Graham Splawski is trusted by some of Canada’s largest corporations to manage their highest risk, most complex disputes and investigations with creativity and precision. He is a core member of BLG’s securities and class actions teams, delivering landmark results in prominent civil litigation and regulatory matters.
Graham secured a major victory for Amazon in a proposed employment class action brought on behalf of 73,000 delivery drivers; achieved complete exoneration for Cormark Securities, one of Canada’s largest independent investment banks, in an Ontario Securities Commission prosecution; and regularly represents major financial institutions like Scotiabank and Bank of Montreal, including at the Supreme Court of Canada in the leading case on bills of exchange and cheque fraud. He also regularly advises on confidential internal and regulatory investigations.
Graham is ranked by Chambers Canada as a leading securities litigator. Clients describe him as someone who “can cut to the chase and get to the bottom of issues" and as “incredibly responsive,” a “very effective people manager,” and having “a high degree of knowledge and professionalism.” He has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a Future Star since 2023.
A skilled trial lawyer, Graham has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario including the Commercial List, the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal, regulatory tribunals, arbitrators and the Supreme Court of Canada.
Graham's areas of focus include:
- class actions, including securities, employment, consumer, banking and competition actions
- mergers and acquisitions litigation
- securities regulation, including internal investigations
- shareholder disputes, including oppression claims and proxy fights
- banking litigation, including bills of exchange and debtor/creditor litigation
- general commercial litigation, including contractual and enforcement matters, and fraud
Experience
- Counsel to Guardian Capital Group Limited in its $1.67 billion go-private transaction with Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc.
- Representing Scotiabank in an appeal to the Supreme Court concerning cheque fraud and bills of exchange
- Representing Amazon in a class action brought on behalf of over 70,000 delivery drivers claiming for alleged unpaid wages and benefits
- Representing Cormark Securities in an Ontario Securities Commission prosecution alleging breaches of securities law
- Representing Mackenzie Financial in a class action alleging prospectus misrepresentation and breach of trust
- Representing a syndicate of underwriters in a class action alleging prospectus misrepresentation and secondary market misrepresentation
- Acting for public companies and registrants in confidential internal and regulatory investigations
- Representing BMO in a class action concerning a fraud committed by a BMO customer
- Representing AIC Limited in a class action alleging breach of trust related to market timing
- Representing Deutsche Bank in class actions alleging price fixing in the foreign exchange, sovereign bonds and precious metals markets
- Representing Samsung in a class action alleging price fixing in the DRAM market
- Representing CanniMed Therapeutics in defence of a hostile takeover bid and proxy fight
- Representing Industrial Alliance Securities in an action concerning a former investment dealer
- Representing ClearFlow Energy Finance in a precedent-setting successful appeal concerning the enforceability of loan agreements and the Interest Act
- Representing Globalive Capital in a litigation concerning the purchase of Wind Mobile
- Representing Dolly Varden Silver Corp. in defence of a hostile takeover bid
- Representing a major insurer in fraud recovery proceedings, including obtaining Anton Piller Orders (civil search), Mareva injunctions (asset freezing) and Norwich Pharmacal Orders (pre-action discovery)
- Counsel to Guardian Capital Group Limited in its $1.67 billion go-private transaction with Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc.
- Representing Scotiabank in an appeal to the Supreme Court concerning cheque fraud and bills of exchange
- Representing Amazon in a class action brought on behalf of over 70,000 delivery drivers claiming for alleged unpaid wages and benefits
- Representing Cormark Securities in an Ontario Securities Commission prosecution alleging breaches of securities law
- Representing Mackenzie Financial in a class action alleging prospectus misrepresentation and breach of trust
- Representing a syndicate of underwriters in a class action alleging prospectus misrepresentation and secondary market misrepresentation
- Acting for public companies and registrants in confidential internal and regulatory investigations
- Representing BMO in a class action concerning a fraud committed by a BMO customer
- Representing AIC Limited in a class action alleging breach of trust related to market timing
- Representing Deutsche Bank in class actions alleging price fixing in the foreign exchange, sovereign bonds and precious metals markets
- Representing Samsung in a class action alleging price fixing in the DRAM market
- Representing CanniMed Therapeutics in defence of a hostile takeover bid and proxy fight
- Representing Industrial Alliance Securities in an action concerning a former investment dealer
- Representing ClearFlow Energy Finance in a precedent-setting successful appeal concerning the enforceability of loan agreements and the Interest Act
- Representing Globalive Capital in a litigation concerning the purchase of Wind Mobile
- Representing Dolly Varden Silver Corp. in defence of a hostile takeover bid
- Representing a major insurer in fraud recovery proceedings, including obtaining Anton Piller Orders (civil search), Mareva injunctions (asset freezing) and Norwich Pharmacal Orders (pre-action discovery)
