Phil Tunley

Phil Tunley is a founding partner at St. Lawrence Barristers LLP, with more than 30 years experience as counsel in complex litigation matters. He represents clients at all levels of courts in Ontario, and in the Federal Courts and Supreme Court of Canada. He appears frequently in the Divisional Court and before a variety of administrative appeals tribunals. He is also an experienced trial counsel in both civil disputes and provincial offence matters, and in a wide range of regulatory and administrative hearings.

Phil’s civil litigation practice includes corporate and commercial disputes, media and defamation law, energy law, high technology matters, professional and business regulation, and human rights matters, both at trial and on appeals. His experience centres on complex matters, often involving high volumes of documentary productions, or conflicts of laws issues engaging two or more legal systems. He practices litigation as a specialty, and is always keen to work as co-counsel with specialist lawyers in a particular subject area or from other jurisdictions. He has special expertise in expert evidence, electronic evidence and automated litigation support in complex trials.

Phil’s corporate and commercial clients regularly include both referrals from other leading Canadian law firms, including the two national law firms with which he has been associated, as well as direct retainers. He has acted in shareholder disputes, and other matters involving expert business valuation evidence, up to the Ontario Court of Appeal, as well as in disputes involving contract and fiduciary claims, energy, securities, insolvency, banking, mining, corporate tax, and other matters.

Phil also frequently acts for clients in relation to both civil and Charter or human rights claims for damages and other remedies, or defending such claims, when an infringement of protected rights and freedoms is alleged. This kind of litigation requires both a strong grounding in the decided Canadian and international case law, coupled with a willingness to find and advance new policy arguments that push the frontiers of the decided cases. His media and defamation practice is only one aspect of this specialty, which extends to claims involving matters from national security and the investigation of allegation of terrorist affiliations, to civil claims for sexual assault. He also has long experience and involvement with the rights of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, and in land claims and other disputes, negotiations, and regulatory proceedings that directly impact those rights, including representation of Aboriginal groups, regulators, industry and governments in such matters.

Recently, Phil’s administrative and regulatory practice has focussed on energy regulation and on regulatory compliance proceedings.

He acts both for regulators, and for regulated entities in both areas. He has appeared as counsel in the Supreme Court of Canada and other appellate courts in leading cases that remain the foundations of our law in these areas. He also has experience with various regulated professions, including lawyers, teachers, and heath care providers. He is regularly involved in judicial review and administrative appeals before the Ontario and Federal appellate courts, and has current knowledge of techniques of statutory interpretation and the standards of judicial review of administrative decisions, which arise frequently in that context. His experience in these matters is grounded in four years of practice with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, Constitutional Law section, including cases involving Aboriginal and treaty rights, Charter rights in the context of provincial prosecutions, and the division of powers between our federal and provincial governments.

Phil’s commitment to litigation as a specialty is underlined by his frequent involvement in teaching advocacy as a skill set, including volunteering as adjunct faculty for the University of Toronto Law School’s third year advocacy course, teaching at the annual Osgoode Intensive Trial Advocacy workshop, and at various Advocates Society programs.

Phil has written, spoken and published regularly on issues related to his practice. He is a committed mentor of young lawyers who share his practice interests. He also extends those practice interests as an active member of the Canadian Media Lawyers Association, and as a Director and Vice President of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression. He is a member of the Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations, and of the Advocates’ Society.

PHONE - 647.245.8282
EMAIL - Phil.Tunley@Stlbarristers.ca

Alexi Wood

Alexi Wood is a founding partner at St. Lawrence Barristers LLP. She represents clients at all levels of courts in Ontario, frequently appearing in the Divisional Court and the Court of Appeal, and she has appeared as counsel at the Supreme Court of Canada on numerous occasions. Her practice includes a wide range of commercial litigation, administrative and regulatory disputes, and professional regulation, both at trial and on appeals. She also acts for clients on tort matters,including issues related to health law, defamation, harassment and privacy including online harassment and non-consensual distribution of intimate images.

Alexi’s clients rely on her practical advice in a wide range of contract, securities, and fiduciary disputes, as well as administrative and regulatory matters. She frequently assists members of various regulated health professions colleges, as well as other professions including lawyers and teachers. In addition, she provides advice in academic matters, including funding disputes. Clients frequently seek Alexi’s assistance in judicial review of administrative decisions.

Alexi provides strategic advice, utilizing the most effective means to navigate the litigation, regulatory or licensing processes, specific to each client’s needs. She has expertise in drafting clear, concise submissions, as well as advocating before a wide range of adjudicative bodies to advance her clients’ interests.

Alexi is frequently asked to speak on panels and continuing education events on topics including harassment, privacy, and defamation whether spoken, written or online.

