DMG Advocates LLP
9 lawyers · Established 2018 · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 794 handling Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
About DMG Advocates LLP
DMG Advocates LLP is a small litigation firm in downtown Toronto, founded in 2018 by Hugh DesBrisay, Kathryn Manning, and Ryder Gilliland, whose combined initials give the firm its name. All three arrived with years of experience at larger firms first. DesBrisay had been a partner and counsel at a national firm and a partner at a prominent Toronto litigation firm. Manning had built a broad civil litigation and arbitration practice over two decades. Gilliland spent 15 years at a national firm, nine of them as partner, before helping start DMG.
The firm concentrates on commercial and public litigation and arbitration, along with related niches: media, defamation and privacy law, civil fraud and white collar matters, employment litigation, and cryptocurrency and blockchain disputes. DMG's lawyers appear before Ontario courts at every level and before international arbitration panels, acting for clients in manufacturing, transportation, securities, and technology. The team spans founding partners to associates, and the firm has been recognized in Chambers Canada, Best Lawyers, and The Globe and Mail's Best Law Firms rankings.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Founded in 2018 by Hugh DesBrisay, Kathryn Manning, and Ryder Gilliland, all of whom had already spent years in senior roles at larger firms before starting DMG.
- Recognized by Chambers Canada, Best Lawyers, and The Globe and Mail's Best Law Firms rankings.
- Kathryn Manning served as President of the Ontario Bar Association for the 2024 to 2025 term and sits on the Ontario Civil Rules Committee and its Artificial Intelligence Subcommittee.
- Hugh DesBrisay chaired The Advocates' Society's Education Committee and has taught advocacy skills.
- Ryder Gilliland is a Past President of the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society and of the Canadian Media Lawyers' Association, and has taught media law as an adjunct professor at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson).
In the community
- Firm lawyers regularly donate time to the Pro Bono Ontario hotline, which provides free legal advice to low income Ontarians.
- DMG partners with the Childhood Arrivals Support and Advocacy Program, run through Justice for Children and Youth, assisting young people seeking permanent residency on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
- The firm has represented individuals and organizations pro bono in journalism, defamation, and free expression matters.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessibleLawyers 9
Corey Groper
Partner
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Hugh DesBrisay
Counsel
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
John Mather
Partner
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Jordana Haar
Associate
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Kathryn Manning
Partner
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Lauren Baker
Associate
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Max Libman
Associate
Civil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionReal Estate Law
Michael Robson
Associate
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Ryder Gilliland
Partner
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1986–2022 · median 13 years in practice 9 of 9 lawyers
- Law schools
- Queen's University Faculty of Law (3), Dalhousie University, McGill University, Osgoode Hall Law School, Queen's University, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Common Law and 1 more 9 of 9 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
DMG Advocates' office is at 155 University Avenue in Toronto's Financial District, close to the University and King subway station entrances. It's a fitting spot for a firm whose clients come from manufacturing, transportation, securities, and technology: the surrounding blocks are home to many of the corporate head offices and financial institutions those industries touch, and the firm can reach downtown courts and clients on foot.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of law does DMG Advocates practice?
- DMG Advocates is a small litigation firm. Its lawyers focus on commercial and public litigation and arbitration, with particular experience in media, defamation and privacy law, civil fraud and white collar matters, employment litigation, and cryptocurrency and blockchain disputes.
- Can DMG Advocates help with a defamation or privacy claim?
- Yes. The firm has lawyers with more than 15 years advising publishers and broadcasters on media and defamation law, and experience in privacy and cybersecurity matters including data breaches.
- Does DMG Advocates handle cross border or international disputes?
- Yes. The firm's lawyers act in cross border and multi jurisdictional litigation and international commercial arbitration, and one partner is admitted to practice in both Ontario and New York.
- When was DMG Advocates founded and how big is the firm?
- DMG Advocates was founded in 2018 by Hugh DesBrisay, Kathryn Manning, and Ryder Gilliland. It remains a small firm, with lawyers ranging from founding partners to associates rather than a large full service practice.
- Does DMG Advocates offer any free or pro bono legal help?
- Firm lawyers volunteer with the Pro Bono Ontario hotline, which offers free legal advice to low income Ontarians, and the firm partners with Justice for Children and Youth on permanent residency applications for young people.
- Where is DMG Advocates located and how can I reach the firm?
- The office is at 155 University Avenue, Suite 1230, in Toronto's Financial District, reachable by phone at (416) 238-7475.
Where to find them
155 University Avenue, Suite 1230, Toronto, ON M5H 3B7 · 416-238-7475
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