FAQs

Below are the legal practice area definitions and regional variations used by Chambers to rank lawyers and law firms in the Canada Guide. 

For the avoidance of doubt, there is no requirement that the practice of a lawyer or law firm department be nationwide in scope in order to be recognised in a section that is designated “Nationwide – Canada”. 

Chambers considers a range of different law firms, departments and lawyers for recognition, provided that they demonstrate sufficient strength when practicing in the relevant area. In particularly prominent areas of law (e.g. corporate law, employment, litigation, real estate), we break our coverage down into separate categories for each province due to the multitude of firms and lawyers practicing in the area. All other sections are designated “Nationwide – Canada” and will recognise law firms and lawyers in the table no matter where they are based in Canada. 

Aboriginal Law 

The Aboriginal Law – Nationwide – Canada section is dedicated to recognising departments and lawyers who primarily advise on matters concerning indigenous peoples. Relevant work for these sections will focus on matters arising out of energy and mining projects, as well as other developments and operations that have a considerable impact upon the rights of indigenous peoples. All commercial, regulatory and contentious work concerning title rights, land use and other relevant issues may be thought of as relevant. 

Law firm departments and lawyers that focus on representing Indigenous Peoples are recognised in a separate table, Aboriginal Law - Representation of Indigenous Peoples - Nationwide Canada. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Aboriginal Law – Nationwide – Canada. Firms may also provide a separate submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Aboriginal Law - Representation of Indigenous Peoples - Nationwide Canada. 

Advertising & Marketing 

The Advertising & Marketing - Nationwide - Canada section covers corporate, contractual and regulatory compliance work involving advertising and marketing agencies, brand-holders and other clients in the advertising industry. Firms and lawyers will frequently advise on matters such as marketing strategies, sponsorship agreements, product review and misleading advertising issues, in relation to both physical packaging and labelling, as well as e-commerce and online consumer protection. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for these sections. 

Agribusiness 

The Agribusiness – Nationwide – Canada section is dedicated to recognising departments and lawyers who primarily advise on matters concerning agricultural projects. Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees that covers all evidence the firm wishes to provide in support of recognition in the Agriculture & Food Products section and/or the Forestry section. 

Firms recognised in the Agribusiness: Agriculture & Food Products will be involved in all legal work that stems from the start of the supply chain, principally farming products. Work concerning companies that produce the food and beverage products at the consumer end of the supply chain is more appropriately relevant to our Retail – Nationwide – Canada section. Relevant work includes transactional, regulatory and litigation matters. 

The Agribusiness: Forestry section recognises lawyers and departments focusing on a range of legal issues related to the forest industry in Canada. Relevant work includes, but is not limited to, the drafting and negotiation of forestry-specific documentation such as fibre supply agreements and harvesting contracts, commercial and contentious issues surrounding log scaling and stumpage, and M&A transactions concerning forestry assets and business.  

Banking & Finance 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 25 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees that covers all evidence the firm wishes to provide in support of recognition in the Banking & Finance section and/or the Banking & Finance: Financial Services Regulation table. 

Business & Human Rights Law 

The Business & Human Rights Law - Nationwide – Canada section recognises Law firm departments and individual lawyers with a substantial practice assisting both crown corporations and private clients with all matters pertaining to human rights with the context of business operations. Work is generally focused on shaping regulations in the context of national and international obligations and the provision of advice on human rights obligations stemming from commercial arrangements. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for these sections. 

Cannabis Law 

This section encompasses the full spectrum of work involving companies in the cannabis industry. Ranked firms and lawyers will show strong ties to the sector. Types of work may include, but are not restricted to; M&A and financings; intellectual property for cannabis-based products and medicines; and regulatory compliance and litigation. For the purposes of this section, work concerning other psychedelics is also considered relevant. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for these sections. 

Capital Markets 

Firm departments are recognised broadly for their Capital Markets expertise in the Capital Markets – Nationwide – Canada table, whereas individual lawyers are ranked in either the Capital Markets: Debt & Equity or Capital Markets: Securitisation table. Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees that covers all Capital Markets tables. 

