Doug Fenton

Doug Fenton

Partner

 fentond@bennettjones.com
Education
Queen's University, BA (Hons), 2014, with distinction
University of Toronto, JD, 2017, with distinction
Bar Admissions
Ontario, 2018
Overview

Doug Fenton is a skilled advocate focused on high-stakes litigation and investigations, with a particular emphasis on complex commercial and securities litigation, securities regulation, shareholder activism, fraud and class actions.

Clients value Doug's strategic approach, legal acumen, strong work ethic, vigorous advocacy and candid advice. He invests the time necessary to understand his clients' business and objectives, targeting the most efficient and timely resolution possible.

Doug has extensive experience in Canadian and cross-border securities regulatory and enforcement matters, class actions, takeover bid litigation, foreign corrupt practices, appraisal and share valuation remedies, derivative actions, arrangements and oppression proceedings.

Doug regularly advises corporations, Boards of Directors, Audit Committees and Special Committees in connection with internal and regulatory investigations and in connection with proxy contests and contested transactions.

Doug has broad trial and appellate experience in all levels of court in Ontario (including the Commercial List and the Court of Appeal for Ontario), British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, the Federal Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal, as well as before provincial securities regulators and various other regulatory bodies.

Doug regularly handles cross-border disputes, coordinating closely with counsel and service providers in jurisdictions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Europe. He works collaboratively with colleagues at other law firms, insolvency trustees, accounting firms and external investigators to manage complex litigation mandates for his clients.

Doug’s practice also includes a substantial focus on appellate matters, where he has handled a wide range of appeals on corporate and commercial law, constitutional law and bankruptcy and insolvency issues. He leverages deep legal knowledge to develop winning appellate arguments.

Doug regularly speaks and writes on issues related to commercial and securities litigation. His written work has been published in the Canadian Business Law Journal and cited by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Doug previously clerked at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, where he worked for Associate Chief Justice Hoy, Justice Nordheimer and Justice Harvison Young.

Experience
•  Sakab Saudi Holding Company – Ongoing Canadian proceedings, including obtaining various extraordinary orders (Mareva injunctions and Norwich relief), on behalf of a group of Saudi entities against a former Saudi government minister alleged to have misappropriated, in conspiracy with members of his family and others, $5.36 Billion USD from the plaintiff companies through various offshore structures
•  Representation of a Major North American Railway in its successful appeal from a C$228 million judgment arising from a failed real estate transaction and the claimed opportunity for a real estate development: Remington Development Corporation v Canadian Pacific Railway Company, 2025 ABCA 244
•  Coinbase, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, in its successful defence of a class action alleging violations of the Ontario Securities Act in relation to cryptocurrency products at the trial level and before the Court of Appeal for Ontario: 2024 ONSC 1399, aff’d 2025 ONCA 298
•  The Chief Executive Officer of MDA Space in connection with a securities class action alleging misrepresentations in the Company's disclosure and related claims of insider trading
•  The Unitholders of the Bridging Funds in successfully resisting a $213 million claim by a state-owned enterprise on contractual guarantee granted by a principal of the Bridging Funds without proper authority
•  Plantro in connection with its requisition of a meeting of shareholders of Dye & Durham (TSX: DND) to replace certain incumbent members of the Board and direct a sales process for the Company
•  Two global private equity firms in a review before the Ontario Securities Commission of a decision by the Toronto Stock Exchange approving a private placement
•  The Corporate Governance Committee of a publicly traded company in an investigation of alleged executive misconduct
•  Karora Resources (TSX: KKR) in its merger by way of plan of arrangement with Westgold Resources Limited (ASX: WGX), including in proceedings before the Australian Takeovers Panel
•  The Corporate Governance Committee of Rogers Communications Inc. in connection with a review of historic corporate governance practices
•  An American pharmaceutical company in the enforcement of letters of request in a securities class action
•  Gateway Casinos in a judicial review of a decision of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission approving the relocation of a casino to Edmonton
•  Adventus Mining Corporation in its C$200-million acquisition by Silvercorp Metals by way of plan of arrangement, including in response to Silvercorp Metals assertion of a material adverse change prior to closing
•  Tetra Tech in defence of a securities class action claim alleging misrepresentations relating to mineral resources and reserves at a mine and processing facility in Mexico owned by Gatos Silver
•  Dye & Durham in its defence of a competition class action alleging a price-fixing conspiracy in real-estate e-conveyancing services, arising out of Dye & Durham's acquisition of DoProcess
•  Anson Funds in prosecuting a significant defamation claim, brought to address recurring defamatory and anonymous online posts, disseminated from various jurisdictions
•  Attorney General of Ontario in defending the use of the notwithstanding clause in s. 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in relation to amendments to the Election Finances Act that placed limits on third party advertising in the 12 month period before a fixed date provincial election, before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and Court of Appeal for Ontario
•  The Unitholders of the Bridging Funds in a successful appeal to the Court of Appeal for Ontario, arising out of a priority dispute, and in continuing receivership proceedings on the Commercial List
•  An international food and beverage company in its successful defence of a commercial arbitration claim