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Robert W. Staley

Commercial, Securities and Class Action Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Vice Chair and Partner

Cheryl M. Woodin

Commercial Litigation, Product Liability & Class Actions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner

Ciara J. Mackey

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

In Sinclair v. Venezia Turismo, 2025 SCC 27, the Supreme Court of Canada clarified that jurisdiction must be assessed for each defendant individually. A plaintiff cannot rely on one defendant&rsquo;s contract or weak connecting factors to extend jurisdiction to others. The decision strengthens the principles of corporate separateness in cross-border disputes.

The SCC Clarifies Approach to Jurisdiction Against Multiple Defendants in Cross Border Disputes

Sinclair v. Venezia Turismo: The SCC Clarifies Approach to Jurisdiction Against Multiple Defendants in Cross-Border Disputes

Ethan Z. Schiff

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Gina Azer

Associate

In Morrison v. Hatts Off Inc. et al., <a href="https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2025/2025onsc4320/2025onsc4320.html?resultId=8760cfe00fe74ba295dbd14a85eefd84&searchId=2025-08-07T10:20:54:326/6e00332474ec4055bfefdf0fc1a88e76&searchUrlHash=AAAAAQBTImNsYXNzIHByb2NlZWRpbmdzIiBPUiAiY2xhc3MgYWN0aW9uIiBPUiAiYWN0aW9uIGNvbGxlY3RpdmUiIE9SICJyZWNvdXJzIGNvbGxlY3RpZiIAAAAAAQ">2025 ONSC 4320</a>, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declined to order pre-certification discovery of sensitive Children’s Aid Society records in a proposed class action alleging systemic negligence and fiduciary breaches in children’s group homes

Ontario Superior Court Rejects Pre Certification Discovery

Ontario Superior Court Rejects Pre-Certification Discovery in Children's Homes Class Action

Mehak Kawatra

In Voltage Pictures v Robert Salna, <a href="https://canlii.ca/t/kd8qd">2025 FCA 131</a>, the Federal Court of Appeal addressed the preferable procedure criterion in the context of a defendants’ class proceeding. The plaintiffs sought to certify an action against a class of defendants and, despite objection, impose the burden on Mr. Salna to represent the interests of the defendant group (the representative defendant).

Federal Court of Appeal Dismisses

Federal Court of Appeal Dismisses Class Action Certification Due To Unavoidable Individualized Inquiries

Maisah Syed

The Ontario Court of Appeal has concluded that a client's influence over a service provider's processes does not establish an employment relationship between the client and the service provider's employees. The plaintiffs in Davis v. Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, 2025 ONCA 421

No Common Employer Means No Class Action Ontario Court of Appeal

No Common Employer Means No Class Action—Ontario Court of Appeal

Kwang Lim

Corporate and Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Vancouver Managing Partner

Angela Blake

M&A, Securities and Corporate Finance Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Laura James

Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

M&amp;A activity in Canada rebounded in Q3 2025, with total deal value rising sharply year-over-year. Our update explores shifting deal structures, the rise of earnouts, cross-border dynamics, and the sectors driving growth.

Canadas Q3 2025 MA Landscape

Canada's Q3 2025 M&A Landscape

Lorelei Graham

Food and Agribusiness Lawyer, IP Lawyer, Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Dominique Carli

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Wittington Investments has launched a C$100 million fund to support Canadian food producers with equity or debt financing. Success depends on legal readiness, from IP protection to governance, ensuring businesses are prepared to attract and secure investment.

Legal Readiness for Food Producers Navigating Wittington Investments C100M Fund

Legal Readiness for Food Producers: Navigating Wittington Investments’ C$100M Fund

Kees de Ridder

Intellectual Property Lawyer, Patent Agent and Trademark Agent at Bennett Jones Calgary

Associate, Patent Agent, Trademark Agent

Benjamin K. Reingold

Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

The Supreme Court of Canada will hear Pharmascience Inc v Janssen Inc on October 9, 2025, a case that could reshape the scope of patentable subject matter in Canada. At issue is whether a dosing regimen for a pharmaceutical product constitutes an unpatentable method of medical treatment or a valid invention under the Patent Act. The Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal upheld the patent&rsquo;s validity, but Pharmascience has challenged this position. With several industry groups granted intervenor status, the case is expected to have significant implications not only for the pharmaceutical industry but also for broader questions of what qualifies as an &ldquo;invention,&rdquo; including computer-implemented and AI-related technologies.

Supreme Court to Assess Subject Matter Eligibility in Canadian

Supreme Court to Assess Subject Matter Eligibility in Canadian Patent Law: Implications Beyond the Pharmaceutical Context

Sean Zweig

Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Andrew Froh

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

James Atkinson

Articling Student at Bennett Jones 

Articling Student          

A recent decision of the US Bankruptcy Court in Re: Iovate Health Sciences International Inc. provides important insights for Canadian companies involved in cross-border restructurings. The case addresses how debtor companies can rebut the presumption that their &ldquo;center of main interests&rdquo; (COMI) is located at their registered office when seeking Chapter 15 recognition in the United States. Chief Judge Glenn reaffirmed that COMI is determined by a non-exhaustive set of factors, including management, assets, creditors and creditor expectations, and may also be influenced by pre-filing restructuring activities.

Trend Watch Determining COMI in US Chapter 15 Proceedings

Trend Watch: Determining COMI in US Chapter 15 Proceedings

AI is transforming performance marketing through hyper-personalization, automated content creation, and data-driven insights&mdash;enhancing efficiency while raising new legal and ethical considerations for brands.

Product Safety Regulation in Canada

From the Same Authors