Lauren Tomasich

Practice Areas

Lauren is a partner in the Osler Disputes group and a key contact for the Domestic and International Arbitration Group. Her commercial disputes practice has a particular focus on commercial arbitration, corporate and securities disputes and white-collar defence and enforcement proceedings. Lauren is also a member of the Osler Risk Management and Crisis Response Group, and has acted on teams conducting internal investigations, as well as in managing cross-border regulatory investigations involving parallel class actions.

Lauren has significant experience with domestic and international arbitrations under a variety of procedural rules, including International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and multiple ad hoc arbitrations. She has acted on numerous significant and highly confidential arbitrations in the construction, infrastructure, and mining and resource industries.

Lauren has a particular interest in leveraging arbitration procedure to have disputes adjudicated effectively with a view to strategic and business objectives. She designs bespoke dispute resolution provisions in commercial agreements to facilitate effective dispute resolution at the front-end of a deal, and crafts procedural rules in ad hoc arbitrations to deal with unique circumstances. For example, she has acted on matters where she has designed and negotiated unique arbitration procedures, including a highly confidential dispute arising from a private M&A transaction and an emergency arbitration for an online technology learning company. She is also very active in the arbitration community, sitting as the Chair of the Advocates’ Society Arbitration and Mediation practice group, on the board of the ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC) and is a member of the ICC Canada Arbitration Committee.

Lauren’s corporate and securities disputes practice involves expedited hearings before the Ontario Securities Commission, oppression claims and shareholder disputes. She also works closely with Osler’s Emerging and High Growth Companies group to provide advice to early stage and technology companies, and brings a business-minded view to efficient and effective dispute resolution and risk management at critical stages of companies’ growth.

Lauren has also represented various companies facing class actions in a variety of circumstances, including privacy and data breaches, claims of environmental property damages, securities, product liability and pensions and benefits. She has experience at all stages of a class proceeding, including certification motions, various procedural motions, a large common issues trial and appeal, and costs proceedings.

Lauren has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario, and has spent some time with Osler’s Calgary office, during which time she appeared before the Alberta courts. Lauren was previously seconded to the OSC, during which time she participated in a criminal insider trading trial.

In 2022 Lauren was recognized by Lexpert as one of Canada’s Rising Stars: Canada’s Leading Lawyers Under 40. The Lexpert Rising Stars awards recognize private practice and in-house lawyers who are emerging leaders in the Canadian legal community. Winners are selected by a distinguished advisory board, which considers the contributions that nominees make to their firm, company or department, as well as to the profession and larger community.

Career

Osgoode Hall Law School, LL.B.

University of Calgary, B.A. (with distinction)

Bar Admission: Ontario, 2008

Professional Memberships

Canadian Bar Association

Ontario Bar Association

Law Society of Ontario

The Advocates’ Society (Arbitration and Mediation Practice Group Chair)

ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC) Board member

American Bar Association

Young Canadian Arbitration Practitioners (YCAP)

Women’s White Collar Defense Association – Toronto Chapter Secretary

ROAP Americas, Delos Advanced Oral Advocacy Training Program in International Arbitration (Faculty)