Derek Freeman

Derek has been a litigation lawyer for over 35 years. He was called to the Ontario Bar with Honours in 1975, having graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School. He immediately started working at renowned Toronto law firms as a business law, and construction law, litigation lawyer.

Derek has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Canada and all levels of the Ontario Courts, including the Court of Appeal. His practice areas include:

Acting as Counsel for other Law Firms; Appeal Counsel; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Collection Law (Creditor/Debtor); Commercial Litigation; Commercial Landlord-Tenant Litigation; Competition Law (Civil Actions under Part VI Offences); Construction Law (ICI and Residential / Developer); Corporate Law; Costs Assessment Law; Employment Law; Estates Litigation; IT Litigation; Insurance Policy Review Law; Limitation Periods Law; Professional Negligence Litigation; Real Estate Litigation; and Complex Release Drafting.

He is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Bar Association and The Advocates Society having served on the Executives of the Civil Litigation (Chair, 2005-6) and Construction Law and Infrastructure Sections of the Ontario Bar Association (OBA). Derek is a registered member of four OBA Law Sections, serves on one executive, and has served on the Executives Civil Litigation, Construction and Infrastructure, IT Law and Law Practice Management. He is a present member of OBA Council and has served on its Audit Committee.

As a volunteer, he assisted the Justice community by serving on the Integrated Justice Project, the world’s lgest attempt to unify three government departments in the Province of Ontario. He chaired many committees in IJP. He is a member of the e-Discovery Implementation Committee, serving on two subcommittees and speaking at both its Annual Institutes 2011 and 2012. Derek has spoken internationally about Courts and Technology.

As a lawyer, Derek has mentored over 30rticling students and several young lawyers, which practice he continues. In 2000 he received the inaugural OBA Linda Adlam Manning Award for Volunteerism.

Called to Bar: 1975
Law School: Osgoode Hall Law School
Email: dfreeman@freemanlaw.ca