William (Bill)'s practice involves a broad range of commercial litigation matters, with emphasis on the defence of product liability class actions, anti-trust law (price fixing, bid-rigging, misleading advertising, illegal trade practices and deceptive marketing practices), infrastructure and construction claims, banking law, insolvency, restructuring and corporate disputes.
Bill has appeared before the courts in Ontario, Québec, British Columbia and Alberta; the Competition Tribunal; the Federal Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal; and numerous private arbitral panels. He is fluently bilingual in English and French, and completely at ease conducting trials or appellate advocacy in either language.
Representative Work
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Recognition
Chambers Canada—Recognized practitioner in litigation: products liability (2019-2020); leading lawyer in litigation: products liability (2021)
Benchmark Canada: The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys—Litigation Star (Commercial, Competition, Product Liability) (2018-2020)
LMG Life Sciences—Life Sciences Star in product liability (2020)
TheCanadian Legal Lexpert Directory—Litigation - product liability (2020); leading lawyer in class actions (2017-2019); litigation (2017-2018)
Who’s Who Legal—Leading Canadian lawyer in life sciences - product liability (2011-2021), regulatory (2016-2018)
Practical Law Company’s Cross-border Life Sciences Handbook (2007-2011)
Bill served as counsel to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Presence of War Criminals in Canada between 1985 and 1987. The Commission’s report led to the adoption of amendments to various Canadian laws, including the Criminal Code. These amendments have facilitated the prosecution of war criminals in Canada and, in at least two cases, led to the deportation of war criminals who gained entry into Canada illegally.
Memberships and Affiliations
William is a member of The Advocates’ Society and the DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar. He is also the past President of the National Construction Law Section and a former member of the National Sections Council Executive of the Canadian Bar Association.