Jill M. Lawrie

• Lead counsel to a U.S. fruit and vegetable processing company in an action seeking several million dollars in relation to a food product recall

• Lead counsel to a leading manufacturer of medical solutions to restore pelvic health in class and individual actions alleging negligent design, manufacture and warning

• Lead counsel to a multinational pharmaceutical company in a proposed class action alleging failure to warn

• Lead counsel to a North American vehicle manufacturer in class actions alleging negligent design, testing and manufacture, and breaches of consumer protection laws

• Lead counsel to an international food and beverage company in a proposed class action alleging that dog food products are mislabelled and unsafe for canine consumption

• Lead counsel to a defendant in a class action seeking the recovery of funds invested in a third-party's fraudulent scheme

• Trial counsel in the first medical-products class action (146 trial days) to go to trial in Ontario obtaining a trial ruling dismissing the action for one of the world's leading manufacturers of life-saving cardiac devices in a national class action claiming more than a billion dollars in damages, alleging negligent design, manufacture and recall (awarded 2013 Canadian Product Liability Case of the Year by LMG Life Sciences)

• Counsel to a major North American bank in a class action alleging the receipt of interest on credit card transactions in excess of the maximum permitted by law

• Counsel to a leading manufacturer of defibrillators in a class action alleging negligent design, manufacture and warning

• Canadian member of worldwide counsel network for a leading international confectionary company providing proactive advice on litigation risks and defending product liability claims manufacture

• Canadian product liability counsel to a leading food and beverage packaging company

• Counsel to a leading consumer goods manufacturer in a class action alleging negligence, warranty and breaches of consumer protection laws

• Counsel to a leading cannabis producer in a class action alleging mislabelling of products for retail sale

• Appeal counsel in two noteworthy decisions in the Supreme Court of Canada

Jill is recognized as a leading lawyer in the following publications and awards:

• The Best Lawyers in Canada – 2016–2024 (Class Action Litigation, Product Liability Law)

• Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (2020–2023 – Band 2: Products Liability and Band 5: Class Action Defence – described by the market as "know[ing] a lot about product liability – not just technical knowledge but how cases work" and as "tak[ing] an active role in expert work from vetting to cross-examination and has well-honed judgment from her extensive experience"; 2019 – Band 2: Products Liability – described as "substantively strong" and as "[having] very good litigation instinct and is not afraid to be creative or innovative in litigation strategy". In previous guides, Jill was described as "very strong" in the products liability space and praised for her case management. One source said: "I would trust her with any sizeable matter with no problem – she is really talented.")

• The Canadian Lexpert Legal Directory – 2015–2023 (Currently recognized in Class Actions, Product Liability and Life Sciences & Health)

• Benchmark Canada: The Definitive Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys – 2014–2023 (Litigation Star – Class Action, General Commercial and Product Liability)

• Who's Who Legal: Global – 2021–2022 (Life Sciences – Product Liability and Product Liability Defence)

• Benchmark Canada's Top 100 Women in Litigation 2022

• Euromoney's Women in Business Law Expert Guide – 2012–2022 (Product Liability)

• Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer 2021 – Independently Rated Lawyers (As nominated by senior in-house counsel)

• Who's Who Legal: Canada – 2019–2021 (Product Liability Defence) ("Jill Lawrie is a highly esteemed litigator with immense experience representing clients from a broad range of industries in complicated product liability claims.")

• Who's Who Legal: Canada – 2015–2021 (Life Sciences) (2019: "Jill Lawrie is a 'wonderful lawyer' who garners much adulation from observers in the space this year. She is 'a go-to individual' for matters involving issues such as negligent design and failure to warn.")

• Benchmark Canada's Top 50 Women in Litigation 2020

• Euromoney's LMG Product Liability Expert Guide – 2016-2020

• LMG Life Sciences: The Definitive Guide to the Leading Life Sciences Firms and Attorneys in North America – 2013–2020 (Life Sciences Star – Product Liability)

• Benchmark Canada's Top 25 Women in Litigation – 2014 (inaugural) and 2015–2019

• LMG Life Sciences Awards (Canadian Product Liability Attorney of the Year 2018)

• Benchmark Canada Awards (Product Liability Litigator of the Year 2017)

Jill has written on many topics, both legal and practical, relating to product liability and class actions. She also regularly participates as a speaker at professional and industry seminars on issues related to product liability and class actions and has taught courses in trial practice at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Jill is a member of The Advocates' Society, the Defence Research Institute, the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel and the International Association of Defense Counsel.

Admitted to the Ontario Bar – 1993
LLB, University of Western Ontario – 1991
BA (Political Science), York University – 1989