Debt & Equity covers the full range of matters relating to the issuance of investment-grade debt and raising of equity capital. Debt Capital Markets work covers the following transactions: the following transactions: investment grade debt offerings (standalone bond issues; MTN programs, Commercial Paper programmes); equity-linked offerings (regulatory capital, convertibles and exchangeable offerings) and High Yield debt offerings. Equity Capital Markets includes advice on equity offerings transactions such as: Initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, right offerings; capital increases; CDR/GDR offerings; accelerated bookbuilds; block trades. 

Securitization covers the entire range asset classes, including (among others): Commercial loans; derivatives exposure; bonds and corporate debt; project cash flows; trade receivables; credit card and trade receivables; commercial and residential mortgages; life insurance and annuities; auto loans; CDOs (both cash and synthetic) and CLOs. 

Charities/Non-profits 

The Charities – Nationwide – Canada section ranks law firms and lawyers who advise third sector clients on all types of contentious and non-contentious matters, ranging from sector-specific advice on constitutional and governance issues or public benefit requirements, to more general advice on corporate, property, employment and tax issues. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for these sections. 

Competition/Antitrust 

The Competition/Antitrust – Nationwide – Canada section covers the body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behaviour (monopoly) and unfair business practices. This includes practices that hurt business, consumers, or both, or that generally violate standards of ethical behaviour. Antitrust litigation and M&A-related competition work, such as merger control, are also covered by this section.

Construction 

The Construction – Nationwide – Canada section covers legal advice provided to a range of industry clients, including both suppliers, such as developers, contractors, engineers and architects, and purchasers employing these types of companies. Work covered includes non-contentious matters, such as contract negotiations and procurement strategy, and contentious matters, including claims arising from defects, delays and terminated contracts. Firms will advise on all types of developments, from single commercial blocks to multi-building residential developments. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for these sections. 

Corporate/Commercial 

Corporate sections in Chambers Canada cover an array of corporate transactions, including company acquisitions, dispositions and related financing arrangements, capitalisations, entity selection and formation, operating and partnership agreements, securities and governance matters. 

These sections also cover those transactions designed to help restructuring within companies and their subsidiaries by change of ownership. Priority is placed on primary representatives, those acting for buyers and sellers, whilst those acting for financial advisers, underwriters and the banks financing such transactions are also considered. 

In Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebéc, firms submit up to 20 work highlights and 30 referees to the Corporate/Commercial section for that province, in support of recognition for lawyers and departments based in that province. Firms and lawyers will then either be recognised generally for their corporate expertise, or placed into a “Corporate/Commercial: Highly Regarded” or “Corporate/Commercial: The Elite” table, depending on the province (“The Elite” tables indicate that the work is generally above $500 million, whereas work for those in a “Highly regarded” table is generally under $500 million). 

Corporate lawyers and departments based in all other provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), Northern Canada and Arctic (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) should include evidence of their practice in a submission to “General Business Law” for the relevant region. 

Firms that either evidence particular strength in corporate matters across a number of provinces, or that handle significant work that spans the entire nation, will be considered for a department ranking in the Corporate/M&A – Nationwide – Canada section. Firms may submit a submission document of up to 20 work highlights for this section, but no referees (commentary for the section is sourced from the provincial Corporate sections). 

Crime 

This section focuses on serious crime, including the illegal drugs trade, assault, sexual offences, terrorism and homicide. It covers work at all levels, from initial police dealings and high street advisory matters all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. 

Relevant disputes include those at all levels of provincial and federal court, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. The subject of these disputes will vary considerably, including, but not limited to, product liability, privacy, antitrust, securities, competition, price-fixing, consumer protection and employment issues. 

Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Plaintiff) 

Chambers Canada recognises both law firm departments and lawyers demonstrating considerable strength in pursuing class action disputes on behalf of a class of plaintiffs. Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees covering all class action plaintiff matters.  

