Larry Lowenstein

Larry Lowenstein

Partner, Litigation

Contact Information

llowenstein@osler.com

tel: 416.862.6454

Office

Toronto

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Areas of Expertise

Bar Admission

Ontario, 1983

Education

  • University of Toronto, LL.B.
  • Oxford University, B.A. (Juris.)
  • Witwatersrand University, B.A.

Language(s)

English

Larry conducts a broad corporate, commercial and complex litigation practice including class actions, corporate governance, contested mergers and acquisitions, securities litigation, environmental liability, employment matters and franchising disputes. From 2005 to 2010 he was the Chair of the Osler National Litigation Department.  He has been counsel in a wide range of disputes at all levels of Courts in Ontario and before the Ontario Securities Commission. Larry has also given expert testimony in the Ontario Superior Court.

  • Manulife

    Manulife in a proposed class action commenced in British Columbia relating to the distribution of mortgage insurance products by Manulife’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Benesure Canada Inc.

    • Corus Entertainment Inc. Counsel to Corus in contested hearing before OSC resulting in denial of standing to Catalyst etc. to assert public interest in opposing related party transaction between Corus and Shaw
    • Royal Bank of Canada. Defending RBC in a $1.05 billion dollar class action alleging conspiracy to fix foreign exchange prices
    • Chevron Corporation. Defending a claim to enforce a $9.51 billion dollar Ecuadorian judgment related to allegations of environmental pollution in the region of Lago Agrio, Ecuador
    • Amaya. An investigation of the AMF into allegations relating to trading of Amaya shares prior to the announcement of the $4.9 billion acquisition of Oldford Group Ltd.
    • General Motors Company. Representing GMC in an action brought by a group of GTAA dealers seeking damages of $400,000,000 under the Arthur Wishart Act and of common law
    • BP plc. Defending a proposed securities class action commenced in Ontario arising from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident and subsequent Gulf of Mexico oil spill
    • Sino-Forest Corporation. Counsel to the Independent Committee of the Board of Directors
    • Suncor Energy Inc. Counsel to the Company in a successful summary judgment motion to dismiss an intended class proceeding brought by Sunoco dealers claiming $200 million
    • A multinational professional services firm. Counsel to a multinational professional services firm in a proposed class proceeding brought on behalf of the shareholders of Redline Communications
    • Magna International Inc. Representing Magna in regulatory and shareholder challenges to its dual class share recapitalization
    • Vale. Defended the company in a complex class action trial and successful appeal. The class members are residential property owners in an Ontario city, who seek compensation for alleged property damage. Litigated pre-certification motions, certification and appeals
    • American International Group, Inc. (AIG) and AIG Financial Products Corp. A proposed class proceeding brought on behalf of AIG shareholders under Part XXIII.1 of the Securities Act alleging misrepresentations in the financial statements and other public disclosures of AIG
    • Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Counsel to the Gallery in a successful arbitration and appeal relating to trust law and ownership of art works valued in excess of $100 million
  • Find More

  • Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Chambers Global: The World's Leading Business Lawyers: Recognized in  Dispute Resolution (Canada)
    • "... [Larry] is highly regarded for his securities litigation practice, and represents a raft of high-profile clients including the Royal Bank of Canada and Valeant Pharmaceuticals."
  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Bet-the-Company Litigation; Class Action Litigation; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; and Franchise Law
  • Legal 500: Recognized as a Leading Lawyer, Dispute Resolution (Ontario)
    • "In Toronto, high-profile litigator Larry Lowenstein is held up as ‘absolutely top shelf’; he continues to defend Chevron Corporation, as co-counsel, in a claim seeking to enforce a C$9.5B Ecuadorian judgment in Canada."
  • Who's Who Legal: Recognized in Litigation (International); Litigation (Canada)
  • Benchmark Litigation Canada: Recognized in Dispute Resolution; Securities; Commercial; Class Action (Litigation Star)
  • Legal Awards: Recognized as Lawyer of the year in Canada, Securities Class Action
  • Client Quotes
    • “Noted by market observers for his activity and experience in handling securities class actions.”
    • “Is effective, a good speaker and good on his feet - he is very engaging."
    • “He thinks and plans several steps in advance.”
    • “Singled out by interviewees for his involvement in large commercial cases.”
    • "Very pragmatic counsel."
    • "A terrific guy and a very good litigator."

  • The Advocates’ Society
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • International Commission of Jurists
  • Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association
  • Pro Bono Ontario

  • Marsh Canada Limited, Tailings Storage Facilities: From Design to Closure - A Liability Lifecycle, May 2019.
  • Osgoode Hall Law School, 16th National Symposium on Class Actions, The GOAT Debate: What is the Greatest Class Action Decision Of All Time, April 2019.
  • Osgoode Hall Law School, Conference on Improving Investor Recovery: Public and Private Enforcement; Jurisdictional Issues involving Foreign Investors, Foreign Exchanges and Foreign Public Companies, October 2015.
  • Osgoode Hall Law School, 12th National Symposium on Class Actions, The Latest in Securities Class Actions, April, 2015.
  • Editor-in-Chief of Corporate Litigation, a quarterly publication.
  • Federated Press, Class Actions Course, March 25&26, 2014 (Course Leader).
  • OBA, 2011 Class Action Colloquium, December 1, 2011.
  • Osgoode Hall Law School, 8th National Symposium on Class Actions, Class Proceedings Trials, April, 2011.
  • 2011 Northwind Class Actions Invitational Forum, The Future of Class Actions in Canada – A Strategic Discussion Among Leading Practitioners, June, 2011.
  • Osgoode Hall Law School, 7th National Symposium on Class Actions, Debunking Class Actions Myths: Plaintiff and Defence Counsel Speak Out, April 29-30, 2010.
  • Member ABA Section of Litigation, Task Force on Canada/US Class Actions Protocols.
  • Staying out of the Headlines, Decision-Making Best Practices, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Executive Compensation Conference, May 30, 2007 (co-presenter).
  • Civil Liability for Misrepresentations in the Secondary Securities Markets in Ontario and the United States, The Latest Word on Civil Liability and Corporate Governance: Best Practices For Managing Risks and Challenges, 17th Annual Securities Superconference, Canadian Institute, February 22, 2007 (co-presenter).
  • Falconbridge Ltd. (Re): Much Ado About Nothing, Canadian Securities Law Update – 2007, Osgoode, January 30, 2007 (co-author).