Michael Beeforth

Michael Beeforth is a Partner in Dentons' Litigation and Dispute Resolution group, based in Toronto. His practice focuses on Commercial Litigation.

Mike has particular expertise in advising clients in the financial services industry, having spent 18 months seconded to a large Canadian bank, where he managed litigation for the bank's capital markets, wealth management and treasury services businesses. He also regularly advised the business on compliance and regulatory issues, and planned and managed numerous internal investigations regarding regulatory inquiries and prosecutions, employment matters and securities issues.

In addition to clients in the financial services industry, Mike acts for developers, commercial landlords and tenants in litigation relating to lease disputes and renewals, purchase and sale transactions, enforcing secured interests and related injunctive relief. He has extensive experience in other areas of commercial litigation, including directors' and officers' liability, oppression proceedings, complex fraud matters, injunctions and class actions.

Mike has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario, has represented clients in both domestic and international arbitrations, and has dealt with a number of regulators including the Ontario Securities Commission and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

His experience includes acting for a Canadian financial institution in defending a CA$280 million claim for breach of contract and misrepresentation; acting for a multi-national investment bank in successfully recovering payment of success fees for financial advisory services; acting for a commercial landlord in a rent arbitration involving a multi-year renewal of 110,000 square feet of office space in Toronto; acting for a financial institution in tracing, freezing and recovering the proceeds of a €4.8 million fraud in a number of different jurisdictions; and advising Sandvine Corporation on its CA$562 million acquisition by an affiliate of Francisco Partners and Procera Networks, Inc. by way of a plan of arrangement.

He holds a Certificate in Regulatory Compliance and Legal Risk Management for Financial Institutions from Osgoode Hall Law School (2017), a JD (with Distinction) from the University of Western Ontario (2009) and an Hons. B.A. from Trinity College, University of Toronto (2006).

He is recognised by The Legal 500 Canada for Transport – Other transport, by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for Litigation – Corporate Commercial, by the Lexpert Special Edition as one of Canada's Leading Lawyers for Litigation, and by The Best Lawyers in Canada for Corporate and Commercial Litigation.

He is a Director of the Canadian Psychology Foundation and a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Bar Association, The Advocates' Society and the ADR Institute of Canada.