Background

Derek Leschinsky is an associate with the Ottawa office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. Derek was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2003. He received his Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School, graduating in the top 5% of the 2002 class. Derek received a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Western Ontario 1998. In 1997, he received an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Science, also from the University of Western Ontario, where he was Gold Medalist.

Prior to joining Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Derek was an associate at a national law firm in Toronto and a summer associate with a leading Wall Street law firm in New York City.

Areas of Practice

• Derek practices primarily in corporate/commercial litigation and has appeared as counsel in matters before all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Tax Court, and the Supreme Court of Canada
• Areas of focus include, contract disputes, class actions, commercial arbitration, public procurement, trade law, administrative law, defamation, and insurance defence
• Class action experience includes securities, pensions, competition and environmental class actions, including at the certification phase

Professional Experience

• Author of Chapter on “Canada” with Gerry Stobo for R.H. Garcia, ed. International Public Procurement: A Guide to Best Practice (London: Globe Law and Business Publishing, 2009)
• “Discipline Tribunal Involvement in Judicial Reviews – A Developing Body of Law”, Professional Liability and Discipline Litigation (Vol. 12, No. 4)
• 'Money Managers: Implications For Canada Of SEC Consultant Probe', Benefits and Pensions Monitor, October 2005, with Lawrence E. Ritchie
• 'Probe of Consultants Raises Pay to Play Suspicions', Employee Benefit News Canada, Vol. 2, No. 3, May/June 2005, with Lawrence E. Ritchie
• 'Gatekeepers and Pay-to-Play – Consultants, Money Managers and Pension Plans: Is this the Next Area of Conflict for Canada ?', Insight Information Co., April 12, 2005, with Lawrence E. Ritchie
• 'Fear and Loathing in The Boardroom: Audit Committee Best Practices', Federated Press, September 13, 2004, with Lawrence E. Ritchie and Gail Henderson
• 'Workers' Compensation From The Employer's Perspective', Lorman Education Services, January 23, 2003, with Damian Rigolo
• 'Labour Law: Recent Collective Agreements: Highlights and Heads Up for Management', The Canadian Institute, October, 2002, with James R. Hassell

Community Involvement

Director and Chair of the Governance Committee of the Ottawa Chamber Music Society

Professional Affiliations

• Law Society of Upper Canada
• The Advocate's Society
• Canadian Bar Association
• Ontario Bar Association
• County of Carleton Law Association