Biography: Competition

Don Houston is a partner in McCarthy Tétrault's national competition and antitrust law group. He is widely recognised as one of Canada's leading practitioners in competition law and litigation.

Mr Houston's competition practice includes defending criminal prosecutions in civil cases before the Competition Tribunal and private actions (including class actions) in the courts. He has frequently represented the Commissioner of Competition in the Tribunal and before the courts. He assists clients by counselling on the competition aspects of business transactions and by making representations to the bureau in mergers and other matters.

Mr Houston's expertise is recognised in several publications, including Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Best Lawyers in Canada, and the Lexpert American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada.

Significant competition matters in which Mr Houston has acted as counsel include BCE/CTV (2011 merger), Osmun (2011 Competition class action), BFI/Waste Services (2010 merger), Avaya/Nortel (2009 merger), Suncor/Petro-Canada (2009 merger), Irving Paper Limited (2008 competition class action), ICI/Akzo Nobel (2008 merger), United Grain Growers (2006 merger litigation), Vitapharm (2005 class actions), Cargill/Better Beef (2005 merger), Canadian Waste (2004 merger litigation), Air Canada (2003 abuse of dominance, predation), Boehringer Ingelheim (1999 predation), Law Society of Upper Canada (1996 regulated conduct), D&B Companies (1995 abuse of dominance), Southam (1995 merger litigation), and Air Canada/Gemini (1993 merger litigation). His experience litigating cases before the Competition Tribunal is unsurpassed in Canada.

Mr Houston's publications include Jurisdictional Issues in International Cartel Cases: A Canadian Perspective, with J Pratt (2006).

Mr Houston the current chair of the National Competition Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association.

McCarthy Tétrault delivers integrated business law, litigation, competition, tax, real property, labour and employment law services nationally and globally. With offices in Canada's major financial centres and in London, the firm regularly advises on the largest, most complex transactions and in cases involving Canadian and foreign interests.