William E. Pepall

Arbitration Lawyer

Phone:

416.601.2352

Fax:

416.867.2415

PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Professional History

Representative Work

Areas of Focus

Noteworthy Cases

Selected Presentations/Publications

Achievements

Professional History

Partner, Lerners LLP (2009 – present) (Practice Group Leader, Commercial Litigation Group)
Partner, Heenan Blaikie LLP (2000 – 2009) (Executive Committee)
Founder and Partner, Genest Murray (1987 – 2000) (Executive Committee, Practice Group Leader)
Partner, Cassels, Brock (1981 – 1987) (Executive Committee)

Representative Work

For over 30 years, Bill has specialized in the field of civil and commercial litigation and arbitration.

He has broad and diverse experience in the civil litigation field, and has developed particular expertise in the representation of lawyers, accountants and directors and officers in malpractice, discipline and securities claims involving primary and secondary market misrepresentations and insider trading.

He has acted as counsel in numerous arbitrations in a wide range of areas, and pleaded cases before all levels of court in Ontario and before the Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Court. Special appearances have been made before the SEC, the OSC, the Estey Inquiry into Banking, and courts in Manitoba, South Carolina, California and British Columbia.

Bill has delivered numerous papers and lectures to, inter alia, Queen’s University Law School, the Advocates’ Society, The Ontario Bar Admission Course, the 12 Minute Securities Lawyer, and Osgoode Hall Continuing Education.

Areas of Focus

Commercial Arbitrations
Professional Negligence and Discipline
Directors’ and Officers’ Liability
Securities Investment Dealer, Financial Advisor Negligence, and Discipline
Employment Litigation and Arbitration
Business and Contractual Disputes
Administrative and Public Law, Tribunals and Commissions
Shareholder Disputes
Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Creditor Remedies
Civil and Regulatory Proceedings under the Competition Act.

Noteworthy Cases

Representing a professional liability insurer in an arbitration against a technology vendor, relating to the terms of their ongoing relationship in light of the introduction of a new program structure
Represented a minority shareholder of a closely-held corporation in a long-running series of arbitrations, involving such issues as shareholder oppression, the exercise of a shotgun clause, and arbitral jurisdiction
Acted for insurer on mortgage broker coverage arbitration
Acted on family law arbitration and an appeal from a family law arbitration award
Acts for auditors in OSC investigations and proceedings
Acted for interested parties in a Commission of Inquiry on Banking in Canada
Acted for management on numerous labour arbitration cases
Acted for universities before internal tribunals dealing with academic disputes

Selected Presentations/Publications

“OSC decision shows severity of penalties for illegal insider trading”, AdvocateDaily.com, May, 2013
“Case shows institutional investors may want more than passive role in class actions”, AdvocateDaily.com, April, 2013
“Livent case could set precedent if “equal fault” defence is applied”, AdvocateDaily.com, April 2013

Achievements

Certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Ontario
Recognized and recommended by Lexpert as a leading lawyer in the area of professional liability, corporate commercial litigation, director & officer liability and securities litigation; corporate commercial litigation and professional liability (2011-2025)
Benchmark Canada, Litigation Star (2017-2020, 2025) - Recognized in the following areas: Appellate, Class Actions and Commercial; Dispute Resolution
Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada as one of Canada’s leading lawyers the area of class action litigation, corporate and commercial litigation, director and officer liability practice, legal malpractice law, and professional malpractice law
Recognized as a leading litigator in the Lexpert Special Edition - Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers (2018-2019)
Recognized and recommended by Lexpert as a leading cross-border lawyer in the area of corporate commercial litigation, Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada (2016, 2014)
Designated as Preferred Counsel by Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Company

Professional History

Partner, Lerners LLP (2009 – present) (Practice Group Leader, Commercial Litigation Group)
Partner, Heenan Blaikie LLP (2000 – 2009) (Executive Committee)
Founder and Partner, Genest Murray (1987 – 2000) (Executive Committee, Practice Group Leader)
Partner, Cassels, Brock (1981 – 1987) (Executive Committee)

Professional History

Partner, Lerners LLP (2009 – present) (Practice Group Leader, Commercial Litigation Group)
Partner, Heenan Blaikie LLP (2000 – 2009) (Executive Committee)
Founder and Partner, Genest Murray (1987 – 2000) (Executive Committee, Practice Group Leader)
Partner, Cassels, Brock (1981 – 1987) (Executive Committee)

Representative Work