Andrew Finkelstein has a broad civil litigation and dispute resolution practice,

with an emphasis on corporate/commercial, employment and estates litigation, shareholder disputes and oppression claims. Before joining Chernos Flaherty Svonkin LLP in the fall of 2014, Andrew spent 10 years at Torys LLP in Toronto. He has appeared as lead counsel before all levels of court in Ontario, before a variety of administrative tribunals and in commercial arbitrations. Andrew has also spoken extensively on a wide range of legal topics and most recently taught the Protection of Intangible Business Interests course in the LLM program at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Recognitions

Best Lawyers in Canada – Corporate and Commercial Litigation, 2025

Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, “Repeatedly Recommended” for Litigation – Corporate Commercial, 2024

Benchmark Canada, Litigation “Future Star”

Benchmark Canada, Litigation “40 & Under Hot List” 2018

Cases

Andrew has represented

• a mining company in a number of arbitrations arising out of disputes related to the development of a mine in Central America
• a group of directors and trustees involved in a dispute over management and control issues arising in connection with a substantial real estate portfolio
• a group of tier-one manufacturers of plastic products for the automotive industry, and their majority shareholder, against corporate opportunity and oppression claims
• a logistics company and its senior management against breach of confidence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty claims by the senior management’s former employer in relation to their establishment of a competing business
• a construction project management company against breach of contract and negligence claims
• a multinational financing company and its senior executives and other employees in defending claims of fraud, misrepresentation, negligence and conspiracy by a municipality
• a major Canadian law firm in defence of a claim for breach of trust
• an insurance company and its shareholders against oppression claims by a former shareholder and director
• an Alberta-based pipeline company in arbitrations and litigation dealing with various contractual issues
• a petroleum company and other companies in the defence and prosecution of civil claims and claims under the Environmental Protection Act arising from alleged soil and groundwater contamination
• various trustees and beneficiaries in estates matters
• lawyers in partnership disputes
• a number of both companies and employees in employment disputes
• a number of clients in connection with insurance coverage disputes
• a professional sports league in relation to a number of contractual issues
• associations, companies and individuals at various tribunal hearings, including before the Environmental Review Tribunal, the Ontario Racing Commission and the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada, as well as on related judicial review applications

Selected Publications and Presentations

Ontario Court Rules on Litigation Privilege and Internal Investigations
Ultimate Corporate Counsel Guide | May 2012

Trade Secrets Versus Access to Information: A Clash of Regimes?
Co-author, Law Society of Upper Canada, Toronto | 2004