Back

David Sherriff-Scott

Senior Counsel

Ottawa
[email protected]
613.787.3527

Expertise

Gabrielle Gauthier

Practice Assistant

Ottawa
[email protected]
613.237.0234

David’s practice involves a significant administrative law litigation component.

He regularly advises and appears as litigation counsel in:

  • large multi-party construction cases
  • procurement and tendering disputes
  • professional liability matters
  • commercial disputes

David often acts as a media spokesperson for major clients on particularly sensitive issues and cases.

He has extensive experience before the Ontario Court of Justice, Superior Court of Justice, Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Federal Court’s Trial and Appeal Divisions, Canadian International Trade Tribunal, Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, and the Ontario Municipal Board, as well as a wide variety of other tribunals, boards and commissions.

David was lead counsel for the Catholic Church at the 3.5-year Cornwall Public Inquiry into how institutions handled historical allegations of abuse.

David has served as one of BLG’s past National Chairs of its Media and Defamation Law Group.

He acts as defense counsel in professional discipline cases and holds the Osgoode Law School Certificate in Professional Regulation & Discipline in the Ontario Health Care Sector.

Experience

  • Provides advice and acts as counsel in multi-party construction disputes, contract interpretation and construction process.
  • Acts as criminal defense counsel, particularly in relation to prosecutions concerning construction and safety issues.
  • Provides advice and litigation services to large service and equipment vendors and municipalities regarding tendering/procurement disputes and the development and implementation of tenders.
  • Acts as defense counsel in professional discipline cases for engineers, actuaries, dentists and other professionals.
  • Has experience as lead counsel in major public inquiries.
  • Acts routinely in defamation cases both for plaintiffs and defendants, including acting for local and national media with respect to defamation litigation, pre-print review, access to court and publication bans.
  • Has acted extensively in cases regarding abuse and institutional responsibility for abuse perpetuated by persons in positions of trust and authority.
  • Advises publishers and provides media relations and strategic media advice to clients involved in public litigation or other publicly sensitive issues.
  • Provides judicial review of federal and provincial government action as well as concerning the conduct of federal and provincial entities, both before the Ontario Divisional Court and the Federal Court of Canada.
  • Appears before the Ontario Special Education Appeal Board and the Ontario Special Education Tribunal with respect to the educational rights of disabled children.

Beyond our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, County of Carleton Law Association
  • Member, The Advocates' Society
  • Guest Lecturer, Trial Advocacy Course, Advanced Torts and Civil Procedure, University of Ottawa Law School

Community Involvement

  • Past Director, Ottawa School of Art
  • Past Director, Ottawa School of Dance
  • Past Director, Autism Society of Ontario
  • Past Member, Special Education Advisory Committee, Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board
  • Pro Bono Advisor routinely providing advice, litigation services and community legal education to organizations involved in giving assistance to persons with disabilities.

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2024) of The Best Lawyers in Canada® (Administrative and Public Law) and since 2011 (Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Public Procurement Law).
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2013) of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Litigation - Corporate Commercial; Professional Liability) and in the 2019 edition (Construction).
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2015) of Benchmark Canada – The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys as a "Local Litigation Star: Ontario" and a "Litigation Star: Construction and Professional Liability."
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition of Lexpert Special Edition Litigation
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2023) of Who's Who Legal: Canada (Government Contracts).
  • Received the 2010 Lexpert Gold Litigation Change Agent Award in recognition of his significant contribution to the advancement of the rights of disabled children in Ontario through litigation.

Bar Admission & Education

  • Ontario, 1991
  • LLB, University of Ottawa, 1989
  • BA, St. Francis Xavier University, 1985