Laura Fric

Laura Fric

Partner, Litigation

Key Contact: Regulatory Investigations

Key Contact: Product Liability

Key Contact: Class Action Defence

Contact Information

lfric@osler.com

tel: 416.862.5899

Office

Toronto

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Areas of Expertise

Bar Admission

Ontario, 1995

British Columbia, 2022

Education

  • University of Toronto, LL.B.
  • University of Western Ontario, B.A.

Language(s)

English

Laura brings a combination of strong courtroom advocacy, practical judgement and strategic thinking to all her cases. Laura is an experienced trial, appellate and class action lawyer, representing clients on their most challenging issues. She is Co-Chair of Osler’s Compensation Committee, and a former Co-Chair of the Canadian Advocates’ Society commercial litigation group.

Laura specializes in complex commercial litigation, acting as lead counsel in a broad range of matters, and defending many companies facing large class actions. Laura acted on one of Canada's largest class action trials, and in a complex transfer pricing tax trial. Her recent class actions include acting as legal counsel, defending generic pharmaceutical companies in various ongoing product liability claims across Canada, and defeating a complex securities class action. 

Laura is consistently recognized for her leading expertise including by Chambers Canada (Class Action), Benchmark Canada (Top 100 Canadian Women Litigators 2022, Class Action, General Commercial, Securities) and Best Lawyers in Canada (Class Action Litigation).

Laura won the Treasurer’s Medal for highest marks in the 1995 Ontario Bar admission course, and clerked for the judges of the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Laura started her career as a criminal lawyer, at a prominent defence firm.

    • BP p.l.c. in the case of Kaynes v BP
    • BP plc in a securities class action on behalf of Canadian shareholders, arising from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion. After many other precedent setting motions and appeals, the case was dismissed
    • Hydro One Inc. in a class proceeding alleging that over 1.3 million Ontario customers were incorrectly billed millions of dollars since 2013. Certification was successfully defeated, and upheld on appeal
    • Pharmaceutical class actions - Lead counsel for a number of large public and private generic pharmaceutical companies, including in class action proceedings respecting opioids - and in a number of other national Canadian class actions involving various drugs, including asiring from recalls and other matters. Cases are ongoing
    • Cameco Corporation - Senior member of trial team in a months-long complex transfer pricing tax case, where the court dismissed allegations of sham and fraud
    • Chevron Corporation - Senior member of team successfully defending a claim for recognition and enforcement in Ontario of a fraudulently obtained Ecuadorian judgement for billions of dollars
    • Royal Trust (RBC) - Lead counsel bringing a successful summary judgment motion and on appeal dismissing a claim for hundreds of millions in damages, arising from a purchase and sale agreement for a business
    • Groupon Inc. - Lead counsel in a Canadian class proceeding involving the expiry dates on Groupon vouchers, including on the settlement approval hearing
    • General Motors of Canada Limited - class actions brought on behalf of former employees, in cases involving pension and post-retirement and health benefits
    • Vale - Defended the company in a complex class action trial and successful appeal. The class members were residential property owners in an Ontario city, who sought compensation for alleged property damage and contamination. 

  • Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Defence)
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Class Actions; Toronto’s top class action lawyers in 2021; Litigation - Securities
  • The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Class Actions
  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Class Action Litigation; Corporate and Commercial Litigation
  • Thomson Reuters: "Stand-out Lawyer"
  • Benchmark Litigation: Recognized in Dispute Resolution; Securities; Commercial; Class Action (Litigation Star); Recognized in "Top 100 Women in Litigation" in Canada

  • ABA Member, Litigation Section
  • Advocates’ Society 

In the Media

  • Quoted in Proposed changes to Ontario’s class-action laws would make it harder to sue corporations and government, experts say​, The Globe and Mail, Feb 9, 2020
  • Ontario overtime class actions: A map for certification?
  • Stats offer glimpse of how leave requirement has played out
  • Court of Appeal denies certification in CIBC overtime class action
  • Disabled Mountie veterans win $70 million settlement
  • Pinning down a legal definition of good faith
  • Best Lawyers 2015 recognizes 139 Osler lawyers
  • Opt-outs face hurdle to opt in, court rules
  • SCC’s Sino-Forest decision shows CCAA trumps all
  • Benchmark Canada 2014 Recognizes 22 Osler Lawyers
  • New role looks to support associates’ diverse roles
  • Author of Ontario overtime class actions: A map for certification?, Canadian Employment Law Today, Mar 20, 2015.
  • Chapter “Employment Class Actions” with L. Sokolov in text “New Perspectives on Canadian Employment Law”, LexisNexis, 2014.
  • Quoted in Court of Appeal denies certification in CIBC overtime class action, Canadian Lawyer, Oct 7, 2014
  • Quoted in Disabled Mountie veterans win $70 million settlement, The Lawyers Weekly Aug 29, 2014
  • Quoted in Class action battles to shift to trial court from motions hearings, Drew Hasselback, Legal Post, Nov 28, 2012.
  • Quoted in Charity lawsuit has implications for class actions, Drew Hasselback, Financial Post, Nov 7, 2012 (with Kevin O’Brien and Karin Sachar).
  • Quoted in Osler’s take on the Look Communications ruling, Barry Critchley, Financial Post, Oct 12, 2012 (with Douglas Bryce and Karin Sachar).
  • Quoted in Confidentiality agreements can make or break a deal; Mum's the word, Derek Sankey, Financial Post, Sept 2012.
  • Quoted in Leo Strine gives confidentiality agreements a firm foundation, Drew Hasselback, Financial Post, May 2012 (with Emmanuel Pressman and Jeremy Fraiberg).
  • Quoted in Overtime Class Cases Still Maturing, Drew Hasselback, Financial Post, May 2, 2012.