Our Team
Chris Burkett
Partner
Chris is often called upon by his clients as a trusted advisor for strategic counsel and vigorous advocacy related to litigation, crisis/reputation issues, investigations, and negotiations.
He has worked with individuals and businesses across a range of industries, including technology, sports & media, commercial real estate, energy, healthcare, financial services, and the public sector. Chris has a broad practice with a focus on complex business disputes, labour/employment law, professional disciplinary matters, and criminal law (including anti-corruption compliance and financial crime).
In the early stages of his career, he was an Assistant Crown Attorney where he was the lead prosecutor in numerous trials. Chris is a past Fox Scholar in Advocacy at Middle Temple, UK, and he holds a Master of Laws from the London School of Economics & Political Science.
He has extensive experience in trials, arbitrations, negotiations, and internal investigations. He has successfully represented clients on cases involving motions, injunctions, inquests, and appeals. Chris has appeared before many administrative tribunals, all levels of civil & criminal trial court, Divisional Court, and the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
He has also undertaken substantial pro bono engagements, including on behalf of Covenant House where he successfully opposed numerous third-party records applications related to human trafficking cases. In addition, he has represented athletes in a variety of matters involving the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada. Chris is a past recipient of the Robert E. Deignan Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service.
He has a deep understanding of legal innovation and advanced technology related to the collection of electronic evidence, e-Discovery, and forensic document review.
Chris regularly appears on local and national TV news broadcasts as a legal analyst, and he has written and spoken on a wide range of topics.
The Legal 500 Canada recognized Chris as “Highly Recommended” and a “Next Generation” Lawyer.
- Lead counsel to a global financial services company in a multi-million dollar civil and criminal fraud case. Successful in obtaining a Mareva injunction and an Anton Piller order (civil search warrant), along with the recovery of significant funds.
- Lead counsel to a co-founder of a fast-growing technology company in successfully resolving a contentious partnership dispute.
- Lead counsel to a global pharmaceutical company in an internal investigation and media crisis response strategy relating to significant employee misconduct.
- Represented a large global hospitality-industry company in successfully obtaining the dismissal on jurisdictional grounds of a departing executive’s claim for wrongful dismissal and gender discrimination.
- Represented an association of professional athletes in negotiations with investors and the Commissioner of a professional league, including in relation to collective bargaining and player agreements.
- Successfully represented a Canadian health sciences corporation under investigation for violations of Canada’s Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act and the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including in negotiations with the US Department of Justice, the RCMP, and the US Securities Exchange Commission.
- Lead counsel to a large financial institution in a case involving a contentious executive termination and the enforceability of an arbitration provision.