Steven Leitl, KC

Senior Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

Calgary
Canada
T:+1 403 267 8140
Calgary
Canada
T:+1 403 267 8140
Steven Leitl, KC

Steven Leitl, KC

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Biography

Steve Leitl's practice covers a broad range of commercial litigation matters, with an emphasis on securities, M&A, directors'/officers' liability, class actions and internal investigations. 

Steve has conducted proceedings in the courts of Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba and Canada (Federal Court) and appeals in the Ontario Court of Appeal and Alberta Court of Appeal. He has conducted various regulatory proceedings before the Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba securities commissions and the Alberta Utilities Commission. 

He is a regular speaker and writer on issues pertaining to securities litigation, insolvency and class actions.

Professional experience

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LL.B., Osgoode Hall Law School, 1986

  • Alberta 1997
  • Ontario 1988

Steve has acted recently for the following clients:

  • Multinational energy company in US - Canada cross-border M & A litigation matter
  • Corporations and dissenting shareholders in fair value cases
  • A special investigator appointed by the board of a public company in an investigation of alleged corporate governance violations
  • A foreign state-owned entity regarding a challenge to the jurisdiction of the Ontario courts
  • A foreign government in a challenge to a claim based on sovereign immunity (Court of Queen’s Bench of New Brunswick)
  • A public company and several directors/officers in defence to parallel US and Canadian securities class actions
  • A public company regarding an internal investigation of possible insider trading
  • A public company regarding an internal investigation of possible fraud and environmental exposure
  • Defendants in various class actions
  • Corporations in various oppression and dissenting shareholder fair value proceedings
  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Class Action Litigation, 2008-2025, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, 2021-2025; Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2022-2025; Director and Officer Liability Practice, 2025
  • Chambers Canada, Alberta: Litigation - General Commercial, Chambers and Partners, 2018-2025
  • Legal 500 Canada: Dispute Resolution - Alberta (Leading Partners), 2023-2025
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2011-2017, 2020-2023: recommended in Litigation - Securities; 2020-2024: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; 2011-2014, 2016, 2024: recommended in Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability; 2013-2017, 2023: recommended in Class Actions
  • Benchmark Litigation Canada: recognized as a local litigation star in Alberta; Litigation star in Canada in Insolvency, Arbitration and Class Action 2012-2015, 2021-2024
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators, Lawdragon Inc., 2024
  • Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers, 2022
  • Profiled as a leading lawyer in the Lexpert Special Edition: Energy, 2021
  • Acritas Stars 2019-2021 – Designated as an "Independently rated lawyer"
  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Class Action Litigation "Lawyer of the Year," 2015
  • Supporting partner behind the Zenith award winning “Ride for Kids” fundraiser – Lexpert article
  • “Case Comment: The Jurisdiction Motion in Bellefontaine v. Purdue Frederick Inc” (co‑author), Class Action, Vol. III, No. 3, 2011.
  • Class Action Journal, Federated Press Inc., November 2010.
  • “Case Comment: Pro-Sys Consultants Ltd. v. Infineon Technologies AG - The square peg and the round hole,” Commercial Litigation Journal, fall 2008.
  • “Alberta’s Class Action Cost Regime” (co-author), paper presented to the Osgoode Hall 4th National Symposium on Class Actions, April 2007.
  • “Intersection Between ISDA® Agreements and Recent Bankruptcy Decisions in the U.S. and Canada.”
  • “Suspension of Limitation Periods In Class Proceedings: Plaintiffs Beware.”
  • “Certification of Class Actions in Alberta.”
  • “Certification of Class Actions: The Alberta Perspective” (co-author), Preparing for Class Actions conference, Insight Information Co., 2002.
  • 7th Annual Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Course, Federated Press, Calgary, Alberta, April 2011.
  • 11th Annual National Forum on Class Actions Litigation, The Canadian Institute, September 2010.
  • “Shareholder Rights, Disputes and Remedies,” Insight Conference, 2008.
  • “Legal update on Poison Pills in Canada,” Insight Conference, 2008.
  • “Managing Class Actions,” Federated Press Conference, 2008.
  • Chair, Conference on Securities Litigation, 2006.
  • IECA Conference, 2005.
  • Insolvency Law, Insight Conference, 2005.
  • Podcast Episode 1, Fariness Opinions https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-ca/knowledge/podcasts/disputed-podcast/2021/q4/episode-1-fairness-opinions
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Ontario Bar Association
  • American Bar Association 
  • Law Society of Upper Canada
  • Law Society of Alberta
  • Norton Rose Fulbright Partnership Committee
  • Chair, Norton Rose Fulbright Risk and Audit Committee
  • Norton Rose Fulbright Succession Planning Committee
  • Norton Rose Fulbright Global Executive Committee Taskforce on Diversity and Inclusion
  • Board of editors, Commercial Litigation
  • Board of editors, Class Action, quarterly publication, Federated Press 
  • Fundraiser, Child and Youth Friendly Calgary and Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation
  • Organizer, Norton Rose Fulbright Ride for Kids

 

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