Background

Chris Bredt is a senior litigation partner practising in our Toronto Office. Chris was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1984. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (B.A. Economics 1979; LL.B. 'with distinction' 1979); Yale University (LL.M., 1981); and the Université de Paris II (D.S.U., 1983). He is bilingual. In 2008, Chris was elected as a Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Prior to joining Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG), Chris was Law Clerk to Mr. Justice McIntyre of the Supreme Court of Canada from 1979-1980, and was a stagiaire with the Conseil d'Etat (Council of State) in Paris , France in 1983.

Chris joined BLG in 1984, and became a partner 1988; he was on secondment to the Government of Ontario from 1989-1993 where he served as Assistant Deputy Minister, Office of Federal Provincial Relations and as Assistant Deputy Minister, Constitutional Policy and Special Counsel. He is the Chair of BLG's National Public Law Group.

Areas of Practice

• Chris practises civil litigation, with an emphasis on commercial disputes, anti-piracy actions, corporate restructuring, directors' and officers' duties and liabilities, shareholder, oppression and other corporate disputes, class actions, constitutional and administrative law issues.

Rankings and Recognitions

• Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2012 (Administrative and Public Law; Corporate and Commercial Litigation)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rating
• Recognized in The 2012 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada (Corporate Commercial Litigation)
• Recognized in the 2011 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Litigation – Corporate Commercial; Litigation – Public Law)

Professional Experience

• Has appeared as counsel before all levels of the Courts in Ontario , and before the Federal Court of Appeal, British Columbia Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Canada, and numerous administrative tribunals, including the Ontario Securities Commission. Some of the more significant cases in which he has appeared as counsel are referred to below.

Clients and Cases Argued in Recent Years Include:

• Re Cadillac Fairview, et al.: Acted as counsel for the Teachers' Pension Plan in its takeover of Cadillac Fairview and the resultant plan of arrangement proceedings.
• Ford v. OMERS, et al.: Acting as counsel for OMERS, Mackenzie Financial, and other dissenting shareholders in a dissent and appraisal proceeding in connection with the privatization of Ford Canada.
• Millard, et al. v. M.R.S. Trust, et al.: Acted on behalf of M.R.S. Trust in defending a class action suit arising out of a failed investment. The litigation included complex certification issues, and an innovative settlement arrangement that included bar orders precluding cross-claims.
• Enfield v. Montréal Trust, et al.: Acted as Counsel for Enfield in an action arising out of the improper purchase of shares by the company's pension plan during a contested takeover. Issues include the duties and liabilities of pension fund trustees, investment dealers and officers and directors of public companies.
• Fischer, et al. v. Bahnman, et al.: Acted on behalf of the former officers and directors of Tee-Comm in a class action which raises issues relating to directors' and officers' fiduciary duties.
• Lavigne v. OPSEU: Acted on behalf of Merv Lavigne, in a landmark constitutional case which challenged the use by unions of compelled dues for political and ideological purposes.
• Kay v. Posluns: Acted at trial for James Kay in a shareholders dispute over the control of Dylex.
• Twiggco v. KPMG Peat Marwick: Acted on behalf of KPMG in an auditors negligence case.
• Reference re Canada Assistance Plan: Acted on behalf of the Government of Ontario before the B.C. Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada in connection with changes to the Canada Assistance Plan.
• Famous Players Development v. Capitol Life: Acted on behalf of Capitol Life and its Canadian subsidiary in an action which raised issues of conflict of interest and the enforceability of a mortgage.
• Acted on behalf of the Ontario Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Commission on numerous applications for judicial review.
• Possian v. Canadian Olympic Association: Acted on behalf of the Canadian Olympic Association in a breach of copyright/passing off action.

Professional and Community Activities

• Member, part-time Faculty, University of Toronto Law School, teaching Advanced Administrative Law, 1984-1990; Member, Part-time Faculty, Osgoode Hall Law School , teaching Freedom of Expression and the Media, 1990-present.
• Past Chair, Canadian Bar Association (Ontario), Constitutional and Civil Liberties Section, Past Chair, Canadian Bar Association (Ontario), Administrative Law Section.
• Editor, Commercial Litigation ; has published a number of articles on commercial litigation, constitutional law and administrative law issues.
• Member, Advocates Society, Canadian Bar Association, American Bar Association.