Adrian Pel is a litigator in BLG’s Disputes group. He represents businesses, financial institutions, public bodies, and individuals in complex commercial disputes, class actions, regulatory matters, and internal investigations.
Adrian has represented clients in sectors including financial services, securities, technology, automotive, life sciences, healthcare, and education. He frequently works on civil and regulatory matters that are high-stakes, involve novel legal issues, and require navigating complex regulatory regimes.
Adrian has particular expertise in securities, competition, and product liability class actions. Adrian has worked on class action matters before all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, courts in several other provinces, and on Supreme Court of Canada leave applications. Adrian is an elected member of the executive of the Ontario Bar Association’s Class Actions Section.
Adrian has appeared before commercial arbitrators, the Ontario Court of Justice, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (including the Commercial List), the Divisional Court, and the Ontario Court of Appeal.
Commercial Litigation & Arbitration
- Counsel for a 50% shareholder and director of a company seeking urgent relief under the oppression remedy before the Commercial List
- Counsel for the majority shareholders of a technology growth equity company, in defending an oppression claim in an arbitration that involved complex valuation issues
- Counsel for a publicly listed technology company in litigation with a publicly traded investment holding company
- Counsel for a court-appointed monitor in oppression proceedings, including the investigation of missing corporate property of significant value
- Defeated a motion to impose a certificate of pending litigation over a disputed property, in the context of a complex dispute over the existence of a partnership (2022 ONSC 6295)
- Obtained the dismissal of an oppression remedy application, with substantial indemnity costs (2024 ONSC 1653; 2024 ONSC 2537)
- Counsel for an automotive manufacturer in proceedings brought under the National Automobile Dealer Arbitration Program (NADAP)
- Counsel for a 50% shareholder and director of a company seeking urgent relief under the oppression remedy before the Commercial List
- Counsel for the majority shareholders of a technology growth equity company, in defending an oppression claim in an arbitration that involved complex valuation issues
- Counsel for a publicly listed technology company in litigation with a publicly traded investment holding company
- Counsel for a court-appointed monitor in oppression proceedings, including the investigation of missing corporate property of significant value
- Defeated a motion to impose a certificate of pending litigation over a disputed property, in the context of a complex dispute over the existence of a partnership (2022 ONSC 6295)
- Obtained the dismissal of an oppression remedy application, with substantial indemnity costs (2024 ONSC 1653; 2024 ONSC 2537)
- Counsel for an automotive manufacturer in proceedings brought under the National Automobile Dealer Arbitration Program (NADAP)
Class Actions
- Counsel for BMO Investments Inc., a mutual fund trustee/manager, in defending ongoing securities class actions relating to the payment of “trailing commissions” to discount brokers (2021 ONSC 3589; 2024 ONSC 3674; 2024 ONSC 6143; 2025 ONCA 719)
- Counsel for Purdue Pharma (Canada) in defending ongoing class actions across Canada, including healthcare recovery claims brought by governments (2023 ONSC 6792; 2024 BCCA 58)
- Defeated certification of a proposed securities class action, including an ensuing appeal, against BMO InvestorLine Inc. relating to the payment of mutual fund “trailing commissions” to discount brokers (2023 ONSC 16 aff’d 2024 ONSC 533)
- Succeeded in dismissing a proposed privacy class action against a hospital on the basis of delay
- Counsel for BMO Investments Inc., a mutual fund trustee/manager, in defending ongoing securities class actions relating to the payment of “trailing commissions” to discount brokers (2021 ONSC 3589; 2024 ONSC 3674; 2024 ONSC 6143; 2025 ONCA 719)
- Counsel for Purdue Pharma (Canada) in defending ongoing class actions across Canada, including healthcare recovery claims brought by governments (2023 ONSC 6792; 2024 BCCA 58)
- Defeated certification of a proposed securities class action, including an ensuing appeal, against BMO InvestorLine Inc. relating to the payment of mutual fund “trailing commissions” to discount brokers (2023 ONSC 16 aff’d 2024 ONSC 533)
- Succeeded in dismissing a proposed privacy class action against a hospital on the basis of delay
Investigations, White Collar Defence & Public Law
- Counsel for private and public sector clients in conducting confidential investigations, including fraud and competition/antitrust matters
- Obtained a stay of proceedings to terminate a regulatory prosecution on the basis of public interest following nine days of trial
- Defeated a judicial review application that challenged decisions of an elected public body in a case of first impression (2023 ONSC 349)
- Counsel for private and public sector clients in conducting confidential investigations, including fraud and competition/antitrust matters
- Obtained a stay of proceedings to terminate a regulatory prosecution on the basis of public interest following nine days of trial
- Defeated a judicial review application that challenged decisions of an elected public body in a case of first impression (2023 ONSC 349)
