canadian Lawyer Magazine has once again named Lenczner Slaght one of Canada's Top 10 Civil Litigation Boutiques in 2020.

The Lenczner Slaght lawyers that are Most Frequently Recommended for their cross-border expertise in Dispute Resolution include:

• Monique Jilesen
• Risa M. Kirshblum
• Tom Curry
• Peter Griffin

Following an in-depth peer review process across the legal profession, 26 Lenczner Slaght lawyers have been recognized in the 2025 Lexpert Special Edition: Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers guide for their extensive courtroom experience and subject-matter expertise.

The following expert litigators are recognized:

• Aoife Quinn
• Madison Robins
• Margaret Robbins
• Jonathan Chen
• Brendan F. Morrison
• Christopher Yung
• Brian Kolenda
• Paul-Erik Veel
• Matthew B. Lerner
• Andrew Parley
• Sana Halwani
• Jaan Lilles
• Dena N. Varah
• Rebecca Jones
• Eli S. Lederman
• Matthew Sammon
• Jordana Sanft
• Monique Jilesen
• Nina Bombier
• Mark Veneziano
• Scott Rollwagen
• Lawrence E. Thacker
• William C. McDowell
• Tom Curry
• Peter Griffin
• Ian Binnie

About Lexpert Special Edition: Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers

This special year-end edition is published as a supplement to the December Report on Business magazine distributed with The Globe and Mail. The rankings are compiled from Lexpert’s annual peer review survey that determines Canada’s leading lawyers in over 60 practice areas, plus personal interviews with senior members of the legal profession.

The 2025 edition of Lexpert's Leading 500 Cross-Border Lawyers: A Guide to Doing Business in Canada continues to recognize Lenczner Slaght as the #1 firm in Toronto for Litigation and Commercial Litigation.

Click here for the Lexpert® "Litigation – Toronto" Bull's-eye graphic.

Click here for the Lexpert® "Commercial Litigation – Toronto" Bull's-eye graphic.

Based on extensive peer surveys, the bull's-eye charts are created using a complex point system that identifies lawyers who have been consistently cited as leaders in their areas of practice. Lenczner Slaght has held the centre position since the bull's-eye’s introduction in 2001.

"We are honoured to be consistently recognized by our peers as Canada’s leading litigation firm,” says Monique Jilesen, Managing Partner of Lenczner Slaght. “For 24 years, we have proudly remained at the centre of the Lexpert Bull’s Eye. This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence in advocacy through the training and development of top litigators dedicated to achieving the best results for our clients.”

The following 10 expert litigators are further recognized for their litigation excellence in the 2025 Lexpert 500 Guide.

• Brendan Morrison – Corporate Commercial Litigation
• Brian Kolenda – Corporate Commercial Litigation
• Paul-Erik Veel – Corporate Commercial Litigation
• Sana Halwani – Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Litigation
• Eli S. Lederman – Corporate Commercial Litigation
• Jordana Sanft – Intellectual Property
• Monique Jilesen – Corporate Commercial Litigation, Directors’ & Officers’ Liability Litigation
• Tom Curry – Securities Litigation
• Peter Griffin – Securities Litigation
• Ian Binnie –  Arbitration; Corporate Commercial Litigation

About Lexpert's Leading 500 Cross-Border Lawyers: A Guide to Doing Business in Canada

The rankings in this guide are derived from the results of a comprehensive annual Lexpert peer review surveys with law firm leaders and peers of the legal profession. Published since 1997, Lexpert's Leading 500 Cross-Border Lawyers: A Guide to Doing Business in Canada (formerly the Lexpert/ALM 500) identifies the most frequently recommended lawyers across Canada in 30+ practice areas. It is used as a resource for American and Canadian in-house counsel and law firms in need of Canadian legal expertise.

Endowed with what peers agree is “the deepest litigation talent roster in Toronto,” Lenczner Slaght commands brand-name respect among its Bay Street peers. Recognized in the 2025 Benchmark Canada rankings are the following leading litigators:

Top 100 Women in Litigation, Litigation Star: Monique Jilesen, Sana Halwani

Litigation Star: Tom Curry, William C. McDowell, Lawrence E. Thacker, Mark Veneziano, Eli S. Lederman, Matthew Sammon, Rebecca Jones, Jaan Lilles, Dena N. Varah, Matthew B. Lerner, Andrew Parley, Paul-Erik Veel

In the latest edition of Lexology Index, Lenczner Slaght is proud to be recognized in the Litigation chapter.

The following Lenczner Slaght lawyers are recognized:

• Brian Kolenda – Commercial Litigation
• Sana Halwani – Life Sciences, Patents
• Sarah Millar – E-Discovery Practitioners, Commercial Litigation: E-Discovery Lawyers
• Matthew Sammon – Commercial Litigation
• Jordana Sanft – Life Sciences, Patents Agents, Patents
• Monique Jilesen – Commercial Litigation
• Cynthia Type – Patents
• William C. McDowell – Commercial Litigation
• Tom Curry – Arbitration, Commercial Litigation
• Peter Griffin – Commercial Litigation, Restructuring & Insolvency
• Ian Binnie – Arbitration, Commercial Litigation

About Lexology Index: Canada

Lexology Index: Canada is an annually published directory of leading Canadian lawyers across 35 areas of business law, based on comprehensive peer review surveys and interviews with general counsel and lawyers in private practice.