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

Education

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

Language(s)

English

Laura is an experienced class action, trial and appellate 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, and defends many companies facing large class actions - including recently as lead counsel representing BP plc in motions and appeals dismissing securities class action claims, and Hydro One in an appeal dismissing class certification involving customer billing claims. Laura acts in large product liability (pharmaceutical) and employment class actions. Laura also represents companies arbitrating complex contractual disputes.

Other cases Laura acted on include one of Canada’s largest class action common issue trials, and a large transfer pricing trial.

Laura is consistently recognized for her leading expertise including by Benchmark Canada (Class Action, General Commercial, Securities), Who’s Who Legal (Litigation), the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Litigation-Securities and Class Action) and in the Best Lawyers in Canada (Class Action Litigation). Laura is a frequent speaker and writer on class actions and 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 plc in a securities class action on behalf of Canadian shareholders, arising from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion. We successfully vastly narrowed the class and ultimately had the case dismissed (currently under appeal)
    • Hydro One Inc. in a class proceeding alleging that over 1.3 million Ontario customers were incorrectly billed millions of dollars since 2013. We successfully defeated certification, upheld on appeal
    • Pharmaceutical class actions - Lead counsel for various large public and private generic pharmaceutical companies, including in a class action proceeding launched by the B.C. government for opioid related health costs, and in an Ontario class action for Canadian residents arising from opioid use - and in a number of other national Canadian class actions involving various drugs, including arising from recalls. 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.  Currently under appeal
    • 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

  • Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Dispute Resolution: Class Action (Defence)
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Class Actions; 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
  • Acritas Stars: Recognized as a Star Lawyer
  • Benchmark Litigation: Recognized in Dispute Resolution; Securities; Commercial; Class Action (Litigation Star)

  • 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.