Neil Paris
Partner
Neil has practiced commercial litigation for over 20 years and acts with efficiency, careful foresight, and razor-sharp instincts to solve disputes for his clients.
After 12 years at a large Bay Street firm, Neil founded Paris & Sayer LLP’s predecessor firm, Paris & Company, in 2014. Neil has built a reputation as a recognized and trusted litigator, representing parties in commercial disputes involving contract interpretation, shareholder and partnership disputes, employment law, and professional negligence by accountants, lawyers, and medical professionals. A large portion of Neil’s practice involves representing accountants and audit firms on a wide variety of matters.
Neil has a substantial and growing appellate practice. In 2024, he argued before the Supreme Court of Canada for the Appellant in Amex v. Sinclair, which will be the leading case on Canadian courts’ jurisdiction over foreign parties once the decision is released. He has appeared before all levels of court in Canada and regularly appears on matters before the Commercial List of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, as well as before the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Federal Court of Appeal. Neil has also argued numerous commercial arbitrations. In 2021, he obtained his certificate in Dispute Resolution from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.
When he’s not representing his clients, Neil coaches baseball with the West Toronto Wildcats and volunteers with the Annette Baseball Association, a not-for-profit youth organization serving boys and girls aged 4–13 in the west end of Toronto.
NEIl’s Notable Decisions
Argued before the Supreme Court of Canada while acting as counsel for the lead plaintiff in Sinclair v. Amex. Sinclair will be the leading Canadian case on the assumption of jurisdiction simpliciter in contract cases.
Obtained an urgent ex parte Norwich order against an Ontario-based VoIP telephony service to identify an anonymous user who was harassing and threatening employees of Bungie Inc., a major video game developer based in the United States (2022 ONSC 4181). The information disclosed under the Ontario order allowed Bungie to identify the perpetrator and obtain both an interim injunction to restrain him from committing further abuse and a judgment against him for approximately $500,000 USD that recognized a new tort in the State of Washington.
While acting for an online streaming broadcaster, overturned the decision of a Federal Court prothonotary on appeal before a single judge (2022 FC 418) and then successfully upheld that decision before the Federal Court of Appeal (2023 FCA 148) to obtain a stay of proceedings in favour of arbitrating an intellectual property dispute in a foreign jurisdiction.
Appeared before the Ontario Court of Appeal in defence of a jurisdictional challenge brought by a credit card company against a former cardholder.
Obtained an order dismissing a $53,000,000 claim as a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) on behalf of a dismissed former executive and obtained an order for full indemnity costs in the proceeding (2020 ONSC 1828, unreported).
Represented a network of healthcare service providers in a negligence action against their former accountants.
In 2022, represented accountants in three separate proceedings before CPA Ontario.
In 2020, represented a wholesaler in a case against its former law firm in respect of a complex and large-scale fraud committed by one of its former partners.
