These were Canada’s top corporate tax litigation lawyers based on Lexpert's 2020 survey. Check out the full list of Canada’s best corporate tax litigation lawyers and law firms at the link.
In our survey, corporate tax litigation covers disputes involving tax planning or estates and trust structures for high-net-worth individuals, various levels of governments as to proper tax jurisdiction or challenges to the exercise of purported tax jurisdictions and particular types of tax.
The practice also includes disputes regarding proper taxation of commercial transactions or agreements, corporate structures, financing transactions or financial instruments and specific industries. It also involves international tax disputes with respect to matters such as transfer pricing and other such matters.
Most frequently recommended corporate tax litigation lawyers
Guy Du Pont
Law firm: Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1976 (QC); 1983 (ON)
City: Montréal
Guy Du Pont is a partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, a business law firm specializing in high-stakes and complex matters. Du Pont is recognized as one of Canada’s leading corporate tax litigation lawyers. He devotes his practice to complex and high-stakes litigation involving a wide range of areas. Du Pont has appeared at all levels of trial and appellate courts in Canada, including the Québec Superior Court and Court of Appeal, Tax Court of Canada, Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada in a number of leading cases. He has represented clients in a wide range of practice areas, including taxation, class actions, competition, white collar and constitutional law.
Read more about Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP on infrastructure investments during pandemic
Edwin G. Kroft
Law firm: Bennett Jones LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1980 (BC); 2010 (ON); 2010 (AB)
City: Toronto/Vancouver
Edwin G. Kroft is a partner at Bennett Jones LLP’s Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary offices. He also leads the firm’s tax controversy and litigation group. His practice is exclusively dedicated to handling federal and provincial tax disputes, including those related to transfer pricing. Kroft appears before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada, the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of British Columbia. He regularly represents clients, including major Canadian and foreign corporations, in tax disputes involving the Canada Revenue Agency and other tax authorities. A top corporate tax litigation lawyer, Kroft has written more than 60 articles and papers on taxation and corporate law subjects for the Canadian Tax Foundation and other organizations. His firm specializes in business law.
Read more about Bennett Jones LLP on infrastructure developments amid pandemic
Wilfrid Lefebvre
Law firm: Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1970
City: Montréal
Wilfrid Lefebvre is a senior partner at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, an international full-service business law firm. He specializes in income tax and represents clients before tax authorities, courts and administrative tribunals. Lefebvre has extensive court experience and has served as legal counsel in many complex and important cases. He has appeared before the Supreme Court, the Federal Court of Appeal and other Courts. Lefebvre is considered one of the country’s best corporate tax litigation lawyers. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1982. Lefebvre is also a frequent lecturer at many universities.
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Al Meghji
Law firm: Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1990 (ON); 1995 (AB)
City: Toronto/Calgary
Al Meghji is the head of the tax controversy practice at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. He is also a partner at the firm, which is one of the country’s largest full-service business law firms. Meghji appears frequently in the courts for leading Canadian and multinational corporations. He has argued several landmark tax cases, including the first general anti-avoidance rules case and the first transfer pricing case in the Supreme Court of Canada. Meghji is also a chartered accountant and former counsel at the Department of Justice. He is recognized as among the nation’s top corporate tax litigation lawyers.
Consistently recommended corporate tax litigation lawyers
François Barette
Law firm: Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1980
City: Montréal
François Barette is a partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, one of Canada’s largest full-service business law firms. He is recognized as among the leading corporate tax litigation lawyers in the country. Barette represents a diversified domestic and international client base, which includes individuals, corporations and trusts. His practice extends well beyond tax litigation and he is asked to intervene in a range of civil and administrative matters. Barette advises clients on issues concerning federal and provincial income tax, sales tax, goods and services tax, excise tax, payroll taxes and property tax.
Dominic C. Belley
Law firm: Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Year called to the Bar: 2001
City: Montréal
Dominic C. Belley is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, where he co-chairs the Canadian tax team. Belley has handled matters against federal and provincial tax authorities in civil, commercial, criminal and constitutional matters. He has appeared before the Court of Québec, the Québec Superior Court, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, British Columbia Supreme Court, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Québec Court of Appeal, the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. Belley has argued over 200 cases on behalf of clients in 7 out of 10 Canadian provinces. His areas of focus include income tax, goods and services tax, fuel tax, tobacco tax, Aboriginal tax, land transfer duties, collection measures, protection of tax information, judicial review, pension plans, unclaimed property and rectifications.
