Aird & Berlis LLP

Corporate and commercial work

The Corporate Group acts for public and private companies, partnerships and trusts on deals and governance, from everyday operational questions to turning points such as acquisitions, divestitures and shareholder disputes. Chambers Canada 2027 placed the firm in Band 1 for Corporate/Commercial: Highly Regarded.

Real estate for developers, REITs and lenders

Real estate clients include developers, REITs, municipalities, lenders and institutional investors, plus international businesses entering or growing in Canada's property market. The group has long acted for Allied Properties REIT and the Skyline Group, takes condominium projects from start to finish for developers, and negotiates commercial leases for landlords and tenants alike.

Restructuring and insolvency

The Restructuring & Insolvency Group handles restructurings (formal and informal), receiverships, bankruptcies and enforcement, including proceedings under the CCAA and the BIA. Aird & Berlis represents TD Bank in the receivership of Novo Plastics Inc. and 2139654 Ontario Limited, ordered by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) on September 15, 2026.

Patents, trademarks and IP disputes

The IP Group combines the focus of a dedicated IP practice with the backing of a full-service firm, and many of its professionals hold doctorates, master's or engineering degrees. Clients run from startups to multinationals, universities, hospitals and research institutions, and the group guards their rights against counterfeiters, cybersquatters and other infringers, and defends them when invalid claims are made.

Litigation, arbitration and regulatory hearings

Advocates, mediators and arbitrators in the group appear at every level of provincial and federal court, up to the Supreme Court of Canada, and before bodies such as the Ontario Securities Commission, the Ontario Energy Board and the Ontario Land Tribunal. The group also has extensive experience with complex commercial disputes on Toronto's Commercial List.

Our guide: Litigation and Dispute Resolution in Toronto

Tax planning and tax disputes

The Tax Group joins transaction planning early, aiming to catch opportunities and problems before they surface. Many clients arrive by referral from more than 200 law firms worldwide, which often look to Aird & Berlis as their Canadian partner on tax, and the group takes disputes from audits and reassessments through litigation in the Tax Court of Canada, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Technology and growth companies

The Technology Group advises e-commerce platforms, biotech firms, government ministries and software companies, among others, on subjects such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency and connected devices. On financings, the firm acts for early-stage, emerging and mature businesses in fields that include clean technology, life sciences and space tech.

Municipal, land use planning and development

The municipal and planning group acts for municipalities and public agencies as well as developers, landowners, utilities and public interest groups. Several of its lawyers came from municipal government, as in-house solicitors or senior staff, or from the former Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Peter Van Loan represents landowners, developers and municipalities on planning, approvals and heritage matters.

Indigenous Practice Group

The Indigenous Practice Group brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous lawyers and mainly acts for Indigenous governments, communities and businesses. Chambers Canada 2027 recognized the firm in Aboriginal Law: Representation of Indigenous Peoples (Nationwide).

Trusts and estates

The Trusts & Estates Group works with wealthy people holding assets outside Canada, families thinking ahead to their next generations, owners preparing a business for succession, and fiduciaries such as trust companies and banks.

Space technology

Its Space Tech group works with businesses, investors and public sector players on developing, financing, building and operating space-related technology and services.