A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Richard Swan is Co-Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department and Co-Head of the firm's Commercial Litigation Practice Group and carries on a focused litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution practice. He has comprehensive and extensive trial and appellate experience, regularly appearing before a range of tribunals, arbitral bodies and courts, including all levels of court in Ontario and the Federal Court.
Richard was named by Benchmark Canada as its 2015 Ontario Litigator of the Year.
Richard was a successful counsel in the Waxman litigation, one of the best known, most extensive and factually complex commercial proceedings in Ontario.
Richard's practice focuses on corporate, commercial and public law disputes. He has experience in matters pertaining to corporate, shareholder, oppression, securities, partnership, commercial contract, real property, injunction, domestic and international arbitration, technology, intellectual property, licensing, restructuring, project development, fiduciary duty, and professional negligence disputes, among others.
Richard is recognized for his expertise and standing in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation and dispute resolution by Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in Canada, Benchmark Canada, Euromoney Litigation Expert Guide and Lexpert (Canada's Leading Litigation Lawyers). Chambers Global observes that his courtroom presentation "leaves judges and even opposing counsel wide-eyed with admiration". In 2002, Richard was named by Lexpert as one of the Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers in Canada.
As well, he regularly speaks on corporate, civil, administration and regulatory law at professional conferences.
Richard joined Bennett Jones from another leading national law firm. Previously, he clerked at the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa.