Top Canadian Lawyers

Justice Ian Nordheimer

Judge, Ontario Supreme Court, Toronto, Ont. Nordheimer's name is becoming synonymous with class action suits largely due to his judgment, which overturned Justice Edward Belobaba's decision in a high-profile case on carriage at the Barrick Gold class action suit. Nordheimer granted the losing coalition of law firms leave to appeal Belobaba's decision at the Divisional Court. He's likely the most influential Superior Court degree judge in the country using a decade on the seat and generates perhaps the greatest number of comprehensive judgments each year compared to any trial level judge. He's known for his quick wit and sharp decisions. In the last year, Nordheimer has made a significant splash in the legal community by upholding a professional field punishment for present LSUC bencher Joe Groia and releasing data that demonstrated Rob Ford was the topic of a police investigation.What the panel had to say: He is the kind of judge that must be about the Court of Appeal... or higher. A judge of absolute integrity.

Justice Murray Sinclair

Chairman, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Winnipeg, Man. A rare write-in candidate winner with this year's Best 25, Sinclair was among the record this past year, making headlines in June with the launch of this summary of the record of the TRC and 94 recommendations to remedy the cultural genocide of Canada's residential school system. Over six decades, Sinclair directed the TRC hearing the tales of more than 7,000 survivors of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse. Sinclair, who was the first aboriginal judge in Manitoba, was first appointed to the provincial court in which he became associate leader in 1988 and then raised to the Court of Queen's Bench in 2001. He had been co-commissioner of Manitoba's Aboriginal Justice Inquiry in 1988 and presided over a 2000 inquest into the deaths of 12 infants at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre. Sinclair hopes to finish the commission's complete report in the near future, following which he will decide whether to return to retire or court and advocate for indigenous rights full-time, best ideas.

Murray Klippenstein

Founder, Klippensteins Barristers & Solicitors, Toronto, Ont. Back to the second year on the Top 25, Klippenstein's continuing representation of 13 members of this native Mayan Q'eqchi' inhabitants from El Estor, Guatemala, continues to make waves. Three related suits are before the Ontario courts against Canadian mining firm Hudbay Minerals over the brutal killing of Adolfo Ich along with the gang rape of 11 women from Lote Ocho. In a precedent-setting judgment in July of 2013, an Ontario court determined that lawsuits can proceed to trial in Canada over the objections of Hudbay Minerals. At home he's also taking on the big men in a situation against Encana Corp. that's hard the regulation and practice of hydraulic fracking at Canada. What voters had to say: Kudos for standing up for, upholding Canadian values, wherever we operate.

Poonam Puri

Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto, Ont. Although Puri may not be involved from the biggest transactions of the year or many publicized litigation, her perform indelibly shapes the arguments and strategies of several lawyers. Her influence is represented by the eagerness of the Canadian legal community to listen to and react to her viewpoints and observations on the present state of the law and recommendations regarding what can be done in order to develop a more fair, just, and responsive legal system. She has directed research plans including significant company securities law initiatives in Canada (National Securities Regulator file) and has been recently appointed by the Ontario Minister of Finance Charles Sousa, as the expert adviser for its Credit Unions' legislative acts review. She's a respected and popular professor and highly recognized by professionals in the corporate-commercial pub. What Republicans needed to say: Outstanding talent. Unassuming trendsetter. Wise beyond her years. Will be an impact for several years to come on the corporate phase in Canada. Outstanding research and technical skills.

Pascal Paradis

Executive manager, Lawyers Without Borders Canada, Quebec City, Que. Back for his second time around the Best 25, Paradis is an unstoppable force and also a passionate advocate for human rights, especially for women and children. As a result of Paradis' initiative, the Quebec bar joined LWBC to behave as international counsel in favour of Raif Badawi, the Saudi blogger condemned to jail and flogging for his comments criticizing the regime. Since January 2015, Paradis and LWBC are leading a consortium of Canadian organizations working on a wide-range five-year job to boost justice. They aim to implement means of balancing and prevention for women victims of sexual abuse and other persons affected by the Malian armed conflict. He also speaks at many international conferences on human rights problems. What Republicans needed to say: He has left an extremely profitable position at a large national law firm to head LWBC for quite a compact paycheque since he followed his heart and his enthusiasm, click here.