Orestes Pasparakis

Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

Toronto
Canada
T:+1 416 216 4815
Toronto
Canada
T:+1 416 216 4815
Orestes Pasparakis

Orestes Pasparakis

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Biography

"Go-to lawyer on any bet-the-company litigation file"  - Chambers and Partners.

Orestes Pasparakis is co-chair of our Canadian special situations team, which encompasses Canada’s leading shareholder activist practice, sophisticated securities litigation and complex reorganization transactions. Mr. Pasparakis has led and won some of Canada's most contentious and complex corporate disputes.

Mr. Pasparakis focuses on high-stakes disputes that often proceed in “real time” or on an urgent basis. His approach is practical and results-oriented. Many of his cases are international, involving cross-border issues.

Mr. Pasparakis has specific experience with complex commercial litigation, corporate restructurings, insolvency proceedings, injunctions and patent disputes. Details of his experience are found under “representative experience.” 

Mr. Pasparakis has appeared as lead counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada and courts at all levels in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick and the federal courts, the Ontario Securities Commission, the Competition Tribunal and the Tax Court of Canada, as well as numerous arbitral and other administrative tribunals.

Professional experience

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LL.B., University of Toronto, 1993
B.A. (Hons.), University of British Columbia, 1990

  • Ontario 1995
  • Complex Litigation: Porter Airlines re: Air Canada; Energy Fundamentals re: Veresen; Nereus Financial re: Coventree Investments; PricewaterhouseCoopers re: Hemosol
  • Securities Litigation: Eco-Oro re: Harrington; Canadian Oil Sands re: Suncor; Tuckamore Capital re: Access; KEYreit takeover defence re: Huntingdon; TELUS’s contested arrangement re: Mason Capital
  • Proxy Contests: Counsel in over 40 proxy battles, including: Counsel to Agrium re: JANA Partners; Counsel to Telus re: Mason Capital; Counsel to Viterra re: AIMCo; Counsel to Westface Capital re: Maple Leaf Foods; Counsel to the dissidents re: Polar Star Mining
  • Restructurings: Sears Canada; Pacific Energy; Cash Store; Mobilicity; Aero Inventory; Jaguar Mines; W.R. Grace & Co.; Jetsgo Corporation; The Loewen Group Inc., Tuckamore Capital; Cyberplex; Kingsway Financial
  • Creditors’ Rights: Bank of America re: Circuit City Stores; GE Canada re: Atlantic Yarns; GMAC Commercial Credit re: T.C.T. Logistics; Greyhawk fraud
  • Corporate Injunctions: Photon; Partners REIT; Bioniche; Intrinsyc; Maudore Minerals; Bennett Environmental; URSA Major Minerals; Videotron Telecom Limited
  • Judicial Review: Innovative Medicines v. Canada; Porter Airlines re: Air Canada; Pfizer Canada re: Patented Medicine Price Review Board; Ferring re: Minister of Health
  • Arbitrator/Tribunal Work: Ontario Legislative Assembly re: Avenue Developments; BLNDC re: Westwood – West Fraser; Shareholder Dispute re: Nine West Canada
  • Class Actions: Pfizer; Imperial Tobacco; W.R. Grace
  • Pharma Patent Cases: Filgrastim; Prevnar®; Lipitor®; Viagra®; Norvasc ®; Zithromax®; Latanoprost®

 

  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Corporate and Commercial Litigation, 2018-2025; Securities Law, 2024-2025; Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2025
  • Chambers Canada, Ontario: Litigation - General Commercial, Chambers and Partners, 2016-2025
  • Chambers Canada, Nationwide: Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers and Partners, 2022-2025
  • The Legal 500 Canada: Dispute Resolution - Ontario (Leading Individuals), 2021-2024 
  • Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers, 2022-2024
  • Chambers Global, Canada: Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers and Partners, 2021-2024
  • Chambers Global, Canada: Dispute resolution: Litigation, Chambers and Partners, 2024
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2013-2024: recommended in Insolvency & Financial Restructuring - Insolvency Litigation; 2016-2024: recommended in Litigation – Corporate Commercial; 2018, 2021-2024: recommended in Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability; 2020-2024: Litigation - Securities
  • Benchmark Litigation Canada: Litigation Star 2021-2024 
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators, Lawdragon Inc., 2024
  • Acritas Stars 2020, 2021 – Designated as an "Independently rated lawyer" 
  • LMG Life Sciences Award 2021, Canadian IP Contentious Impact case of the year
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2020: recommended in Insolvency & Financial Restructuring - Insolvency Litigation; Litigation – Corporate Commercial; Litigation – Securities
  • LMG Life Sciences Award 2016, Canadian IP Contentious Impact case of the year
  • IFLR (International Financial Law Review) 1000: Leading lawyer in insolvency and restructuring
  • Guide to the World’s Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyers
  • 2014 Benchmark Litigation Canada Award, National Impact Case

Mr. Pasparakis is a frequent conference speaker on topics such as shareholder activism, insolvency, securities law, class actions, corporate governance, shareholder disputes, arbitration and patents, including at:

  • National Judicial Institute (annual seminar for Canadian insolvency judges)
  • National Securities Administrators Conference (annual seminar for Canada securities regulators)
  • Annual Securities Law Practioners’ Conference at Langdon Hall
  • Annual Advanced Forum on Securities Litigation and Enforcement 
  • Activist Investing in Canada
  • Western Canadian Securities Forum
  • Canadian Securities Forum East
  • Corporate Governance in Special Situations
  • Annual Review of Insolvency Law
  • The Canadian Institute’s Shareholder Activism and Corporate Governance Seminar 
  • Former adjunct professor in commercial bankruptcy at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law

 

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