Steven I. Sofer

About Steven I. Sofer

Steven I. Sofer is an advocacy partner with Gowling WLG in Toronto, and the work centres on class actions, securities disputes and commercial litigation. Companies, executives and auditors facing investor class actions have turned to Sofer for a defence, and so have public companies and their officers caught up in Ontario Securities Commission investigations into disclosure or insider trading.

That securities practice has roots on the other side of the table. Sofer once prosecuted insider trading and broker/dealer misconduct cases for the OSC, and after going back to private practice taught securities commission staff about both subjects. Since then the partner has acted for regulators and represented registrants appearing before them, and has run internal investigations and replies to regulatory inquiries.

Product liability is the other big thread. For Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, Sofer has handled tobacco litigation across the country, including claims brought by provincial governments, and constitutional cases on freedom of expression, the Rule of Law and the division of powers that went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. Sofer is called to the bar in New York (1986), Ontario (1987) and Quebec (1988).

Sofer makes a point of giving plain, practical advice and short, prompt updates, and moves quickly to settle when a fair deal is the right result. Outside paid files, there's long-running pro bono work for students with ADHD or autism in their dealings with the school system. Best Lawyers in Canada has recognized Sofer since 2013, and Benchmark Litigation rates the partner a Litigation Star.