Payne Law
1 lawyer · City of Toronto
One of 229 law firms listed in North York, and one of 69 handling Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Virtual appointments
Virtual appointmentsAbout Payne Law
Payne Law is a civil litigation firm based in North York, founded by Yan David Payne, who has practiced exclusively as a litigator for over 23 years. Payne articled at a small civil litigation firm in Toronto, then headed the litigation division of a commercial and tax litigation firm before starting a private practice in 2005 or 2006. Payne is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Civil Litigation, a designation the firm notes less than 1% of Ontario lawyers hold.
The team includes litigators with varied backgrounds: Nicholas Lou Mester, who has 20 years of litigation experience in Canadian and US courts and was previously a partner at a mid sized Ontario firm; Jelani K. Asante, licensed in New Jersey, New York, and Ontario; and Pratik Batta, dual licensed in India and Ontario, who led a real estate legal team for a large Indian conglomerate before moving into Canadian practice.
Payne Law handles negotiations, trials, hearings, and appeals in real estate, bankruptcy, commercial, employment, and tax litigation, along with wills and estates disputes, appearing before the Superior Court of Justice, Divisional Court, the Ontario Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada. Yan David Payne has been featured in and consulted by national media, including CBC and the Toronto Star.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Yan David Payne started a private civil litigation practice in 2005 or 2006, after articling at a small Toronto litigation firm and later heading the litigation division of a commercial and tax litigation firm.
- Payne is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Civil Litigation, a designation less than 1% of the province's lawyers hold.
- Payne has been appointed Independent Supervising Counsel by the Superior Court of Ontario and has served as a judge at the Osgoode Cup mooting competition.
- Starting in 2020, Payne was invited to speak to the Canadian Bar Association and the Ontario Bar Association on tax litigation and employment law developments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Nicholas Lou Mester spoke at the 2020 Ontario Trial Lawyers Association Conference on defending threshold motions at trial.
- Payne has been featured in and consulted by CBC and the Toronto Star, including an interview that ran in the paper's Saturday edition.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
Virtual appointments
In-person servicesLawyers 1
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
Payne Law's office sits at 6 Sakura Way in North York, the same street address as the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, which describes itself as home to galleries, a heritage collection, and rental space used for community programs and events. It's an office suite inside a community facility rather than a courthouse row or a downtown tower, which fits a firm whose lawyers travel to the courts where their cases are heard instead of anchoring the practice to one building.
The firm's litigation runs well beyond its own neighbourhood. Its lawyers appear at the Superior Court of Justice, Divisional Court, and the Ontario Court of Appeal, and its clients come from across the Toronto area and beyond, so the North York office functions as a base of operations for a practice that's regional in scope rather than a storefront serving walk in local traffic.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Payne Law handle wrongful dismissal and other workplace disputes?
- Yes. Employment litigation is one of the firm's practice areas, and Yan David Payne has spoken to the Ontario Bar Association about employment law developments during the COVID-19 period.
- Can Payne Law represent me in a real estate dispute?
- Real estate litigation is listed among the firm's core areas, covering disputes connected to property transactions and related commercial matters.
- Will my case go to trial, or does Payne Law try to settle first?
- The firm says over 99% of its cases settle well ahead of trial, while maintaining a track record of trial success if necessary.
- Is Yan David Payne recognized as a litigation specialist?
- Payne is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Civil Litigation, a certification the regulator grants to a small share of Ontario lawyers.
- Does Payne Law handle bankruptcy or tax litigation?
- Yes. The firm lists both bankruptcy litigation and tax litigation among its practice areas.
- Where is Payne Law located and how do I book a consultation?
- The firm's office is at 269, 6 Sakura Way in North York. It offers telephone, video, and in person consultations; the firm can be reached at (416) 447-4529 or by email at info@paynelaw.ca.
Where to find them
269 - 6 Sakura Way, North York, Ontario M3C 1Z5 · 416-447-4529
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