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John F. Rook Q.C., FCIArb

Partner

Partner |

T: 416.777.4885

Toronto

Rook John
 
  • Recent Recognition
  • Insights, News & Events
  • Related Services

T: 416.777.4885


Toronto

  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Recent Recognition
  • Insights, News & Events
  • Related Services
  • Recent Recognition
  • Insights, News & Events
  • Related Services

In his more than 40-year career as a commercial litigator, John Rook has assisted clients in developing practical and innovative strategies for prosecuting and defending civil, criminal and administrative proceedings, and responding to regulatory investigations. He has acted on over 250 reported cases, representing complex litigation before provincial courts across Canada, the federal courts, and the Supreme Court of Canada. In administrative law, he has represented clients in matters related to competition, class actions, energy, public utilities boards, telecommunications and broadcasting, among others.

Chambers Canada

"Sources suggest that John Rook QC is 'the best cartel litigator in Canada,' adding that he is 'enormously knowledgeable and very tough.'"

John is cited by clients and peers in leading legal directories for his skill and creativity:

"He is truly amazing – his years of experience are invaluable."

"One of the best in the business."

"A professional, innovative approach to problems."

John has advised on many of the most noteworthy matters that have shaped common law jurisprudence and competition regulation in Canada, including:

  • Commissioner of Competition v. Toronto Real Estate Board, where the Supreme Court denied TREB's application for leave to appeal;  
  • Bow Valley Husky (Bermuda) Ltd., v. Saint John Ship Building, where the Supreme Court clarified the rules for the recovery of pure economic loss in negligence claims;
  • National Bank Financial Ltd. v. Potter, involving several decisions of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal relating to claims for damages arising out of the collapse of Knowledge House Inc.;
  • The Commissioner of Competition v. Parkland Industries Ltd. – a merger where the Competition Tribunal discussed the legal principles that apply to interim orders under section 104 and conducted the first mediation under the Competition Act;
  • The Commissioner of Competition v. The Toronto Real Estate Board – where the Federal Court of Appeal held that section 79 of the Competition Act could apply to a trade association that did not compete in the relevant market;
  • Class actions in several provinces involving claims for damages by direct and indirect purchasers in the sale of consumer electronic products and auto parts;
  • Granovsky v. Canada – a decision of the Supreme Court concerning equality rights of disabled persons denied benefits under the Canada Pension Plan;
  • R. v. Simon – where the Supreme Court recognized the pre-confederation Aboriginal  treaties under section 25 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
  • Public Utilities Board v. Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation – a decision of the Manitoba Court of Appeal limiting the powers of the Board in connection with the regulation of Manitoba's automobile insurance corporation.
  • Canada (Commissioner of Competition) v. Superior Propane – where the Competition Tribunal and the Federal Court of Appeal elaborated the efficiencies defence under section 96 of the Competition Act;
  • Bell Canada/Unitel/Callnet (Telecom Decision CRTC 92-12) –  where the Canadian Television and Telecommunications Commission permitted the interconnection of telecommunications networks to facilitate competition in long distance services;
  • Stelco Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General) –  where the Supreme Court of Canada discussed the protection available to suspects for compelled testimony in an Inquiry under the Competition Act;
  • R. v. Hamilton Funeral Homes – the only successful merger prosecution under section 33 of the Combines Investigation Act.

John is a frequent speaker in the areas of his expertise and has written many articles on litigation, including "The Man with the Mangled Hand", "The Art of Cross Examination: One Question too Many" and "The Prospects for Arbitration and Mediation in Competition Law Proceedings".

John recently joined Arbitration Place to provide arbitration and mediation services in his areas of expertise. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

In the community, John is a director on the Board of St. Andrews' College and past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the St. Andrews' College Foundation. For many years he was also a member of the Board of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival Board of Directors as well as the Board of the Foundation.

Education

Queen's University, Honours BA (Econ), 1968 University of Toronto, LLB, 1971 

Bar Admissions

Ontario, 1973

Recent Recognition

Chambers Canada
Ranked, Senior Statespeople, Competition/Antitrust: Litigators
Chambers Global The World's Leading Lawyers for Business
Ranked, Senior Statespeople, Competition/Antitrust: Litigators
The Legal 500 Canada
Recognized as a leading lawyer, Competition and Antitrust
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
Most frequently recommended, Competition Law
Repeatedly recommended, Litigation - Corporate Commercial
Benchmark Litigation: Canada
Recognized as a litigation star in Canada for Class Actions and Competition
Best Lawyers in Canada
Recognized as one of Canada's leading Corporate and Commercial Litigation , Class Action Litigation and Competition / Antitrust lawyers
Legal Media Groups Guide to the World's Leading Competition and Antitrust Lawyers/Economists
Recognized as a leading lawyer in Competition and Antitrust
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell
Received an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating
Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada
Ranked, Competition
Lexpert Guide to the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-border Litigation Lawyers in Canada
Recognized as one of Canada's leading cross-border litigators