Alexi’s passion for social justice and commitment to pro bono work began prior to entering private practice when she was the National Security Project Director for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Alexi is proud to act, on a pro bono basis, for social justice and environmental organizations including the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society before various administrative bodies and courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

In September 2016, Alexi was invited to be a faculty member in the Vital Voices Justice Institute in Mumbai, India, a training program for judges, police officers, prosecutors and NGO staff members who work in preventing human trafficking and domestic violence. In 2014, she received the Precedent Setter Award for her work fighting for social justice.

Alexi is a member of the Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations, and Ad Idem / Canadian Media Lawyers Association. Alexi is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law where she teaches in both the JD and LLM programs. She is also a co-chair of the University of Toronto Tribunal, a post she has held since the fall of 2019.

PHONE - 647.245.8283
EMAIL - Alexi.Wood@Stlbarristers.ca

Jennifer Saville

Jennifer is an Associate at St. Lawrence Barristers LLP and frequently represents clients in court, administrative tribunal proceedings, and private arbitrations.

Called to the bar in 2015, Jennifer advises clients on complex commercial disputes, public and administrative law, media law and defamation, harassment and privacy, and professional liability and regulation. She has appeared before various Ontario Courts, Tribunals, and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Prior to joining St. Lawrence Barristers LLP, Jennifer worked in the Toronto office of a global law firm.

Jennifer is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law where she teaches Privacy and Expression in the Digital Age in the GPLLM – Global Professional Master of Laws. Jennifer is a member of the Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations, Ad Idem / Canadian Media Lawyers Association, and the Advocates’ Society.

PHONE - 647.245.2222
EMAIL - Jennifer.Saville@stlbarristers.ca

Lillianne Cadieux-Shaw

Lil is an Associate at St. Lawrence Barristers LLP. She was called to the bar in 2018. She currently maintains a broad civil litigation practice, with a particular passion for public and constitutional law, privacy, media and defamation, Aboriginal law and indigenous rights, and advocacy on behalf of survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Prior to joining St. Lawrence Barristers LLP, Lil served as a law clerk to the Honourable Madam Justice Karakatsanis of the Supreme Court of Canada. She completed her articles at the Ministry of the Attorney General – Constitutional Law Branch and summered at Parkdale Community Legal Services in the social assistance, health and gender-based violence division.

Lil obtained her Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School, where she was Managing Editor of TheCourt.ca, a senior editor and the Director of Research & Writing for the Osgoode Hall Law Journal, and a Dean’s Fellow in State and Citizen, Osgoode’s constitutional law class. Lil also mediated claims at Toronto’s Small Claims Court for Osgoode’s Mediation Clinic.

In her pre-law life, Lil spent 12 years in Singapore before moving to Halifax to obtain a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of King’s College. She worked as a science journalist before applying to law school and has carried a passion for clear communication into her legal profession.

Lil is a citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario.

PHONE - 647 245 3122
EMAIL - lil.cadieux.shaw@stlbarristers.ca

Alura Moores

Alura joined St. Lawrence Barristers LLP in 2018 as Office Manager and Licensed Paralegal.

Alura has over 10 years of experience in the legal field. Prior to joining St. Lawrence Barristers, she worked for a criminal law firm and for several sole practitioners, assisting counsel in both defence matters and federal prosecutorial files. Alura regularly assists counsel with ongoing litigation support and has appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice.

Alura is active in her community and has been the President of the Scarborough Rosewood Community Association since 2016. She is also involved with the Community Associations of Northern Scarborough and on the Steering Committee for the Scarborough Civic Action Network.

PHONE - 647 245 8284
EMAIL - alura.moores@stlbarristers.ca

Saad Gaya

Saad is an Articling Student at St. Lawrence Barristers LLP. He recently graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School with a Juris Doctor degree.

During law school, Saad explored a variety of legal interests. He completed a year-long intensive at Osgoode's legal clinic (CLASP) where he advocated for clients at several administrative tribunals. Saad continued to build his advocacy skills as a member of Osgoode’s team for the 2020 Laskin Cup administrative law moot, where his team placed third and Saad placed in the Top 15 Oralists. Saad was also the Managing Editor of theCourt.ca - Osgoode's award-winning blog that covers SCC decisions, was a volunteer for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Treasurer for Osgoode's Aerospace Law Society, and a Dean's fellow for the Constitutional Law course.

Prior to working at St. Lawrence Barristers, Saad summered at a provincial government agency that increases access to justice for Ontarians, and worked as a research assistant to several professors. Saad believes in smart advocacy and is excited to begin his legal career at STLB.

PHONE - 647 245 3121
FAX - 647 245 8285
ADRESS - 144 King St. East, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1G8