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Pierre N. Gemson

Partner

Toronto
[email protected]
416.367.6324

Expertise

Bushra Khalid

Practice Assistant

Toronto
[email protected]
416.367.6458

Pierre represents corporate clients in complex litigation matters. His practice focuses on competition law matters, including defending consumer class actions. Pierre regularly works with clients and BLG’s national teams to develop and implement strategies for defending competition class actions that have cross-border and agency enforcement aspects. He has also acted for and advised clients in disputes spanning contractual, shareholder, franchise, defamation, construction and public law matters.

Pierre represents clients before the Ontario Superior Court, the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Prior to joining BLG, Pierre practiced for more than five years at a leading, full-service firm in New York. There he represented and advised U.S. and international corporations in industries including cellular telecommunications, commercial aviation, banking, vision care and casino gaming.

From 2009 to 2010, Pierre served as law clerk to Justice Marie Deschamps at the Supreme Court of Canada. He is fluent in English and French.

Experience

  • Represents Samsung Electronics Corporation, Samsung Electronics America and Samsung Electronics Canada in multiple Canadian class action proceedings related to the supply of DRAM.
  • Represents Deutsche Bank AG in multiple Canadian class action proceedings related to foreign exchange, precious metals, and sovereign bonds.
  • Represents Nova Sea AS in Canadian class action proceedings related to the sale and supply of farmed salmon.
  • Represents Formosa Plastics Corporation in Canadian class action proceedings related to caustic soda.
  • Represents Wockhardt in Canadian class action proceedings related to generic pharmaceutical pricing.
  • Represents Korean Air in Canadian class action proceedings related to air passenger travel.
  • Represents Diamond Electric in multiple Canadian class action proceedings related to ignition coils.
  • Represents Sanoh in multiple Canadian class action proceedings related to automotive steel tubes.
  • Represented MinebeaMitsumi in multiple Canadian class action proceedings related to the sale and supply of small sized bearings.
  • Represented Hitachi LG Data Systems Inc. multiple Canadian class action proceedings related to optical disc drives.
  • Represented Aisan Industry in multiple Canadian class action proceedings related to fuel injection systems and electronic throttle bodies.
  • Represented the Canadian Civil Liberties Association as an intervener in Supreme Court of Canada appeals related to the constitutionality of the mandatory victim surcharge, the availability of habeas corpus review of immigration detention, and the journalist-source privilege.
  • Represented the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) as an intervener in the Supreme Court of Canada appeal of a constitutional challenge to legislation modifying the 2018 City of Toronto municipal election

Prior to joining BLG, Pierre represented a:

  • Multinational pharmaceutical company in a nationwide putative consumer class action centralized in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida alleging federal and state antitrust violations relating to its pricing policy.
  • Multinational pharmaceutical company in a federal constitutional challenge seeking to enjoin the application of a state statute purporting to regulate contact lens pricing activity in U.S. federal district court and in the court of appeals.
  • Multinational cellular telecommunications company in an antitrust action alleging a conspiracy in the development of the 4G-LTE cellular standard.
  • Multinational glass packaging company in an antitrust action brought by the Federal Trade Commission challenging the sale of its North American glass packaging business.
  • Buyer on antitrust aspects of U.S. airline's partial acquisition of a U.K. airline.

Beyond Our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Vice-Chair, American Bar Association, Antitrust Law Section, Books & Treatises Committee (2021-present)
  • Editorial Board Member, American Bar Association, Antitrust Law Section, Annual Review of Antitrust Law Developments (2019-2021)
  • Member, American Bar Association, Section of Antitrust Law
  • Member, The Advocates’ Society
  • Member, The Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History

Bar Admission & Education

  • New York, 2011
  • Ontario, 2010
  • BA (Hons. with high distinction), University of Toronto, 2002
  • LLB / BCL (Great Distinction), McGill University, 2009
  • MPhil (St. Antony's College), University of Oxford, 2005