Jean-Simon Schoenholz
Senior Associate
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Jean-Simon Schoenholz is a versatile litigator with a bilingual, national practice focusing on public law, appellate advocacy, and commercial litigation. Jean-Simon regularly appears before the federal courts and the Supreme Court of Canada, including in high-profile and precedent-setting matters. In doing so, he brings to bear his perspective as a former judicial law clerk in both courts. Jean-Simon also acts before all levels of court in Ontario and is licensed in Québec.
Jean-Simon is regularly engaged to challenge government regulation and decisions made by a broad range of public agencies. He also acts for public institutions, including Crown corporations, airport and port authorities, and universities, where their decisions are challenged. As part of his public law practice, Jean-Simon is regularly called upon to advise clients on complex matters of administrative law and statutory interpretation. This notably includes lending support to clients engaged in government consultations and as part of broader government relations strategy. Jean-Simon has unique experience participating in high-profile public inquiries, most notably as commission counsel to the Emergencies Act inquiry. He has been ranked "One to Watch" in public and administrative law since 2022.
Jean-Simon is one of a small group of lawyers who regularly act for federal institutions with respect to their obligations under the Official Languages Act. He regularly assists them in responding to investigations by the Commissioner of Official Languages and represents them in the federal courts to respond to claims for damages.
Jean-Simon is the firm's Supreme Court of Canada Agent. He is also chair of the Canadian Bar Association's Supreme Court Liaison Subcommittee. Jean-Simon is regularly called upon to represent clients on appeals in a wide range of industries and subject matters, including commercial, insurance, employment and labour, and public law. He has successfully obtained leave to appeal and leave to intervene before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Jean-Simon is highly involved in the firm and the legal community. He is a member of the Ottawa Student Committee. He sits on the executive of a number of Canadian Bar Association sections, including the national Administrative Law section, and is a member of The Advocates' Society, Young Advocates Standing Committee. He teaches Administrative Law and Civil Procedure. In 2022, he co-coached the University of Ottawa's team in the Laskin Moot (administrative and constitutional law) to a third place finish. Jean-Simon regularly volunteers with Pro Bono Ontario's Supreme Court Leave Application Assistance Program.
Professional experience
Collapse allJ.D., University of Ottawa, 2016
M.A. (International Affairs), Carleton University, 2016
B.Soc.Sc. (Hons.), University of Ottawa, 2012
- Ontario 2017
- Quebec 2022
Jean-Simon Schoenholz has recently acted as counsel or co-counsel in the following types of matters:
- Commission counsel to the Public Order Emergency Commission inquiring into the circumstances that led the federal government to invoke the Emergencies Act in February 2022
- Successfully obtaining leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada in a challenge to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (International Air Transport Association, et al. v. Canadian Transport Association, et al., Docket 40614)
- Obtaining an urgent injunction on behalf of a national retailer and opposing a request for injunction on behalf of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (9219-1568 Quebec Inc. v. Canada (Privacy Commissioner), 2024 FCA 38)
- Counsel for the Canadian Superior Courts Judges Association and the Canadian Judicial Council before the Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission
- Challenging decisions by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Transport Canada, Health Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada before the federal courts (see for ex, Akme Poultry, Butter & Eggs Distributors v. Canada, 2023 FC 1368)
- Successfully responding on behalf of federal Crown corporations, airport authorities, port authorities, and post-secondary institutions to challenges before the Federal Courts (Viaguard Accu-Metrics Laboratory v. Standards Council of Canada, 2022 FC 16 upheld in 2023 FCA 63; Minéraux Midatlantic Inc. c. Administration Portuaire de Québec, 2021 CF 688) and the Divisional Court (Rengarajan v. University of Ottawa, 2022 ONSC 219)
- Intervening on behalf of national associations on matters of constitutional and administrative law and statutory interpretation at the Supreme Court of Canada (British Columbia (Attorney General) v. Provincial Court Judges' Association of British Columbia, 2020 SCC 20; Nova Scotia (Attorney General) v. Judges of the Provincial Court and Family Court of Nova Scotia, 2020 SCC 21, R. v. Greater Sudbury (City), 2023 SCC 28) and in the Federal Courts (Responsible Plastic Use Coalition v. Canada (Environment and Climate Change), 2023 FC 1511; Safe Food Matters Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General), 2023 FC 1471)
- Successfully responding to an appeal on a precedent-setting matter relating to the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Kirloskar Technologies (P) Ltd. v. Best Theratronics Ltd., 2022 ONCA 331)
- Successfully obtaining summary judgment on behalf of defendants in professional liability matters (Maisonneuve v. Maisonneuve, 2023 ONCA 138; Lalonde c. Lascelles, 2020 ONCS 4618)
- Acting for an international construction company in an arbitration relating to an investment in South America
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada: Administrative and Public Law, 2023-2025; Corporate and Commercial Litigation, 2025
- "Insights into Advocacy at the Supreme Court of Canada," Ontario Bar Association, June 12, 2020
- "Red light, green light: Uber, TELUS and arbitration clauses," AJEFO 2019 Annual Conference, Sudbury, ON, June 22, 2019
- Part-time professor, Civil Procedure, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa (2023 to present)
- Contract instructor, Administrative Law, Department of Law and Legal Studies, Carleton University (2018 to present)
- Chair (current) and member, Canadian Bar Association, Supreme Court of Canada Liaison (2020 to present)
- Member at large, Canadian Bar Association, Administrative Law Section Executive (2023 to present)
- Member at large, Canadian Bar Association, Air and Space Law Section Executive (2023 to present)
- Member, The Advocates Society, Young Advocates Standing Committee (2020 to present)
- Coach, University of Ottawa, Laskin Moot (2021 to 2022)
- Member at large, Ontario Bar Association, Administrative Law Section (2021 to 2022)
- Member at large, Ontario Bar Association, Young Lawers Division (East) (2019 to 2021)
- Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario
- County of Carleton Law Association
- English
- French