Michael McCluskey

About Michael McCluskey

Michael McCluskey is a commercial litigator in McKenzie Lake's Guelph office who helps clients through litigation disputes from the early stages to trial. McCluskey has specific experience with contract disputes, commercial and residential real estate disputes, and construction disputes and liens. A file can land on McCluskey's desk when a problem's only starting to brew and stay there until trial, though more often than not a deal can be reached.

Litigation has been McCluskey's sole focus since 2011, and the Ontario call followed in 2012. Before McKenzie Lake, there was a stint at a large national firm in Guelph starting in 2017, and in 2022 McCluskey came across with three colleagues from that firm to join McKenzie Lake's Guelph team. At the Supreme Court of Canada, McCluskey was counsel for M.T. Johnstone Construction Ltd. when a buyer who'd walked away from a home purchase sought leave to appeal; the Court dismissed that application with costs in 2025.

Because court can feel daunting, McCluskey makes a point of staying in close touch with clients at each stage. In conversations with GuelphToday, McCluskey has warned private lenders that an unsecured promissory note isn't real security, told commercial tenants that a default can leave them owing the rest of the lease, and urged anyone sensing trouble to call early rather than wait for things to blow up.

Originally from Rothesay, New Brunswick, McCluskey studied criminology and English at St. Thomas University. Locally, McCluskey spent 2017 to 2023 on the board of Habitat for Humanity Wellington/Dufferin/Guelph. Best Lawyers in Canada has recognized McCluskey each year since 2025. Off the clock, you'll find McCluskey camping, golfing or enjoying a good glass of wine.