Recognized as one of the leading lawyers in the area of competition law
Lexpert/Report on Business Special Edition - Canada's Leading Litigation Lawyers
Recognized as a leading litigation lawyer in Canada
Who's Who Legal Canada
Recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of competition
Who's Who Legal: Competition
Recognized globally as a leading competition lawyer in Canada

Insights, News & Events

Announcements

Bennett Jones in Chambers Global 2021

February 22, 2021
       

Announcements

Twenty-Five Bennett Jones Lawyers in Lexpert/ALM 500 Directory

December 17, 2020
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones in Lexpert's Top 10 Cases of 2019-2020

December 01, 2020
       

Announcements

40 Bennett Jones Lawyers in Lexpert's Special Edition on Litigation

November 27, 2020
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones is Recognized in Chambers Canada 2021

September 10, 2020
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones in Chambers Global 2020

February 13, 2020
       

Announcements

Twenty-three Bennett Jones Lawyers in Leading 500 in Canada

December 13, 2019
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones: Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers

November 29, 2019
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones is Top-Tier in The Legal 500

November 18, 2019
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones' Leading Lawyers in Chambers Canada 2020

September 19, 2019
       

Articles

The Art of Cross Examination: One Question Too Many

Summer 2019
       

Announcements

136 Lawyers in Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

May 06, 2019
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones in Chambers Global 2019

February 14, 2019
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones Named to GCR 100

January 25, 2019
       

Announcements

22 Bennett Jones Lawyers in Leading 500 in Canada

December 12, 2018
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones—Lexpert’s Leading Canadian Litigation Lawyers

November 30, 2018
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2018

November 01, 2018
       

Blog

Supreme Court to Reconsider Fundamental Elements of Antitrust Class Actions

June 11, 2018
       

Announcements

120 Lawyers in Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

April 16, 2018
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones Litigation Lawyers—Lexpert’s Canadian Leaders

November 24, 2017
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers—Canadian Leaders

November 24, 2017
       

Articles

Mediating before the Competition Tribunal: Lessons from the Parkland Mediation

Fall 2017
       

Announcements

Four Bennett Jones Practices Ranked Band 1 by Chambers Global 2017

March 16, 2017
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones Receives Top Honours in Four Practice Areas by Chambers Global Rankings

March 18, 2015
       

Articles

The Man with the Mangled Hand

Winter 2014
       

Updates

Canada's Supreme Court Opens the Door to Indirect Purchaser Class Actions

October 31, 2013
       

Blog

Canadian Competition Bureau Updates its Immunity and Leniency Program FAQs

September 27, 2013
       

Speaking Engagements

Class Actions in Canada: Navigating the Minefield

December 05, 2012
       

Bennett Jones Academy Events

BJU Substantive Series: The Competition Act, Merger Review and Investment Canada – What Businesses Need to Know

February 28, 2012
       

In the News

19 Bennett Jones Lawyers Recognized in Benchmark Canada

February 27, 2012
       

Updates

Competition Commissioner Requires Asset Divestitures for Merger Clearance

February 08, 2010
       

Articles

Canada: Merger Review

September 25, 2009
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones' Leading Cross-border Litigators 2008

December 10, 2008
       

Articles

Contractual Relational Economic Loss: Getting to Yes – Practical Tips for a Thorny Area of the Law

June 10, 2008
       

Speaking Engagements

Litigating Commercial Damages

June 10, 2008
       

Speaking Engagements

2008 Competition Law & Policy Forum

February 08, 2008
       

Speaking Engagements

Advocates' Society Civil Litigation Skills Certificate Program

April 11, 2006
       

Speaking Engagements

2005 Annual Fall Conference on Competition Law

November 01, 2005
       

Speaking Engagements

The Canadian Institute's Competition Law Compliance Conference

May 30, 2005
       

Speaking Engagements

Canadian Bar Association 2004 Annual Fall Conference on Competition Law

October 01, 2004
       

Updates

Canadian Cartels and Leniency

September 20, 2004
       

Speaking Engagements

Insight for Professional Development, Competition Law Compliance Conference

May 01, 2004
       

Speaking Engagements

Insight for Professional Development, Competition Reform – Again

November 01, 2003
       

Speaking Engagements

The Advocates' Society Civil Litigation Skills Certificate Program

November 01, 2003
       

Speaking Engagements

2003 Competition Law Invitational Forum

April 30, 2003
       

Speaking Engagements

Canada's Changing Competition Regime

February 01, 2003
       

Speaking Engagements

Advanced Program on Administrative Law

March 21, 2002
       

Speaking Engagements

Practice and Procedure before the Competition Tribunal

February 05, 2002
       

Related Services

Competition/Antitrust
Class Action Litigation
Commercial Litigation

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