Relevant disputes include those at all levels of provincial and federal court, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. The subject of these disputes will vary considerably, including, but not limited to, product liability, privacy, antitrust, securities, competition, price-fixing, consumer protection and employment issues. 

Employment & Labour 

Employment & Labour sections in Chambers Canada recognise a broad array of work. Relevant employment work includes litigation related to sex, race, age and national origin discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and employment-related restrictive covenants. These sections also cover non-contentious matters relating to day-to-day business issues as well as workforce restructuring, and employment issues related to mergers and takeovers. Lawyers also advise on the writing of policy handbooks for major corporates and HR training. 

Relevant labour work includes assisting corporate clients with collective bargaining negotiations, strike avoidance and proceedings before courts, arbitration panels and human rights tribunals, as well as both provincial and national labour relations boards. The sections also cover wage and hour class and collective actions, as well as occupational health and safety (OHS) issues. 

In Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebéc, Chambers Canada recognises both law firm departments and individual lawyers with experience representing corporate clients in employment and labour matters. For each province, firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees. 

Lawyers and departments based in all other provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), Northern Canada and Arctic (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) should include evidence of their employment practice in a submission to “General Business Law” for the relevant region. 

Firms that either evidence particular strength in employment matters across a number of provinces, or that handle significant work that spans the entire nation, will be considered for a department ranking in the Employment – Nationwide – Canada section. Firms may submit a submission document of up to 20 work highlights for this section, but no referees (commentary for the section is sourced from the provincial Employment sections). 

Employment & Labour: Labour for Unions 

In Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebéc, Chambers Canada recognises both law firm departments and individual lawyers with experience representing unions in their dealings with corporates. For each province, firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees. 

Relevant work includes collective bargaining negotiations, strike avoidance and proceedings before courts, arbitration panels and human rights tribunals, as well as both provincial and national labour relations boards. The sections also cover wage and hour class and collective actions, as well as occupational health and safety (OHS) issues. 

Lawyers and departments based in all other provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), Northern Canada and Arctic (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) should include evidence of their union-focused practice in a submission to “General Business Law” for the relevant region. 

Energy & Natural Resources: Mining 

The Energy & Natural Resources: Mining – Nationwide – Canada section focuses on legal matters surrounding the exploration, development and production of minerals through mining operations. Lawyers and law firm departments are recognised in this section due to their expertise in a variety of matters in the sector, including M&A transactions, securities issues and project financing. 

Lawyers with a focus on operational and commercial matters in the mining sector, including option agreements, disclosure agreements and governance matters, are recognised in a separate Energy & Natural Resources: Mining: Development and Operations table. 

Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Energy & Natural Resources: Mining – Nationwide – Canada that covers all Mining tables. 

Energy: Oil & Gas 

The Energy: Oil & Gas – Nationwide – Canada section covers all upstream, midstream and downstream work in the sector. Firms are recognised for their broader strength in all work within the sector, while individual lawyers are either recognised in the Oil & Gas (Transactional) or Oil & Gas (Regulatory) table, according to their expertise. Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees that covers all Oil & Gas tables. 

Firms recognised in this area will demonstrate expertise in relation to exploration, infrastructure and pipeline developments, along with service contracts, royalties, licensing and operation agreements. It also includes M&A transactions, capital raisings and regulatory compliance. 

Energy: Power 

The Energy: Power – Nationwide – Canada section recognises firms and lawyers with expertise in matters relating to both conventional and renewable methods of energy generation, transmission and storage. Firms are recognised for their broader strength in all work within the sector, while individual lawyers are either recognised in the Power (Transactional) or Power (Regulatory) table, according to their expertise. Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees that covers all Power tables. 

Firms recognised in this area will demonstrate expertise in relation to the financing and development of energy projects, along with corporate transactions, facilities management, disputes and regulatory issues in the sector. Work on traditional power assets is covered in this section, such as nuclear power stations, gas-fired power stations (including combined cycle gas turbine plants), interconnector structures and battery storage facilities. Renewable and Alternative methods of power generation are also relevant to this section, including, but not limited to, both onshore and offshore windfarms, solar developments, biomass facilities and waste-to-energy plants. 

