Civil Litigation Lawyers for Ontario and BC

A litigation lawyer is a lawyer whose practice is focused on resolving disputes through courts, tribunals, and alternative processes. A civil litigation lawyer specifically handles non-criminal disputes between private parties. They manage every stage of the dispute process: assessing the merits of a claim or defence, advising on strategy, conducting discovery, attending mediations and hearings, and advocating at trial when the matter does not resolve earlier.

A litigator is a lawyer who represents parties in legal proceedings. The term comes from "litigation," meaning the process of taking a dispute to court. Litigators are distinguished from transactional lawyers who primarily draft contracts and advise on deals. A civil litigator handles civil disputes. A commercial litigator focuses on business disputes. The term is used interchangeably with "litigation lawyer" in Canadian legal practice.

Civil litigation involves disputes between private parties where one seeks a remedy from another, typically money, an injunction, or a declaration of rights. Criminal proceedings are brought by the state against a person accused of a criminal offence, with penalties including imprisonment. The same conduct can sometimes give rise to both civil and criminal proceedings, but they are entirely separate processes with different standards of proof, different courts, and different outcomes.

It depends on the complexity of the dispute and whether it resolves at mandatory mediation or proceeds to trial. A straightforward civil matter that settles at mediation in Toronto or Ottawa may conclude within twelve to eighteen months of the claim being issued. Complex matters that proceed to trial can take two to four years. Urgent applications including injunctions can be heard within days where the circumstances require it. We give clients a realistic timeline for their specific matter at the outset.

You need a civil litigation lawyer who is licensed in Ontario or BC and who has experience appearing before the courts in your province. Achkar Law has civil litigation lawyers acting for clients across Ontario and British Columbia. We serve clients in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, and throughout both provinces. Call us at 1-800-771-7882 or use the form below to tell us about your dispute.

Our civil litigation lawyers handle the full range of civil disputes including commercial and contract matters, shareholder and partnership disputes, corporate and commercial fraud, injunction applications, defamation and reputation litigation, real estate disputes, professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, business torts, and civil debt recovery. If you are not sure whether your situation is one we handle, call us and we will tell you directly.

Yes. Civil litigation lawyers advise on and participate in the full range of dispute resolution processes, not just court proceedings. Mediation is mandatory for most civil proceedings in Toronto, Ottawa, and Windsor before they can proceed to trial. Arbitration is available where the parties have agreed to it or where a contract requires it. We prepare clients for mediation with the same rigor as for any other step and negotiate hard to achieve outcomes that reflect the strength of the file.

Yes. We represent both parties pursuing civil claims and parties defending against them in Ontario and BC courts. We cannot act for both sides in the same matter, but our experience on both sides of civil disputes makes us more effective advocates on either one. If you contact us first, we will assess your position and advise on how to proceed.