Monica E. Biringer
Law firm: Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1986
City: Toronto
Monica E. Biringer is a partner and co-chair at the national tax group at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. She has a broad disputes practice that includes all aspects of corporate income tax, with an emphasis on tax disputes, mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. Biringer has extensive experience in cross-border mergers, inbound corporate financing and acquisitions, leasing as a form of financing and financial restructuring. She also has deep expertise in tax controversy. Biringer is one of Canada’s top corporate tax litigation lawyers. She is an author and speaker at conferences on various Canadian tax matters. Biringer has also taught at the bar admission course and is on the editorial board for the Federated Press, a corporate finance periodical.
Thomas M. Boddez
Law firm: Thorsteinssons LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1993
City: Vancouver
Thomas M. Boddez is a partner of Thorsteinssons LLP, one of Canada largest tax firms. He has also served as the firm’s managing partner and governor of the Canadian Tax Foundation. Boddez is a member of the Thorsteinssons’ tax litigation group and is regularly recognized as one of nation’s leading corporate tax litigation lawyers. His civil litigation practice includes representation of taxpayers in the audit and appeal processes with the Canada Revenue Agency, as well as appeals heard by the Tax Court of Canada, Federal Court, provincial superior courts, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. Boddez also has extensive experience in tax evasion investigations, trials and appeals. He has also lectured on taxation matters for legal organizations and universities.
Robert Carvalho
Law firm: Thorsteinssons LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1992
City: Vancouver
Robert Carvalho is a partner at Thorsteinssons LLP. He specializes in representing taxpayers in complex audits involving the anti-avoidance provisions of the Act, including the general anti-avoidance rule and transfer pricing provisions. Having worked for the Department of Justice for over 25 years, Carvalho has gathered extensive experience at all court levels on such files. He has been involved in numerous files at the Tax Court of Canada and Federal Court of Appeal involving the general anti-avoidance rule, including the first such appeal to go to the Federal Court of Appeal. In addition, his experience has given him insight into the Canada Revenue Agency audit process and has resulted in him being involved in many of the precedential cases involving the use of the CRA’s audit powers. He is among the nation’s leading corporate tax litigation lawyers.
Cy M. Fien
Law firm: Fillmore Riley LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1976
City: Winnipeg
Cy M. Fien is a senior tax partner of Fillmore Riley LLP, one of Manitoba’s leading business and litigation law firms. He specializes in taxation and trust law. Fien has extensive experience in corporate tax planning, corporate reorganizations, estate planning, trust law and tax litigation. He has appeared before all levels of Federal Tax Courts and acted for public companies, international clients and trusts and small business clients. Fien is currently a member of the editorial board of the Canadian Tax Journal and the Editorial Board of the Estates, Trusts & Pensions Journal. He is the author of numerous papers and articles on taxation matters for the Canadian Tax Foundation and the Law Society of Manitoba.
Nathalie Goyette
Law firm: Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1990
City: Montréal
Nathalie Goyette is a partner at the tax and tax disputes practices at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP. She helps clients manage and resolve audit and appeal disputes with provincial and federal tax authorities. Goyette has extensive experience representing corporate and individual clients on all aspects of tax litigation matters relating to income tax, goods and services tax, provincial sales tax, tax avoidance and mining tax. She has also earned the trust of clients as varied as multinational corporations, closely held businesses, high-net-worth individuals and trusts and estates. She is a frequent speaker at national and international tax seminars and has authored numerous publications, including a book on tax treaty abuse.
Gerald A. Grenon
Law firm: Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1995
City: Calgary
Gerald A. Grenon is a partner at the Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s taxation practice. His practice encompasses all stages of tax dispute resolution from dealing with Canada Revenue Agency audits to litigating in court. Grenon has appeared before the Tax Court of Canada, Federal Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Canada and Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. Before commencing his practice as a tax litigator, Grenon served as a judicial clerk at the Federal Court of Appeal.