Environment 

The Environment – Nationwide – Canada section recognises lawyers and law firm departments that provide both litigation and advisory/transactional support to clients in relation to environmental matters. This includes general corporate issues (e.g., due diligence on mergers), the development of brownfield sites and pollution issues. 

Traditional environment work includes regulatory compliance, litigation and enforcement actions related to air, water, wetlands, waste and endangered species. We also recognise firms and lawyers for providing advice to corporate and financial clients on the environmental aspects of M&A, financings, securities offerings and other transactions, which involve due diligence and environmental insurance issues. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for this section. 

Franchising 

The Franchising – Nationwide – Canada section recognises lawyers and law firms acting for franchisees and franchisors and covers both transactional and contentious work. On the non-contentious side, this includes setting up a franchise arrangement, expanding a system and closing down arrangements. Disputes arising from the sector include the disputed closing down of a system and disagreements over contractual obligations. 

Gaming & Licensing 

The Gaming & Licensing – Nationwide – Canada section recognises lawyers and law firms that specialise in the gaming/gambling area. Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for these sections. 

Relevant work for this section includes licensing and permitting matters as well as wider issues related to traditional and online gambling activities, including casinos. Mergers and acquisitions, privacy, tax, platform development, anti-money laundering, contract negotiation and governance matters are all also considered within this section. 

General Business Law 

Chambers Canada includes General Business Law as an area available for submission for the following provinces: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island) and Northern Canada and Arctic (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon). 

Work should be included in these sections for the following areas of law: Corporate/Commercial, Employment & Labour, Litigation: General Commercial and Real Estate. Lawyers based in the aforementioned provinces that focus on other areas of law should instead submit to the appropriate Nationwide – Canada section. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for these sections. 

Healthcare 

The Healthcare – Nationwide – Canada section recognises lawyers and law firm departments with a practice that focuses on assisting clients in the healthcare sector. The rankings for both law firms and lawyers this section are split into two distinct tables, Healthcare: Contentious – Nationwide – Canada and Healthcare: Corporate/Commercial & Regulatory – Nationwide – Canada. Firms wishing to see recognition in either or both of these tables are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for this section. 

Relevant work for the Healthcare: Contentious section is focused on medical malpractice and negligence disputes, including disciplinary and misconduct reviews. Other relevant disputes include those involving breach of contract, data protection, insurance and labour relations issues impacting the sector. 

Relevant work for the Healthcare: Corporate/Commercial & Regulatory section includes procurement, commissioning, healthcare technology or financing work. Transactional work is primarily the sale and purchase of some or all of a health system or health insurance company. Competition issues, license issuance and assorted regulatory matters are also considered. 

Hospitality 

The Hospitality – Nationwide – Canada section recognises law firm departments and lawyers with a noteworthy focus on advising clients involved in the Leisure industry, ranging from hotels, restaurants and bars, to amusement parks and casinos. The key strands of legal advice relate to hotel operation and management agreements and other commercial issues, while real estate, employment and OSHA, franchising arrangements and financing mandates are also considered relevant. 

Immigration 

The Immigration – Nationwide – Canada section recognises lawyers and law firm departments from across Canada that focus on assisting clients with immigration matters. The section also features an Immigration: Personal section, which recognises lawyers who are adept at representing private individuals on personal immigration and human rights matters. Any firm seeking recognition in either or both tables is invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees that’s covers all immigration matters. 

Relevant work for the main Immigration table includes all aspects of inbound and outbound immigration, such as work permits and visas, workforce mobility, immigration aspects of M&A transactions, FSW and other legislative and regulatory changes, along with investigations and enforcement defence. 

Relevant work for the Immigration: Personal table includes permanent residency applications, family sponsorship, express entry and citizenship matters. 

Information Technology 

The Information Technology – Nationwide – Canada section focuses on the start-up, development and finance of technology-based businesses. Lawyers and law firms in this section advise start-up or later stage enterprises, venture capital investors, and other financial investors. Relevant work includes private and public capital raisings, joint venture agreements, share listings, corporate governance and M&A. Researchers also consider legal advice given to suppliers and purchasers in relation to significant IT supply and services contracts. Work in this sector may also include outsourcing, patent work, infrastructure projects and product launches, as well as litigation. 

Insurance 

The Insurance – Nationwide – Canada section recognises lawyers and law firm departments with a practice that focuses on assisting clients with insurance matters. The rankings for both law firms and lawyers this section are split into two distinct tables, Insurance: Dispute Resolution – Nationwide – Canada and Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory – Nationwide – Canada. Firms wishing to see recognition in either or both of these tables are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for this section. 

Relevant work for the Insurance: Dispute Resolution section includes coverage claims litigation, indemnity claims, broker`s negligence, D&O and E&O cases and both `facultative` and `treaty` reinsurance disputes. There is also an element of professional negligence issues arising from insurance disputes. 

Relevant work for the Insurance: Transactional & Regulatory section includes insurance aspects of M&A, capital raisings and demutualisations, as well as regulatory investigations, registration proceedings, compliance and governance matters.  

Intellectual Property 

Intellectual Property in Chambers Canada covers all strands of intellectual property, including, but not limited to, copyright, trademarks, patents and trade secrets. Chambers Canada recognises both law firm departments and individual lawyers in the Intellectual Property – Nationwide – Canada section, which covers all non-contentious work, and in the Intellectual Property: Litigation - Nationwide – Canada section, which covers all contentious work. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 25 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Intellectual Property – Nationwide - Canada that covers all evidence the firm wishes to provide in support of recognition in the Intellectual Property section and/or the Intellectual Property: Litigation section. 

International Trade/WTO 

The International Trade/WTO – Nationwide – Canada section covers classic trade cases such as anti-dumping, countervailing duties, export control and other customs/tariff classifications and regulatory work. Lawyers also advise on matters relating to NAFTA, WTO and GATT trade provisions and the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), an areas that overlaps to some extent with the white-collar crime field. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees. 

Investment Funds 

The Investment Funds – Nationwide – Canada section ranks those firms and individuals advising in the world of investment funds. Both law firms and lawyers are recognised in the Investment Funds table, while lawyers specialising in fund formation work are recognised separately in the Investment Funds: Fund Formation – Nationwide – Canada section. Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees that covers all evidence the firm wishes to provide in support of recognition in the Investment Funds section and/or the Investment Funds: Fund Formation table. 

Relevant work includes work on behalf of sponsors and institutional investors, including fund formation, fund-raising, investments, reorganisations, asset management regulatory matters and spin-outs. The capacity to provide regulatory and relevant tax advice is also considered. This section includes open-ended funds, closed-end funds, hedge funds, hybrid funds, funds of funds and infrastructure funds as well as ETFs. 

Work that relates to REITs should be provided in a separate submission to REITs – Nationwide – Canada. 

Life Sciences 

The Life Sciences – Nationwide – Canada section broadly focuses on the commercialisation of products across the life sciences sector. Firms are recognised for their broader strength in all work within the sector, while individual lawyers are either recognised in the Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial or Life Sciences: Regulatory/Compliance table, according to their expertise. Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Life Sciences – Nationwide – Canada that covers all Life Sciences tables. 

Relevant work for the Life Sciences: Regulatory/Compliance table includes assisting clients with M&A transactions, joint ventures, financings and commercial arrangements. 

Relevant work for the Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial table includes, but is not limited to, assisting with product regulations and licensing, advertising and marketing new products, obtaining regulatory clearance, providing representation in investigations and challenging decisions by the PMPRB.  

Litigation: Administrative & Public Law 

In British Columbia, Quebéc and Ontario, Chambers Canada recognises law firm departments and lawyers for their expertise in administrative & public law litigation.  

Relevant work for Litigation: Administrative & Public Law will primarily focus on public sector disputes. Judicial reviews, public inquiries, constitutional challenges, parliamentary investigations and other public body disputes are considered, as are broader disputes with public sector interest, including some municipal, privacy and extradition matters. 

