Sahil Kesar, Toronto

About Sahil

Sahil maintains a diversified litigation and dispute resolution practice with a focus on domestic and international arbitrations, commercial litigation including public market, shareholder and other securities-related litigation, and class action litigation including product liability, negligence and other tort claims. He also advises clients on privacy, data breach and cybersecurity issues, and litigation considerations for corporate transactions.

Sahil represents domestic and international clients, both public and private, in a broad range of industries, including banking and financial services, pharmaceutical, technology, gaming and gambling, mining, construction, retail, cannabis, energy, supply chain, insurance, travel and tourism, and crypto.

Sahil has been involved in matters before the courts of various provinces and territories, as well as the Federal Court, the Tax Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada. He has also assisted on matters before various arbitral, administrative and regulatory tribunals.

Select Experience

Litigation

Part of the Blakes trial team representing two large mining companies in a US$12-million claim for an alleged finder's fee and unjust enrichment in connection with a US$240-million purchase of a mining project in South America
Counsel for a public utility in an application for leave to appeal an arbitration award involving a C$350-million underlying arbitration for construction of a significant energy infrastructure
Counsel for a publicly traded cannabis company in a C$55-million oppression claim brought by an activist shareholder
Counsel for a publicly traded biopharma company in a US$30-million ad-hoc arbitration arising from the termination of a CEO following a proxy contest
Counsel for the designer/builder of municipal infrastructure in a C$25-million ICC arbitration
Counsel for the general contractor of mining infrastructure in C$35-million lien claim by subcontractor
Counsel for the general contractor of mining infrastructure in Northern Ontario in a C$9.1-million adjudication under the prompt payment provisions of Ontario's Construction Act
Counsel for a private equity firm in litigation alleging misrepresentation by sellers and brokers in C$40-million transaction
Counsel for an ETF management company in patent infringement claim by former advisor
Counsel for individuals, corporations and partnerships defending various Ontario Provincial Offences Act prosecutions
Counsel for a publicly traded railway company in actions involving negligence and damage to property
Counsel for a large pharmaceutical company in a product liability claim involving an implanted medical device
Pro bono counsel for various individuals and organizations involving employment, human rights and other issues

Cybersecurity

Counsel for a large public institution following a cybersecurity incident involving compromised email accounts
Counsel for a large financial institution following a cybersecurity incident involving a data breach
Counsel for a regional law firm following a cybersecurity incident involving ransomware
Counsel for a large technology company following impersonation as part of fraudulent online employment scheme

Professional Activities

Sahil is a director of the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto, Canada's largest equity-seeking bar organization, and chairs its Young Lawyers' Division and Student Committee. He also currently sits as the SABA Toronto Representative to the Roundtable of Diversity Associations. Sahil formerly served as director and secretary of the South Asian Bar Association of British Columbia and as a member of the Governance and Finance Committee of the South Asian Legal Clinic of British Columbia.

Sahil is also a director of the Toronto Railway Historical Association which operates the Toronto Railway Museum in Roundhouse Park in Toronto.

He also volunteers for a number of charitable organizations aimed at reducing barriers faced by socio-economically disadvantaged youths.