Carman R. McNary
Law firm: Dentons Canada LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1982
City: Edmonton
Carman R. McNary serves as counsel at Dentons Canada LLP’s Edmonton office. His practice focuses on taxation and corporate law. McNary boasts more than 35 years of experience in Canada taxation and has become one of the country’s leading authorities on tax compliance and dispute resolution with government agencies, corporate tax strategies, structures and governance of tax risk. He is also an expert in corporate board strategy, providing strategic counsel to a wide range of prestigious local, provincial and national boards and organizations. McNary advises Canadian and international companies on tax-efficient structures and effective tax management. He has served as chair of the firm’s national tax group for 10 years and is a former managing partner at the Edmonton office. Dentons is one of the nation’s largest business law firms.
Pooja Mihailovich
Law firm: Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Year called to the Bar: 2006
City: Toronto
Pooja Mihailovich is a partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. She specializes in advising on tax litigation and dispute resolution matters. Mihailovich has appeared in significant cases at all levels of court and routinely represents clients in disputes before the Canadian tax authorities. In addition to tax controversy matters, her practice also includes advising on general corporate tax matters and Canadian tax issues particular to insurance organizations. Mihailovich is recognized as among the top corporate tax litigation lawyers in the country. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law and has lectured at Osgoode Hall Law School. Mihailovich has also authored articles on a wide variety of topics regarding federal income tax matters and is a contributing editor of Tax Litigation and the Toronto Law Journal.
Joel A. Nitikman
Law firm: Dentons Canada LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1986
City: Vancouver
Joel A. Nitikman is a partner at the tax group at Dentons Canada LLP. For almost 30 years, he has devoted his practice to resolving tax disputes between taxpayers and federal and provincial tax authorities. Nitikman has extensive experience in federal and provincial income and commodity tax litigation. He has acted as counsel in numerous tax cases at all levels of court, both provincially and federally. Nitikman has also settled many cases out of court at the pre-assessment or objection stage. His skills include organizing a complex set of data, analyzing and structuring the data to determine the relevant tax issues, preparing witnesses for court, drafting legal pleadings and substantive arguments, excellent oral advocacy skills, excellent legal research, the ability to persuade and reason in a complex environment and the ability to assimilate a large number of facts quickly. Nitikman also practises corporate and individual business tax, focusing on offshore tax planning, corporate reorganizations and other business-related tax matters. He also advises on good and services tax and provincial commodity taxes.
Read more about Dentons Canada LLP on financing the mining industry
Alan M. Schwartz
Law firm: Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1970
City: Toronto
Alan M. Schwartz is a partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. His tax practice involves advising on corporate transactions such as acquisitions, corporate reorganisations, prospectus disclosure and the establishment of investment vehicles. Schwartz has pleaded cases in tax courts at all levels and has been involved in leading cases on the general anti-avoidance rule, the existence of a separate business, partnership reorganizations, asset classification and residence of trusts and employment benefits.
Louis Tassé
Law firm: Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1990
City: Montréal
Louis Tassé is a partner and the head of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s tax litigation practice in Montréal. He devotes his practice to tax litigation, both in income and sales tax cases. Tassé has deep and varied experience litigating tax cases for the Crown and is well-versed on controversies affecting corporate taxpayers and understands the Crown’s perspective in litigating tax cases. Prior to joining the firm, he practised in one of the largest professional services and accounting firms in the world, representing clients in disputes with the Canada Revenue Agency and the Québec Ministry of Revenue. Tassé also has extensive experience in voluntary disclosures both for income tax and sales tax matters with the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec. He is a prolific writer and has been quoted on three different occasions by the Tax Court of Canada and the Québec Court.
Matthew G. Williams
Law firm: Thorsteinssons LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1999
City: Toronto
Matthew G. Williams is a partner at Thorsteinssons LLP. He specializes in taxpayer representation. Williams has appeared before the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Ontario Superior Court and the Supreme Court of Canada on a wide range of issues. He has extensive experience dealing with Canada’s general anti-avoidance rule in both domestic and international contexts, having successfully appealed a number of cases in the Federal Court of Appeal.