Jonathan Lisus

T 416 598 7873 F 416 598 3730
E jlisus@lolg.ca

Clients rely on Jonathan to handle their most difficult problems. He “has our utmost trust on critical matters” (Chambers Canada 2023). “Jonathan Lisus is in a class of his own”, “He is one of the best litigators in Canada”, “He really is brilliant: incredibly hard working, diligent and able to deal with legal issues in a creative way” (Chambers Canada 2022), “an extremely creative and brilliant lawyer”, a “hard hitting litigator”, a “master at creating compelling case theories” (Chambers Global, Chambers Canada), and “a real dynamo, who can pretty much try anything” (Benchmark Litigation). Jonathan has been named Canada’s Trial Lawyer of the Year by Benchmark Litigation in 2020 and 2024.

Described by his peers as ‘the gold standard in this space, a phenomenal litigator’, for more than thirty years Jonathan has won landmark decisions across a broad variety of subject matter including competition law, constitutional law, liability of public authorities, professional liability, criminal law, financial services, franchise law and contract disputes. He has tried over 90 cases to judgment and argued over 55 appeals in provincial appellate courts and the Supreme Court of Canada.  

Jonathan regularly appears as Special Counsel to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association in challenges to government action. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a member of the Chief Justice of Ontario’s Advisory Committee on Professionalism, and a member of the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute, a select group of appointed advocates who provide pro bono peer review to counsel appearing in the Supreme Court of Canada. He maintains an active trial and appellate practice across Canada. 

 

 

 

Education

  • Called to the Ontario Bar, 1992
  • LL.B., Osgoode Hall Law School
  • Chief Justice of Ontario Advisory Committee on Professionalism, Member
  • Supreme Court Advocacy Institute, Member
  • Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Board of Directors and Executive Committee 
  • American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
  • International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Board of Directors and Admissions Committee
  • North York General Hospital Foundation, Board of Governors
  • Lawyers International Food Enterprise, Co-founder and Director
  • The Legal 500 Canada, 2025: Hall of Fame - Dispute Resolution, Ontario
  • Chambers Canada 2025: Band 1 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2025: “Lawyer of the Year” in Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2025: Administrative and Public Law; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Appellate Practice; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Class Action Litigation; Commercial Leasing Law; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Director and Officer Liability Practice; Franchise Law; Professional Malpractice Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2024: Canada's Trial Lawyer of the Year  
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2024: Top 50 Trial Lawyer in Canada
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2024: Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2024: Class Actions; Franchise Law; Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability; Litigation - Regulatory & Public Law; Litigation - Securities
  • Lexpert®/ American Lawyer Guide - Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, 2024: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability 
  • Chambers Global 2024: Dispute Resolution: Litigation
  • Chambers Canada 2024: Band 1 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • The Legal 500 Canada, 2024: Hall of Fame - Dispute Resolution, Ontario
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2024: Administrative and Public Law; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Appellate Practice; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Class Action Litigation; Commercial Leasing Law; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Director and Officer Liability Practice; Professional Malpractice Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law
  • Chambers Global 2023: Dispute Resolution: Litigation
  • Chambers Canada 2023: Band 1 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2023: Top 50 Trial Lawyer in Canada
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2023: Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2023: Class Actions; Franchise Law; Litigation - Corporate Commercial;   Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability; Litigation - Regulatory & Public Law; Litigation - Securities
  • Lexpert®/ American Lawyer Guide - Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, 2023: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability 
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2023: Administrative and Public Law; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Appellate Practice; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Class Action Litigation; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Director and Officer Liability Practice; Professional Malpractice Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law
  • The Legal 500 Canada, 2023: Hall of Fame - Dispute Resolution, Ontario
  • Chambers Global 2022: Dispute Resolution: Litigation
  • Chambers Canada 2022: Band 1 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2022: Top 50 Trial Lawyer in Canada
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2022: Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2022: Class Actions; Franchise Law; Litigation - Corporate Commercial;   Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability; Litigation - Regulatory & Public Law; Litigation - Securities
  • Lexpert®/ American Lawyer Guide - Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, 2022: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability 
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2022: Administrative and Public Law; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Class Action Litigation; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Director and Officer Liability Practice; Professional Malpractice Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law
  • The Legal 500 Canada, 2022: Leading Lawyer - Dispute Resolution, Ontario
  • Chambers Canada 2021: Band 1 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2021: Top 50 Trial Lawyer in Canada
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2021: Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2021: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Class Actions; Franchise Law; Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability; Litigation - Regulatory & Public Law; Litigation - Securities
  • Lexpert®/ American Lawyer Guide - Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, 2021: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability 
  • The Legal 500 Canada, 2021: Leading Lawyer - Dispute Resolution, Ontario; Restructuring and Insolvency, Ontario
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2021: Administrative and Public Law; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Class Action Litigation; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Director and Officer Liability Practice; Professional Malpractice Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law
  • Chambers Canada 2020: Band 1 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2020: Canada's Trial Lawyer of the Year  
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2020: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Class Actions; Litigation - Directors' & Officers' Liability; Franchise Law 
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2020: Top 50 Trial Lawyer in Canada
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2020: Dispute Resolution, Commercial Litigation
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2020: Administrative and Public Law; Class Action Litigation
  • The Legal 500, 2020 Edition: Leading Lawyer - Dispute Resolution, Ontario
  • Chambers Canada, 2019: Band 1 - Dispute Resolution
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2019: Top 50 Trial Lawyer in Canada
  • Benchmark Litigation Star: Commercial Litigation, 2019
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory 2019: Litigation - Corporate Commercial, Class Actions, Directors' & Officers' Liability, Franchise Law
  • Who's Who Legal, 2019: Global Litigation; Litigation - Canada
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2018: Top 50 Trial Lawyer in Canada
  • Benchmark Litigation, 2018: Ontario Litigator of the Year
  • Who's Who Legal, 2018: Global Litigation; Litigation - Canada
  • Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada, Corporate Commercial Litigation, Insolvency and Financial Restructuring
  • Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada
  • Lexpert, Guide to the 100 Most Creative Lawyers in Canada