Biography: Commercial Litigation

A certified specialist in civil litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada, Jeffrey Leon has a general litigation practice with a focus on business litigation.

Jeff acts in a variety of litigation matters, including securities, commercial, corporate, class proceedings, product liability, professional negligence and health care. He has also acted in administrative law matters and has appeared in both domestic and international arbitrations as counsel. He has been involved in numerous cross-border and international commercial disputes.

Jeff is recognised as a leading practitioner in corporate and commercial litigation, securities litigation and directors' and officers' liability by The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada and is also recognised by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and Best Lawyers in those areas as well as class actions and professional liability. He has been named by Best Lawyers as one of a select group of "Bet-the-Company Litigators" and as the Lawyer of the Year 2010 in class action litigation (Toronto). Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business recognises Jeff in the area of dispute resolution as an "excellent attorney with an erudite approach to matters" and with "a significant presence at the appellate level".

In 2010, Jeff was honoured by The Advocates' Society as the second recipient of The Catzman Award for Professionalism and Civility. In 2005, Jeff was awarded the Law Society Medal by the Law Society of Upper Canada. He is a past president of the Advocates' Society. Jeff is a fellow and Regent of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a fellow of the International Society of Barristers, a fellow and member of the board of directors of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and an honourary member of the Commercial Bar Association (UK). He serves as the chair of the board of directors of Pro Bono Law Ontario.

Jeff received his BA (Hons) from the University of Alberta in 1973, and his MA in 1974 and his LLB in 1977 from the University of Toronto. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1979 and served as a law clerk to the Chief Justice of Ontario.