Kirsten is an experienced trial lawyer. She has conducted trials and hearings across the country. Kirsten’s broad litigation practice includes complex commercial litigation (including class actions and multi-jurisdictional proceedings), intellectual property litigation, and administrative law matters. These include matters for clients in a range of sectors, including financial services, construction, transportation and pharmaceutical/health.
She appears as counsel in the Federal Court of Canada and before the Superior Courts of Ontario and Québec. She has also represented clients in a vast range of administrative law proceedings before national and provincial tribunals and boards. In addition to courtroom advocacy, Kirsten is a trusted advisor to boards and senior leaders. Kirsten is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Kirsten serves as Chair of the BLG LLP Partnership Board, and is a past director of The Advocates’ Society.
Experience
- Counsel to Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. in the trial of three actions, including a class action, in respect of a train derailment in Lac-Mégantic. Ouellet v. Compagnie de chemin de fer Canadian Pacifique, 2022 QCCS 4643, aff’d 2025 QCCA 230.
- Counsel to Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario in an arbitration proceeding regarding the construction of a major infrastructure project in the GTA.
- Counsel to AIC Limited in an Ontario class action concerning “market timing” trading in mutual funds of AIC Limited (trial pending April 2025).
- Counsel to a Canadian bank in a breach of contract and breach of fiducial duty action (trial pending October 2025).
- Counsel to the City of Ottawa in a breach of contract claim involving the development of land, Ottawa (City), v. ClubLink Corporation ULC, 2019 ONSC 7470, reversed 2021 ONCA 847, leave to appeal ot the SCC denied, 2023 ONSC 5004, appeal denied 2025 ONCA 34, leave to appeal to the SCC pending.
- Counsel to M-I LLC (affiliate of SLB) in a patent infringement case involving technology in the oil and gas sector, Western Oilfield Equipment Rentals Ltd. v. M-I LLC, [2019] F.C.J. No. 1535, aff’d 2020 F.C.A. No. 323.
- Counsel to JTI-MacDonald Corporation in a Quebec consumer class action involving harm associated with cigarettes, Letoureau v. JTI-MacDonald Corporation, 2015 QCCS 2382.
- Counsel to Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. in the trial of three actions, including a class action, in respect of a train derailment in Lac-Mégantic. Ouellet v. Compagnie de chemin de fer Canadian Pacifique, 2022 QCCS 4643, aff’d 2025 QCCA 230.
- Counsel to Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario in an arbitration proceeding regarding the construction of a major infrastructure project in the GTA.
- Counsel to AIC Limited in an Ontario class action concerning “market timing” trading in mutual funds of AIC Limited (trial pending April 2025).
- Counsel to a Canadian bank in a breach of contract and breach of fiducial duty action (trial pending October 2025).
- Counsel to the City of Ottawa in a breach of contract claim involving the development of land, Ottawa (City), v. ClubLink Corporation ULC, 2019 ONSC 7470, reversed 2021 ONCA 847, leave to appeal ot the SCC denied, 2023 ONSC 5004, appeal denied 2025 ONCA 34, leave to appeal to the SCC pending.
- Counsel to M-I LLC (affiliate of SLB) in a patent infringement case involving technology in the oil and gas sector, Western Oilfield Equipment Rentals Ltd. v. M-I LLC, [2019] F.C.J. No. 1535, aff’d 2020 F.C.A. No. 323.
- Counsel to JTI-MacDonald Corporation in a Quebec consumer class action involving harm associated with cigarettes, Letoureau v. JTI-MacDonald Corporation, 2015 QCCS 2382.
