Lawyer Profile
Norman J. Emblem
Toronto, Ontario
Overview
Norm Emblem is a member of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution group of Dentons' Toronto office. Norm has a very broad-ranging commercial litigation and advocacy practice which includes class action defense, securities, auditor's negligence, CCAA, defamation, banking and insolvency litigation, professional negligence (lawyers, engineers, architects, planners), products liability, Mareva injunctions, Anton Piller Orders, Norwich Orders, high-end disability income claims, insurance defence, personal injury defence, workplace investigations, "whistleblower" complaints, directors & officers liability, shareholders' disputes, intellectual property disputes involving trade secrets, patents and confidential information, Coroners' Inquests, Public Inquiries and human rights litigation.
Norm has particular expertise advising and representing accounting firms and, in particular, the "Big 4" Canadian accounting firms, primarily in securities related class actions often with cross Canada and/or cross border implications as well as in related regulatory proceedings involving the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPAO), the Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). In addition to appearing regularly before the Superior Court of Ontario, Norm appears in the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Tax Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, the Saskatchewan Court of King's Bench and the Superior Court of Quebec. He also appears before the Commercial List in Toronto as well as before numerous regulatory and administrative tribunals throughout the Province of Ontario, including the OSC, the CPAO, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal and the Ontario Pension Board.
Norm was seconded to a global architecture, engineering and planning firm serving as associate general counsel for North America for nearly four years (2021-2025). During his secondment, Norm was extensively involved in hundreds of construction disputes on transportation, condominium, hotel, wastewater, brownfield projects around the world particularly in the P3 space including the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, the Hurontario LRT (Hazelion McCallion Line), the Edmonton Valley LRT and the Red Line (Tel Aviv Light Rail) involving owners, construction consortiums, project specific professional liability insurers, subconsultants to design consortiums and was directly involved in numerous mediations, arbitrations, judicial settlement conferences and trials. Following his secondment, Norm continues to be involved in these areas of practice continuing to work as external counsel to the global architecture, engineering and planning firm he was seconded to.
Norm has done a significant amount of pro bono work acting as duty counsel on behalf of lawyers and paralegals appearing before The Law Society Tribunal particularly where mental health issues are in play. He is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education conferences regarding Litigation, ADR and Class Actions. He is recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada as one of Canada's leading lawyers in the area of Corporate and Commercial Litigation. Norm moonlights playing electric guitar with his blues band Oui B. Jamon which regularly play events for CIBC's Run For The Cure, March of Dimes Canada's "Rock For Dimes", Peacebuilders International's "Spring For Peace", Covenant House, Renascent Centre, The Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund, CANFAR's "AIDSBEAT", Lawyers International Food Enterprise's "Rock For Life", The Law Society of Ontario, The Advocates' Society and Nankind (formerly The Nanny Angel Network). Norm's latest musical venture is Edith Grove, a Rolling Stones tribute band.
Practice Areas
Bar Information
Called to the bar: 1988 (ON)