Law firm departments and lawyers in Ontario are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Litigation: Administrative & Public Law – Ontario. 

Law firm departments and lawyers in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebéc should include evidence of their administrative & public law litigation practice within the permitted allowance of up to 20 work highlights and up to 30 referees uploaded to the Litigation: General Commercial section for that province. 

Administrative & public law litigation lawyers and departments based in all other provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), Northern Canada and Arctic (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) should include evidence of their practice in a submission to “General Business Law” for the relevant region. 

Litigation: General Commercial 

In Alberta, British Columbia, Quebéc and Ontario, Chambers Canada recognises law firm departments and lawyers for their expertise in commercial litigation.  

The primary focus of this section is corporate litigation and litigation arising out of commercial arrangements, including shareholder disputes, post-M&A disputes and contractual disputes. Less weight is given to civil litigation types which are covered elsewhere in the Canada Guide, including  banking litigation, civil fraud, insurance or restructuring/insolvency. 

Likewise, commercial litigation sections ascribe less weight is given to forms of commercial dispute resolution that are covered in other sections in the guide. Class action disputes, mediations and arbitration disputes should instead be included in a submission to the relevant section of the guide. 

Law firm departments and lawyers in Alberta, British Columbia, Quebéc and Ontario are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to the Litigation: General Commercial section for that province.  

Commercial litigation lawyers and departments based in all other provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), Northern Canada and Arctic (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) should include evidence of their practice in a submission to “General Business Law” for the relevant region. 

Firms that either evidence particular strength in commercial litigation matters across a number of provinces, or that handle significant work that spans the entire nation, will be considered for a department ranking in the Litigation: General Commercial – Nationwide – Canada section. Firms may submit a submission document of up to 20 work highlights for this section, but no referees (commentary for the section is sourced from the provincial Litigation: General Commercial sections). 

Litigation: Product Liability 

The Litigation: Product Liability – Nationwide – Canada section encompasses legal claims that allow an injured party to recover financial compensation from the manufacturer or seller of a product. This can include faulty brakes, contaminated food and medicine lacking appropriate label warnings. Law firms advise manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers and others who make the product available to the public. 

It also covers toxic tort, relating to the exposure to chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs or occupational hazards. Most pharmaceutical claims are mass tort cases, because drugs are consumed by thousands of people. Occupational toxic tort cases occur where industrial and other works have been exposed to toxic chemicals. Most of the law in this area has traditionally arisen from asbestos exposure. 

Law firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for the section. 

Litigation: Securities 

In Alberta, British Columbia, Quebéc and Ontario, Chambers Canada recognises law firm departments and lawyers for their expertise in securities litigation. 

Relevant work for the section includes securities class actions shareholder disputes, proceedings before provincial regulatory agencies and investigations, brokerage disputes and contested takeovers, as well as misrepresentation, oppression, breach of trust and insider trading cases. 

Law firm departments and lawyers in Ontario are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Litigation: Securities – Ontario. 

Law firm departments and lawyers in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebéc should include evidence of their securities litigation practice within the permitted allowance of up to 20 work highlights and up to 30 referees uploaded to the Litigation: General Commercial section for that province. 

Securities litigation lawyers and departments based in all other provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), Northern Canada and Arctic (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) should include evidence of their practice in a submission to “General Business Law” for the relevant region. 

Media & Entertainment 

The Media & Entertainment – Nationwide – Canada section recognises law firm departments and lawyers whose practice focuses on advising clients across all strands of media, including Advertising, Film & Television, Music, Publishing and Theatre. Law firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for the section. 

Relevant contentious work includes copyright and contractual disputes (either representing studios, producers or talent) trade mark disputes, antitrust issues and matters arising from film finance. Relevant non-contentious side work includes content distribution, development and licensing, production and financing issues and IP portfolio acquisition. Broader corporate and commercial mandates for media clients also have some relevance, as do employment and tax law issues. 

