Jonathan Laxer
Lawyer
Jon draws on his wide-ranging experience in litigation in Canada and at the international level. He has appeared before all levels of court and before administrative tribunals in a broad array of cases, including constitutional challenges, Aboriginal law matters, contractual disputes, class actions and international prosecutions for genocide and terrorism.
Jon has extensive appellate experience. He has acted as appeals counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada in multiple cases, including acting as lead counsel in a successful appeal concerning the role of expert evidence. He has also acted before courts of appeal across Canada and at the international level before tribunals established by the United Nations.
Prior to joining Power Law, Jon prosecuted international crimes in The Hague. He also worked as trial counsel at the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, acting in dozens of trials and Charter applications. At the start of his legal career, Jon clerked for Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin at the Supreme Court of Canada.
Jon practices law in English and French. He is also conversant in Spanish.
Prosecutor v Merhi and Oneissi, Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Appeal Judgment under reserve (International criminal prosecution established by the United Nations Security Council stemming from the assassination of the former Prime Minister of Lebanon)
White Burgess Langille Inman v Abbott and Haliburton Co., 2015 SCC 23 (the use of expert evidence and allegations of bias)
Bhasin v Hrynew, 2014 SCC 71 (the duty of good faith in contract law)
407 ETR Concession Co. v Canada (Superintendent of Bankruptcy), 2015 SCC 52 (the constitutional division of powers between the federal government and the provinces concerning discharges from bankruptcy)
Lapointe Rosenstein Marchand Melançon LLP v Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, 2016 SCC 30 (the test for jurisdiction for national class actions)
Union Carbide Canada Inc. v Bombardier Inc., 2014 SCC 35 (settlement privilege and the confidentiality of mediation)
Fontaine v Canada (Attorney General), 2014 ONSC 4585 (the disposition of confidential information obtained from the survivors of Residential Schools)
Trillium Motor World Ltd. v General Motors of Canada Limited, 2015 ONSC 3824 (a class-action trial regarding allegations of conflict of interest and solicitor’s negligence)
Filson v Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SKCA 80 (certification for a class action stemming from the discontinuance of the Canada Wheat Board)
HSBC Bank Canada v Fuss, 2013 ABCA 235 (civil allegations of fraud)
Pope Estate v Pope Estate, 2013 ONCA 611 (wills and estates litigation)
Warren v Ontario Labour Relations Board, 2015 ONSC 7273 (a successful judicial review from a decision of the Ontario Labour Relations Board following the termination of an NHL referee)
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