The Litigator
The Litigator
AGM :: Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP
THE LITIGATOR
Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP
365 Bay Street, Suite 200  ·  Toronto, Canada
416 360 2800  ·  info@agmlawyers.com  ·  www.thelitigator.ca

Silva v. Royal Bank of Canada: A cautionary tale about terminating for cause

David Grout - Articling Student

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Silva v. Royal Bank of Canada, 2026 ONSC 3841 should be a siren call for all financial institutions who purport to fire an employee for cause. After filing a Notice of Termination on the National Registration Database (NRD) that incorrectly asserted cause for the plaintiff’s termination, RBC was found liable for wrongful dismissal and ordered to pay over $2.5 million in damages to the terminated employee, including $250,000 in punitive damages. Background: Ravini Silva was a financial planner employed by RBC working under the banner of RBC’s mutual fund dealer, Royal Mutual Funds ... [more] Full article

Ontario Court of Appeal Affirms Employer’s Duty to Provide Honest Reasons for Dismissal

In Krmpotic v. Thunder Bay Electronics Limited, 2024 ONCA 332, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a Superior Court of Justice decision confirming that the duty of honest performance applies ... [more] Full article

B.C. Court of Appeal confirms that secretly recording conversations with Co-workers can be just cause for dismissal

In Shalagin v. Mercer Celgar Limited Partnership, 2023 BCCA 373 (CanLII), the British Columbia Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court’s decision that the employee’s surreptitious recordings of his colleagues constituted ... [more] Full article

The Ontario Court of Appeal Confirms: Independent Contractors Have a Duty to Mitigate

In a brief new decision, Monterosso (cob Trust Leasing Canada) v Metro Freightliner Hamilton Inc, 2023 ONCA 413, the Ontario Court of Appeal has clarified the scope of the duty ... [more] Full article


Wrongful Dismissal Contributors

Kenneth A. Dekker

Kenneth A. Dekker

Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP

Ken Dekker, a partner of the firm, is a successful trial and appellate lawyer who is valued by his clients as a resourceful and practical litigation counsel. Over more than 25 years, Ken has litigated noteworthy cases in a range of fields that include class action defence, securities and broker-dealer litigation and regulatory defence, corporate and shareholder disputes (including oppression and winding up cases), defamation, civil fraud litigation, disputes over contracts, injunctions, professional liability litigation, employment litigation and cross-border litigation issues. Ken has appeared before all levels of courts in Ontario, including the Superior Court of Justice, the Divisional Court and the Court of Appeal for Ontario, as well as before the Supreme Court of Canada. Ken has also represented and advised clients in regulatory matters before the Investment Industry Organization of Canada (IIROC), the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA), both of which are now known as the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). Ken has also represented clients before the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), the Financial Planning Canada Standards Council (FPCSC), and the CPA Ontario Tribunal. Ken has been ranked for Corporate and Commercial Litigation by Best Lawyers of Canada, for Securities Litigation by Lexpert, and he has been given the highest available rating of AV, or pre-eminent, by his peers on "Martindale-Hubbell."

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Meredith Hayward

Meredith Hayward

Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP

Meredith has earned an impressive reputation for her skill and abilities in Commercial Litigation and Administrative Law, appearing at all levels of court in Ontario, before the British Columbia Court of Appeal, and before the Supreme Court of Canada.

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Masiel A. Matus

Masiel A. Matus

Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP

Masiel, a Partner of the firm, has a broad commercial litigation practice and represents both national and international clients in a variety of complex business matters. Masiel has expertise in cases involving shareholder disputes, contract disputes, corporate fraud, commercial leasing and real property disputes, breach of trust, professional negligence, D&O claims, and employment matters. Masiel is a tough-minded advocate dedicated to obtaining results for her clients.

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Jeanette Saliba

Jeanette Saliba

Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP

Jeanette joins Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP from Osgoode Hall Law School. Throughout law school, she participated in various moots and was part of the oral advocacy club. During her education, she strived to assist entrepreneurs in the business law clinic. Prior to starting her articles, she gained experience conducting hearings for Small Claims Court matters. Jeanette looks forward to putting her business skills and passion for advocacy to use in the firm’s practice areas.

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Ardita Sinojmeri

Ardita Sinojmeri

Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP

Ardita Sinojmeri, Associate Lawyer at Affleck Greene McMurtry LLP, has a broad litigation practice spanning commercial litigation, securities litigation, insurance defence, employment disputes, and administrative law. She has appeared before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Appeal. Ardita earned her Juris Doctor from Western University’s Faculty of Law. Before joining the firm, she was involved in initiatives supporting individuals and businesses navigating complex legal and financial challenges. She was also an Intake Coordinator for the National Canadian Lawyers’ Initiative and has authored legal scholarship, including “Spinning its Wheels: The Canadian Mining Industry’s Human Rights Failures in Guatemala” (2020) in the Mining Law, Finance & Sustainability Research Publication Series.

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