Doug McLeod How to pronounce this name. Partner | Toronto

Securities Regulatory Defence

• Counsel to a director of a public Canadian mining company in an OSC enforcement proceeding alleging misrepresentation in public disclosure, and accounting controls failures

• Counsel to a Canadian bank in an OSC enforcement proceeding alleging improper incentive practices relating to the marketing of mutual funds

• Counsel to a Canadian investment bank in an IIROC enforcement proceeding alleging market manipulation and misuse of confidential information

• Counsel to an international accounting firm in an OSC enforcement proceeding alleging contraventions of Generally Accepted Auditing Standards

Securities Litigation, Corporate Governance and Class Actions

• Counsel to an international insurance company in a class action brought on behalf of 73,000 policyholders, alleging improper management of a synthetic index-tracking fund, leading to allegedly high tracking error

• Counsel to an international accounting firm in a class action brought on behalf of unitholders of an insolvent investment fund, alleging improper conduct of the audit of the investment fund

• Counsel to an Ontario public issuer in a three-week trial before the Commercial List, alleging breach of director and officer duties by the former CEO and CFO, and defending the appeal of the trial decision before the Ontario Court of Appeal

Proxy Fights and Shareholder Disputes

• Counsel to a group of shareholders in a successful proxy fight to replace incumbent management of a NASDAQ-listed Canadian issuer

• Counsel to an Ontario investment management company, responding to oppression claims brought by a large investor

M&A and Financing Disputes

• Counsel to an investment bank in a three-week trial before the Superior Court of Ontario relating to disputed compensation for a series of corporate finance transactions, and defending the appeal of the trial decision before the Ontario Court of Appeal

Internal Investigations

• Conducting an internal investigation into issues of compensation, conflicts of interest, and breach of fiduciary duty by senior management of an Ontario public issuer

• Conducting an internal investigation into conflicts of interest by the head of a large institutional investment fund manager

Doug has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the following publications:

• Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business – 2021–2025 (Litigation: Securities – Ontario) In the 2024 edition, clients note that Doug "is sharp and laser-focused on our commercial objectives; he does an excellent job of balancing our short and long-term objectives. He's an excellent lawyer who can change your odds in a dispute" and "is unmatched in his ability to very quickly get up to speed on sensitive civil or regulatory securities disputes. He has a keen understanding of his clients' internal business interests and never loses sight of those concerns when providing advice."

• Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers 2024 – Independently Rated Lawyers (As nominated by senior in-house counsel)

• Lexpert Special Edition: Litigation 2024

• The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory – 2021–2024 (Litigation – Securities)

Doug regularly comments on securities litigation news and developments. His writing has been published in the National Journal of Constitutional Law, amongst other publications, and his writing on regulatory enforcement powers has been cited by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Doug has been selected for a three-year term as a member of the Securities Proceedings Advisory Committee where he will provide valuable insight and feedback for enhancing the OSC's administrative tribunal's policy and procedural initiatives.

Doug is active in the Ontario Bar, including through his participation in standing committees of The Advocates' Society. He recently completed a three-year membership in the Ontario Securities Commission's Litigation Assistance Program, which provides pro bono legal aid to individuals charged with securities contraventions.

Doug is a member of the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association and The Advocates' Society.

• Co-author : CIRO Decision Highlights Tug-of-War Over Procedural Fairness in Securities Regulatory Enforcement
  Blakes Bulletin on Securities Litigation, October 16, 2024.
• Co-author : Quasi-criminal Proceedings: Securities Commission Raises Stakes, Grapples with Results
  Law 360 Canada, February 14, 2023.
• Co-author : Quasi-Criminal Proceedings: OSC Raises Stakes and Grapples With Results
  Blakes Bulletin on Securities Litigation, February 7, 2023.
• Co-author : SEC Crackdown on Record-Keeping Failures Offers a Warning to Canadian Securities Firms
  Blakes Bulletin on Securities Litigation, November 7, 2022.
• Co-author : The Exigencies of Excess: Court of Appeal for Ontario Addresses Follow-Form Insurance Policies
  Blakes Bulletin on Litigation & Dispute Resolution, August 17, 2022.

Admitted to the Ontario Bar – 2010
JD, University of British Columbia – 2009
BComm, University of British Columbia – 2003