Mr. Jeffrey Leon

Jeffrey Leon, born in Edmonton in 1951 to Jewish parents, became one of Canada’s leading commercial litigators after transitioning from sociology to law at the University of Toronto. Following his clerkship with Chief Justice Howland at the Ontario Court of Appeal, Leon built his career at Campbell, Godfrey & Lewtas (later Fasken Campbell Godfrey) before moving to Bennett Jones in 2007. He developed particular expertise in securities litigation, maritime law, and class action cases, handling high-profile matters including the Atlas Cold Storage securities case, the Portus ponzi scheme litigation representing Manulife, and the complex Maple Leaf Gardens litigation involving the Ballard estate and Steve Stavro.

Leon’s leadership extended beyond his litigation practice through his presidency of The Advocates’ Society in 2003, where he committed 800-1000 hours to advancing the organization’s mission. His presidency focused on addressing the decline in courtroom experience among young lawyers through advocacy training initiatives, collaborative pro bono projects with Law Society Treasurer Frank Marrocco including the Small Claims court project, and the society’s 40th anniversary celebrations. Leon witnessed and adapted to significant changes in legal practice, including the introduction of class action legislation in Ontario, the shift from hourly to monthly billing, and the challenge of the ‘vanishing trial’ phenomenon where fewer cases proceed to trial, consistently emphasizing the importance of trial experience for effective litigation practice.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.