-
Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. and Kevin Donovan v. Sherman Estates (2020) – Successfully represented the Toronto Star in a new precedent-setting case on openness and privacy before the Supreme Court of Canada, relating to unsealing the Barry and Honey Sherman estate files for public view.
-
Boyle v. Ontario Medical Association et al. (2019) – Successfully represented a reporter and newspaper to the door of the Supreme Court of Canada about the issue of the right to access names of doctors billing the public-health-care plan.
-
Reference by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada relating to the “right to be forgotten” (2019) – Acted for the coalition of major Canadian media in a motion for intervention.
-
Belinda Stronach v. Frank Stronach – Acted for Belinda Stronach in a defamation claim related to public statements by Frank Stronach.
-
Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. v. Ontario (2019) – Successfully challenged the constitutionality of legislation that limited access to tribunal records, on behalf of the Toronto Star.
-
Media Coalition v. HMQ Ontario (2019) – Unsealed search warrant materials in the police investigations that led to charges against Bruce McArthur, on behalf of a coalition of major Canadian media.
-
R. v. Vice Media Canada Inc. (2018) – Represented a coalition of international media and free-expression organizations before the Supreme Court of Canada, in which the court set out the framework governing applications by police for search warrants and production orders of media organizations.
-
R. v. New York Times, et al. (2018) – Represented media organizations in seeking to unseal the search warrants relating to the Danforth shooting.
-
Google Inc. v. Equustek Solutions Inc. (2018) – Two sets of Blakes counsel represented two groups of interveners, a Reporters Committee-led coalition of U.S.-based media organizations and non-profits, and a coalition of international human-rights and free-expression organizations. The Supreme Court of Canada upheld a worldwide injunction requiring Google Inc. to globally de-index certain websites.
-
Goldhar v Haaretz.com et al. (2018) – Successfully represented Israeli-based Haaretz newspaper before the Supreme Court of Canada in a case concerning internet jurisdiction and the alleged defamation of Canadian businessman Mitchell Goldhar.
-
John v. Ballingall et al. (2017) – Successfully represented the Toronto Star in a case in which the Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that an online newspaper is still a “newspaper” for the purposes of the notice and limitation provisions in the Libel and Slander Act. Leave to appeal to the Supreme Court was denied.
-
A.B. v. Bragg Communications (2012) – Acted for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association in an appeal where the Supreme Court of Canada decided issues involving social media, open courts and privacy rights.
-
Crookes v. Newton (2011) – Represented the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association in this Supreme Court of Canada case that limited liability for hyperlinks.
-
Bou Malhab v. Diffusion Métromédia CMR inc. (2011) – Represented a media coalition group of interveners before the Supreme Court of Canada in which the court limited actions for group libel.
-
Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. v. Canada (2010) – Acted for the Toronto Star, including before the Supreme Court of Canada, in a case relating to the constitutionality of mandatory publication bans.
-
Ontario (Public Safety and Security) v. Criminal Lawyers' Association (2010) – Acted for two sets of interveners, a media coalition and the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, before the Supreme Court of Canada in which the court considered the right of access to information.
-
Grant v. Torstar (2009) – Successfully represented the Toronto Star in this case in which the Supreme Court of Canada adopted a new libel defence relating to responsible communication in the public interest.
-
R. v. Toronto Star (2005) – Represented the Toronto Star in this leading Supreme Court of Canada decision on open courts and the test for discretionary sealing orders.
-
R. v. Mentuck (2001) – Acted for the intervener, Canadian Newspaper Association, in this leading Supreme Court of Canada decision on open courts and the test for discretionary sealing orders.