Jacqueline Armstrong Gates

About Jacqueline Armstrong Gates

Insurers and manufacturers facing product liability claims sit at the centre of Jacqueline (Jay) Armstrong Gates's practice. Jay is a partner and litigator at Gowling WLG in the Waterloo Region, heading the firm's national Product Liability Group in Canada as well as its Advocacy department, and advises clients on how to defend claims over the products they make or insure.

Beyond product cases, Jay runs a wide commercial litigation practice. Clients include retailers, self-insured entities, and public and private corporations and partnerships, some based in Canada and some in the United States. Their disputes range from fights between shareholders or partners to negligence actions, construction liens, commercial leases and title insurance.

Jay's legal career began with a call to the Ontario bar in 1996, two years after earning an LLB at Queen's University, a degree that included studies at Sydney University. A BA in political science from the University of Waterloo came first, in 1991. In court, Jay has argued before the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Divisional Court and has represented parties at trials in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Jay also writes and speaks on commercial and insurance disputes, with talks given in Ontario and across the United States.

Outside work, Jay enjoys travel and athletic adventures and keeps busy in the local community. That has meant time with Habitat for Humanity Build, the Food Bank and the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, and when the University of Waterloo honoured Jay in 2017, Jay was mentoring its students, attending career events and giving one-on-one advice.