The Top 25 Most Influential is not just about bright stars, big deals, or number of media mentions — although those may play a part. What sets our list apart is that we have endeavoured to select the most influential within the profession over the last 18 months. For instance, some lawyers may get the billion-dollar deals but may not have influence in other areas. It’s about respect, ability to influence public opinion, and help shape the laws of this country; contribution to the strength and quality of legal services; and social and political influence and involvement.

This year, we also split the list up into five areas of influence and have chosen the top five in each of: corporate-commercial law; in-house counsel; criminal and human rights law; government, associations, and non-profits, including public inquiries and officers of Parliament; and outliers, a catch-all category for anyone who’s a lawyer and has been influential over the past 18 months but doesn’t fit into the other categories. Nominees were put in the category in which the individuals exercised their influence during the time period. As such, law firm leaders who may practise corporate-commercial law but were this year the driving force behind a merger would fit into the outlier category rather than the corporate-commercial one.

Some of last year’s winners are back, such as law professor Alan Young and constitutional law legend Peter Hogg, but this year’s list also sees a crop of different faces who have been the movers and shakers over the last year to 18 months, including Green party Leader Elizabeth May, Norton Rose OR LLP managing partner John Coleman, and a group of highly respected corporate counsel.

There were also a few write-in candidates in our online poll but one deserves mention due to the many voters who suggested him. In the government/non-profit category, Ontario ombudsman André Marin was frequently mentioned for “his incredible leadership, passion for fairness, and care and concern for those who have been disadvantaged by sometimes well-intended policies and practices and decisions of government.” Another voter said Marin “had an incredible positive impact on government administration in Ontario, acting as a catalyst for change in diverse areas, including expansion of the newborn screening program, greater fairness and transparency in property assessment and consumer protection in provincially run lotteries.”

So without further ado, here are the 2011 Top 25 Most Influential. They are listed with the top vote getter first in each category, followed by the others in alphabetical order.

Corporate-Commercial

Kelly Friedman
Partner, Davis LLP, Toronto

Kelly Friedman is chairwoman of Sedona Canada and was instrumental in the group that produced the Sedona Canada principles on e-discovery as well as several other commentaries on proportionality, privacy, cost containment, and letters rogatory. Litigators and in-house counsel alike see her as the go-to person on e-discovery in Canada. She has appeared before all levels of Ontario’s courts, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. She has represented clients such as Bell Canada International Inc., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., and Toronto Hydro as an intervener. She also has considerable expertise in the hot energy sector.

What voters had to say:

“Having worked closely with Kelly for many years (in my capacity as a corporate client), I can say with great confidence that she is a Big Thinker, a True Strategist, a Powerful Intellectual and a woman of unending energy and ideas, with the temerity to carry them through for the benefit of the entire legal community and all those within the country who seek justice and fairness!”

“Kelly is a great example for all female lawyers to follow.”

“A thought leader, highly likeable, and obviously very bright!”

Lucien Bouchard
Former premier of Quebec and now a partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Montreal

Lucien Bouchard has the ear of politicians and industry. He is an adviser to big companies on strategic issues and acts as negotiator and mediator for significant disputes. His active involvement in the business community includes advising large corporations on strategic issues and policy matters as well as acting as negotiator and mediator for significant disputes of all kinds. Last year, he was chief negotiator for Montreal’s transport agency for the awarding of a $1.2-billion-plus contract to build new subway cars and convinced members of the National Assembly to vote for a law restricting competing bids. In 1990, he founded the Bloc Québécois and served as premier of Quebec from 1996-2001. He is currently the president of the Quebec Oil and Gas Association.

What voters had to say:

“I have worked with [him] in various files and [he is] truly [one of] the best of the best. Smart and practical as well as a great person.”

Peter Hogg
Professor emeritus, Osgoode Hall Law School; scholar in residence, Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, Toronto

A member of our inaugural Top 25 Most Influential list in 2010, over the past year Peter Hogg has been heavily involved in the Supreme Court of Canada reference on a national securities regulator, landing him in the corporate-commercial category this year. Known, perhaps, as Canada’s pre-eminent constitutional expert, the securities regulator reference is just the latest in a long line of seminal cases he has been involved in. He was also reportedly the go-to guy for constitutional guidance for former governor general Michaëlle Jean.

What voters had to say:

“Peter Hogg has long-standing credibility. Hot deal makers may come and go, and new ‘experts’ may hop on the bandwagon of certain types of deals, but nobody has the credibility that Hogg has.”


Justice Geoff Morawetz
Ontario Superior Court, Toronto

Justice Geoff Morawetz is the Commercial List judge overseeing the Nortel Networks Corp. bankruptcy dating back to January 2009, which has had worldwide press and application regarding creditors, assets, patents, and more. The dismantling of the once-iconic Canadian company is setting precedents and breaking new ground in bankruptcy law around the world, particularly because of the case’s global reach. The most recent and notable Nortel decision in which he was involved was the approval of the sale of $4.5 billion of the telecomm giant’s patents to a group including Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Research in Motion Ltd. Before being appointed a judge in 2005, he was a partner at Goodmans LLP.

What voters had to say:

“A judge who is practical and realistic, shaping the common law and making the law make sense.”

Paul Schabas
Partner, Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, Toronto

Paul Schabas has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada numerous times, including on some of the most important decisions involving the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. His recent cases include persuading the Supreme Court to adopt the new public interest responsible communication defence to libel. Schabas is an elected bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada, a director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto. Perhaps most importantly in terms of influence, he is a founding director and past president of Pro Bono Law Ontario and pioneered and championed the practice now followed by major Canadian firms of giving associates billable-hour credit for pro bono work performed.

What the inside panel had to say:

“Paul Schabas continues to be a shining example of service in the community above and beyond his influence as one of the country’s top libel lawyers.”