Regulatory matters concerning the CRTC are not considered relevant to this section and are instead considered in the Telecommunications & Broadcasting – Nationwide - Canada section. 

Pensions & Benefits 

The Pensions & Benefits – Nationwide – Canada section recognises lawyers and law firm departments across Canada for their expertise in both contentious and non-contentious pensions matters. Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for the section. 

Recognised firms and lawyers may act for employers, schemes, fund managers, trustees and the State. Relevant non-contentious work includes advice on RCAs, pension liabilities, debt restructuring, scheme mergers and demergers, investment management, funding negotiations and benefits issues arising from M&A. Relevant contentious work includes rectification claims, recoveries in the event of insolvency, determinations of liabilities, judicial review and allegations of wrongdoing. 

Privacy & Data Protection 

The Privacy & Data Protection – Nationwide – Canada section covers compliance with all aspects of the law surrounding the control of information by both public and private sector bodies. Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for the section. 

Relevant work includes advising on data processing initiatives and privacy impact assessments, drafting data protection agreements, governance reviews and responding to access to information requests under PIPEDA. Contentious matters, including privacy class action disputes and privacy regulator investigations, are also considered. 

Private Equity: Buyouts 

The Private Equity: Buyouts – Nationwide – Canada section focuses on the transactional aspect of private equity funds work. It takes into account LBO, MBO, going-private transactions, inbound buyouts, M&A, recapitalisation and restructuring-related matters at both the high-end and mid-market level. 

Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for the section. 

Projects: PPP & Infrastructure 

The Projects: PPP & Infrastructure – Nationwide – Canada section recognises lawyers and law firm departments that focus on the development, financing (limited and non-recourse), refinancing and acquisition/divestitures of large projects that arise from the capital intensive infrastructure and energy markets. Lawyers who focus on advising lenders are recognised separately in a Project Finance table. Firms are invited to submit one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Projects: PPP & Infrastructure – Nationwide – Canada that covers both the Projects: PPP & Infrastructure and Project Finance tables. 

Clients in this sector include sponsors, lenders, project originators and multilateral agencies and development banks. All forms of energy projects are considered within this section, including refineries, pipelines, LNG and petrochemical terminals, power plants and wind power, waste-to-energy and hydro-wave technology. These sections also recognise infrastructure matters such as toll road and bridge financing, rail and light rail systems, telecommunications infrastructure, water desalination plants, airports and ports, as well as state-sponsored programmes (PPP/PFI) such as hospitals, schools, housing and prisons. 

Public Procurement 

The Public Procurement – Nationwide – Canada section ranks law firms and lawyers who advise corporations and government bodies on the acquisition of goods or services by governmental entities. Areas covered may include education, healthcare, social housing, transport and infrastructure. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for this section. 

Real Estate 

Chambers Canada has distinct tables for Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebéc that recognise both law firm departments and lawyers who focus real estate matters. Firms and lawyers wishing to gain recognition in these tables are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees. 

Real estate lawyers and departments based in all other provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), Northern Canada and Arctic (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) should include evidence of their practice in a submission to “General Business Law” for the relevant region. 

Relevant real estate work covers corporate matters related to real estate, including M&A of large real estate holding companies, complex fund and REIT transactions, private equity and public securities. These real estate lawyers are distinct from pure corporate lawyers in that they typically come from a real estate background, have an understanding of the underlying asset and do aspects of `dirt law` real estate for their clients. 

Real estate finance matters are also included. Lawyers do not need to act exclusively for lenders but should have a healthy lender client base which gives them the volume of work in this field. Some of these lawyers will also handle aspects of complex debt capital markets - such as securitization - but the decision to include them in a real estate table will be based on their understanding of the underlying asset. 

Firms and lawyers that either evidence particular strength in real estate matters across a number of provinces, or that handle significant work that spans the entire nation, will be considered for recognition in the Real Estate – Nationwide – Canada section. Firms may submit a submission document of up to 20 work highlights for this section, but no referees (commentary for the section is sourced from the provincial Real Estate sections). 

Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use 

Chambers Canada has distinct tables for Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebéc that recognise both law firm departments and lawyers who focus on zoning and land use matters. Firms and lawyers wishing to gain recognition in these tables are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees. 

Zoning and land use lawyers and departments based in all other provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), Northern Canada and Arctic (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon) should include evidence of their practice in a submission to “General Business Law” for the relevant region. 

Relevant work for these sections will focus on advice provided to clients on zoning regulations and municipal restrictions used by some cities to control development within their borders. Both contentious and advisory work in relation to development agreements, site plan approval, subdivisions and expropriation are considered relevant. Easement and eminent domain (or condemnation) is also covered. 

REITs 

The REITs – Nationwide – Canada section recognises both lawyers and law firms that regularly provide structuring and transactional advice related to specialist real estate investment trusts. Specific work relevant to the section includes IPOs, going private transactions, joint ventures, M&As, REIT formation and investment work, restructurings, REIT tax issues, litigation, 144As that involve REITs, financings, Special Committee representations and UPREIT and DOWNREIT structure implementation. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for this section. 

Restructuring/Insolvency 

The Restructuring – Nationwide – Canada section covers work on behalf of creditors (including banks, financial investors and steering committees), insolvency  practitioners,  corporate  debtors  and  their officers/directors.  Work examples may include debt restructuring, distressed M&A activity, formal insolvency procedures, contingency planning, debtor advisory work, distressed creditor and equity investment and trading. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 25 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for this section. 

Retail 

The Retail - Nationwide – Canada section is an industry table ranking law firms that have developed a track record in serving the needs of large, national retailers. A retailer sells goods (not services) to consumers online or in person. Please note that any work for brands (drinks, toiletries etc.) should ideally be clearly linked to the sale of those brands to the consumer.  

Firms may also advise retailers on their real estate and planning needs, as well as logistics, franchising and technology matters. They may also demonstrate aptitude in assisting with a retailer's employment, tax and regulatory requirements, along with consumer protection issues and disputes. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for this section. 

Startups & Emerging Companies 

The Startups & Emerging Companies – Nationwide – Canada section covers work on behalf of emerging growth companies, start-ups, individual investors and VC funds. It does not include VC fund formation. Work might include early and late-stage venture financings, venture capital partnerships, regulatory compliance issues, other advisory work, and IPOs. Emerging markets of focus include technology, life sciences and clean technology. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for this section. 

Tax 

Tax - Nationwide – Canada covers a broad range of matters on both the contentious and non-contentious side. Non-contentious matters include M&A transactions and equity raising issues both domestically and abroad, as well as tax advisory work on behalf  of  corporate  clients. Financing  and  investment management are other key non-contentious tax issues. On the contentious side, disputes with public authorities in the form of litigation, appeals and tribunals are included. This section also takes into account transfer pricing. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 25 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Tax – Nationwide – Canada, that covers all evidence the firm wishes to provide in support of its non-contentious tax practice. Firms may also provide a separate submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees to Tax: Litigation – Nationwide – Canada, that covers all evidence the firm wishes to provide in support of its contentious tax practice. 

Referees and work highlights for lawyers specialising in Indirect Tax should be included in either the Tax – Nationwide – Canada or Tax: Litigation – Nationwide – Canada submissions, depending on whether the work is transactional or contentious.  

Telecommunications & Broadcasting 

The Telecommunications & Broadcasting – Nationwide - Canada section relates to matters concerning telecommunications companies and their activities, and covers contentious and non-contentious work spanning transactional, regulatory and competition matters concerning telecommunications companies. 

Clients may include telephone service providers, ISPs, wireless operators, TV and / or radio broadcasters and a range of government and regulatory bodies. Work frequently revolves around interactions with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Specific examples of relevant work include spectrum auctions, procurement agreements and M&A, as well as contractual disputes, investigations and compliance proceedings. 

Firms are invited to provide one submission document with up to 20 work highlights and one referee list with up to 30 referees for this section.