Paul Michell

T 416 644 5359 F 416 598 3730
E pmichell@lolg.ca

A highly experienced and versatile litigator, Paul excels at resolving complex issues through innovative litigation strategies. Clients trust him to provide insight and a creative and efficient approach to resolving their most challenging litigation matters.

Paul’s practice focuses on commercial litigation and arbitration, judicial review and appellate litigation, with particular expertise in complex cases with a regulatory or cross-border dimension. He has litigated cases involving failed hedge funds, derivatives, lawyers’ conflicts of interest, fraud and Ponzi schemes, arbitration-related court proceedings, shareholder disputes, construction and infrastructure, defamation and employment law.

As a trial and appellate lawyer, Paul has extensive experience at all levels in the Ontario and Federal Courts and the Supreme Court of Canada as well as before a variety of administrative and arbitral tribunals. He has also been appointed as an arbitrator, as a presiding officer under the Competition Act, and has acted for corporations, public entities, regulators, individuals, investment funds and receivers.

Paul is active in the legal community as a legal writer and commentator. His articles have been cited by the Supreme Court of Canada, the High Court of Australia, courts in Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Paul has been an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law since 2001, teaching public international law and international commercial arbitration.

Credentials

  • Called to the Ontario Bar, 1997
  • Clerkship: Justice Charles Gonthier of the Supreme Court of Canada
  • B.C.L., University of Oxford, 1995
  • LL.B., University of Toronto, 1994
  • B.A., McGill University, 1990
  • Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Fellow
  • University of Toronto, Faculty of Law, Adjunct Professor
  • University of Toronto, Discipline Appeals Board, Associate Chair
  • ICC Canada Arbitration Committee, Member
  • Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, Member
  • The Legal 500 Canada, 2025: Leading Partners - Dispute Resolution, Ontario
  • Chambers Canada 2025: Band 6 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2025: Administrative and Public Law; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Appellate Practice; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Director and Officer Liability Practice; International Arbitration; Labour and Employment Law
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2024: Commercial Litigation; Arbitration
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2024: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Commercial Arbitration
  • Chambers Canada 2024: Band 5 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2024: Administrative and Public Law; Appellate Practice; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Director and Officer Liability Practice
  • Chambers Canada 2023: Band 5 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2023: Commercial Litigation, Arbitration
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2023: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Commercial Arbitration
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2023: Administrative and Public Law; Corporate and Commercial Litigation
  • Chambers Canada 2022: Band 5 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2022: Commercial Litigation, Arbitration
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2022: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Commercial Arbitration
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2022: Administrative and Public Law; Corporate and Commercial Litigation
  • Chambers Canada 2021: Band 5 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2021: Commercial Litigation, Arbitration
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2021: Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Commercial Arbitration; Litigation - Defamation & Media
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2021: Corporate and Commercial Litigation
  • Chambers Canada 2020: Band 5 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 2020: Litigation - Corporate Commercial
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2020: Dispute Resolution, Commercial Litigation
  • The Best Lawyers™ in Canada, 2020: Corporate and Commercial Litigation
  • Chambers Canada 2019: Band 5 - Litigation: General Commercial (Ontario)
  • Who's Who Legal, 2019: Canada, Arbitration
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2019: Arbitration and Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Lexpert® Directory 2019: Litigation - Corporate Commercial
  • Chambers Canada, 2018: General Commercial Litigation - Band 4
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2018: Arbitration and Commercial Litigation
  • Who’s Who Legal, 2018: Canada, Arbitration
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory 2018: "Consistently recommend" for Litigation - Corporate Commercial
  • Chambers Canada, 2017: General Commercial Litigation - Band 4
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2017: Arbitration and Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory 2017: "Consistently recommend" for Litigation - Corporate Commercial
  • Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada, 2017: Corporate Commercial Litigation
  • OBA Foundation Chief Justice of Ontario Fellowship in Legal Ethics and Professionalism Studies, 2016-2017
  • Who’s Who Legal, 2017: Canada, Arbitration
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2016: Arbitration and Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory 2016: "Consistently recommend" for Litigation - Corporate Commercial
  • Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada, 2016: Corporate Commercial Litigation
  • Who’s Who Legal, 2016: Canada, Arbitration
  • Benchmark Litigation Star, 2015: Arbitration and Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory 2015: "Consistently recommend" for Litigation - Corporate Commercial
  • Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada, 2015: Corporate Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory 2014: "Consistently recommend" for Litigation - Corporate Commercial
  • Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada, 2014: Corporate Commercial Litigation
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory 2013: "Consistently recommend" for Litigation - Corporate Commercial