Litigation Lawyer Vaughan

Expert Civil Litigation Lawyers

Facing litigation can cause you significant anxiety and stress. You may worry about the time and cost of litigation and the adverse effects that it can have on you or your business. Hiring experienced civil litigation lawyers can give you peace of mind, knowing that you have dedicated advocates pursuing a favourable resolution to your legal matter as efficiently as possible. At GLG LLP, our litigation lawyers offer individuals and businesses in Vaughan stellar legal counsel and advocacy at more competitive rates than firms in downtown Toronto.

Our firm’s litigation partner, Ryan Kerr, brings a wealth of experience earned at one of Canada’s leading litigation firms. His experience and knowledge allow him to develop and pursue innovative, tailored legal strategies to secure favourable results for clients as efficiently as possible. Ryan also has extensive experience and skill in resolving legal matters through alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation or arbitration.

Understanding Civil Litigation

Civil litigation refers to the process in which parties with a legal dispute resolve it. Civil litigation traditionally involves submitting a legal dispute to a court, which will hold a trial in which the parties can present evidence, witness testimony, and legal arguments to convince the court to rule in their favour. However, civil litigation can also take place outside the courtroom. Civil litigation can involve negotiations between parties to reach a settlement resolving their legal dispute. Civil litigation can also involve alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation – formal negotiations facilitated by a neutral third party called a mediator – or arbitration – a trial-like alternative to traditional court litigation.

How Civil Litigation Process Works

The civil litigation process typically begins when an aggrieved party with a legal claim against another party sends that party a demand. The demand informs the opposing party that another party has a legal claim against them. After sending a demand, the parties may try to negotiate a settlement of the dispute to avoid formal litigation. During this time, the parties will also investigate the matter to secure evidence that can assist with negotiations and help build a legal case should the dispute end up in litigation.

Should the parties fail to negotiate a settlement, an aggrieved party may pursue formal litigation by filing an action in court. At the beginning of a court case, the parties will submit pleadings to the court, with the party filing the action – the plaintiff – submitting a statement of claim alleging facts to support their claim(s), and the opposing party – the defendant – submitting a statement of defence asserting factual or legal defences to the plaintiff’s claims.

After the parties submit their pleadings, the case proceeds to discovery. The parties will draft a discovery plan that establishes the scope of documentary discovery, identifies people who will sit for examinations for discovery, and sets the timeline for completing discovery. During discovery, the parties may file motions with the court to resolve procedural or interim issues, such as discovery disputes, requests to exclude various pieces of evidence or witnesses from the case, or requests to delete parts of a party’s pleadings. In some jurisdictions, parties must also attend a mandatory mediation session.

Unless first settled by the parties, a civil case will eventually reach trial, which begins with the parties making opening statements. The plaintiff gets the first opportunity to present their evidence and witnesses, with the defendant able to cross-examine the plaintiff’s witnesses. The defendant then may present evidence or witnesses (with the plaintiff entitled to cross-examine those witnesses) or simply argue that the plaintiff has failed to prove their case. The trial ends with the parties making closing submissions to summarize their respective cases. The judge will then decide the case based on the evidence and arguments.

Why You Need a Litigation Lawyer

Hiring a litigation lawyer can give you the best chance of success in a legal dispute or lawsuit. A litigation lawyer can review the facts of your case to advise you regarding its strengths and weaknesses and help you decide whether to proceed with litigation. A litigation lawyer can also negotiate a favourable settlement of your legal matter. Should you need to pursue civil litigation, a lawyer can handle all aspects of the litigation process, including filing pleadings in court, discovery, and presenting your claims or defences at trial.