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Caitlin Sainsbury

Partner

Toronto
[email protected]
416.367.6438

Expertise

Janet Bowler

Practice Assistant - Team Leader

Toronto
[email protected]
416.367.6749
416.367.6446

Caitlin Sainsbury is the Toronto Head of BLG’s Class Actions Group.

Cait has extensive experience acting for corporations and individuals in competition/antitrust and securities class actions, complex commercial disputes, and securities litigation and regulatory proceedings and related internal investigations. Cait also regularly advises clients on managing risks and cross-border issues in multi-jurisdictional cases. She previously acted as litigation counsel in the enforcement branch at the Ontario Securities Commission.

Cait is widely regarded for her depth and breadth of experience and commitment to her clients. She has been described as a “very strong and effective counsel” who provides “practical and results-oriented advice.”

Her ability to perform in high pressure and highly public matters on behalf of her clients has resulted in Cait being consistently recognized as a leading litigator, including rankings in Chambers Canada, Benchmark Litigation top 50 Women in Litigation, Best Lawyers, and others. Cait was named Competition Litigator of the Year by Benchmark Litigation in 2022.

Cait is a member of BLG’s Partnership Board, the firm’s national governing body.

Testimonials

Chambers Canada 2023

Caitlin Sainsbury is commended for her noteworthy securities litigation practice, particularly for her work acting for brokerages and financial institutions in class action proceedings.

Experience

  • Competition class actions – acts for clients in defending precious metals, foreign exchange, automotive components, bearings, optical disk drives, and other claims.
  • Broker Liability Claims – represented dealer and advisor in successfully defending a broker liability claim at trial.
  • Re: Hecla Mining Company and Dolly Varden Silver Corporation – represented Dolly Varden in successfully responding to an application heard simultaneously by the OSC and BCSC to cease trade a private placement financing and in successfully bringing an application to cease trade Hecla's insider take-over bid of Dolly Varden until such time as it obtained a formal valuation pursuant to s. 2.3 of MI 61-101.
  • OSC No Contest Settlement – represented securities dealer in OSC no-contest settlement regarding allegations of control and supervision inadequacies in respect of fees.
  • In the Matter of the Liquidation of LWP Capital Inc. – represented the Liquidator in an inventory valuation dispute.
  • Orbixa Technologies Inc. v. Ribero et al. – represented securities broker in successfully opposing a motion for relief from the deemed undertaking rule to provide information obtained in a civil proceeding to regulators.
  • Re: Agueci et al. – acted for a Respondent in an insider trading prosecution brought by the OSC.
  • Re: Northern Securities Inc. et al. – acted for IIROC in a regulatory hearing relating to a trading practice which improperly obtained access to credit for the firm's client.
  • French v. Karas et al. – acted for mutual fund dealer in defence of a class action proceeding.
  • Sino-Forest Corporation – represented short-seller in various capacities.
  • Magna International Inc. v. Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board – acted for institutional shareholders in regulatory and civil litigation proceedings regarding the collapse of a dual class share structure.
  • Re: DBSL – acted for IIROC in successfully responding to a motion to stay disciplinary proceedings arising out of DBSL's participation in the third-party asset backed commercial paper market.
  • Re: Biovail – acted as OSC Litigation Counsel in regulatory hearing regarding misleading statements made by Biovail about the financial implications of a multi-vehicle truck accident on the company's financial results.

Beyond Our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Member, The Advocates' Society's Securities Litigation Practice Group
  • Co-chair, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Regional Sub-Committee (Canada) on White Collar Crime
  • Member, Women’s White Collar Defense Association
  • Member, Canada Committee, Human Rights Watch
  • Member, U of T International Human Rights Program Alumni Committee

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2022) of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Class Actions Litigation) and in the 2024 edition (and since 2018) (Corporate and Commercial Litigation).
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2020) of Chambers Canada – Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (Litigation: Securities - Ontario)
  • Recognized in the 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019 editions of Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Corporate Commercial Litigation, Securities Litigation) and in 2024 for Class Actions.
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2020) of Lexpert Special Edition: Litigation
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2018) of Benchmark Canada – The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys as a "Litigation Star"
  • Shortlisted for "Competition Litigator of the Year" at the 2023 Benchmark Litigation Canada Awards
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2022) of Benchmark Canada – The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys in the Top 100 Women in Litigation, and in the 2020 and 2021 editions of the Top 50 Women in Canada
  • Recognized at the 2022 Benchmark Canada Awards as "Competition Litigator of the Year"
  • Recognized in the 2018 edition of Benchmark Canada 40 and Under Hotlist.
  • Recognized as a 2018 Lexpert® Rising Star.

Bar Admission & Education

  • Ontario, 2007
  • JD, University of Toronto, 2006
  • BA, Trent University, 2003