Department profile

Tax: Litigation

Canada Guide 2026 : Nationwide - Canada

Rankings

Ranked Individuals

About

Provided by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Blakes Tax lawyers are recognized globally as leaders in all areas of tax. We provide practical and thoughtful advice and judgment on all aspects of our clients’ tax matters.

Our transactional Tax practice covers all aspects of corporate income tax. The group works seamlessly with other practice groups across the Firm to plan and execute a wide variety of transactions. Our lawyers have specialized expertise in many sectors and industries, focusing particularly on cross-border transactions, international reorganizations, investment funds, private equity, energy, corporate finance, structured finance, transfer pricing, financial institutions, capital markets transactions, real estate investment trusts and natural resources. A number of our lawyers have practices dedicated exclusively to commodity taxes (harmonized sales tax and other sales taxes), providing our clients with an unmatched level of expertise.

We also have a dedicated team of Tax Controversy & Litigation lawyers. They assist a wide range of public and private clients in resolving tax disputes, including in the course of the audit process, through administrative appeals or negotiated settlements, or in court when necessary.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Tax: Litigation - Nationwide - Canada

What the Team is Known For

Blake, Cassels & Graydon is a top-tier, full-service national law firm with offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver. Its prominent tax team is highly sought after for its experience in transactional planning, including a high volume of cross-border M&A work. The firm's diverse offering also features impressive capabilities in transfer pricing and commodity tax, as well as tax controversy and litigation. It has notable expertise across various industry sectors, including energy, infrastructure and transportation, and is also active in the private equity space.

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Their tax advice has been top-notch. We receive A+ advice and they are available around the clock.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
The Blakes team is always quick to respond to the various complex matters as business requirements keep evolving.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
With Blakes, you know you are getting highly experienced lawyers with highly specialised expertise and very practical lawyers.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
The team is all very talented, good to work with and always available for a call.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Blakes listens to the business needs of their clients and seeks to understand in depth the challenges they are facing. They can write the book on exceptional customer service.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Senior Statespeople
Senior Statespeople
Jeffrey C. Trossman
Jeffrey Trossman is a seasoned Toronto-based tax lawyer who assists clients with complex and high-value M&A, disputes and tax audits. He continues to be sought out to work on high-profile deals and investments.
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Band 2
Band 2
Mark Tonkovich
Toronto-based Mark Tonkovich represents clients in high-profile tax enforcement and litigation files. He has worked on several longstanding disputes with the Canada Revenue Agency. He coleads Blake, Cassels & Graydon's tax controversy and litigation group.
Mark is a wonderful individual to work with and demonstrates a very client-centric focus.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Mark combines thoroughness and technical expertise with a personable and approachable manner. He continues to demonstrate a clear dedication towards achieving desired outcomes for his clients.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Mark provides practical advice and has a strong ability to see the business side of the argument, in addition to the technical side.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Mark is spectacular. He is very practical, reasonable and meticulous.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
He is very responsive and able to walk us through complex tax matters.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
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Band 2
Band 2
Paul Stepak
Head of the firm's tax group Paul Stepak is particularly well known for advising clients on tax planning and M&A transactions. He is based in Toronto.
Paul is an excellent lawyer.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Paul doesn't come with a problem, he comes with a solution. He is creative and practical.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Paul is an incredible service provider. He is extremely smart and incredibly responsive.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Paul is technically very strong, thorough and to the point.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Paul just gets the job done. He is extremely commercial and responsive.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
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Band 2
Band 2
Pooja Mihailovich
Pooja Mihailovich has strong skills in tax litigation, including matters relating to the Income Tax Act.
Pooja's quality of work is excellent and her thoroughness of work is great. She is also excellent with clients.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
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Band 3
Band 3
Jeffrey Shafer
Jeffrey Shafer is well versed in both contentious and non-contentious tax work, advising on transfer pricing and M&A transactions. He operates out of the firm's Toronto office.
Jeffrey gets to issues quickly and has a great business mind. He is very good at breaking down difficult subjects and communicating it with stakeholders.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Jeffrey has tremendous amount of insight and experience in how Canadian tax authorities operate and behind the scenes. He is measured, practical and an expert in his area.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Jeffrey is a wonderful individual to work with, who demonstrates a very client-centric focus.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Jeffrey is a great and trusted advisor to us and always has our best interests in mind.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Jeff always adds additional perspectives that enhance the client's understanding of how the matter is progressing and the relative strengths of strategic approaches that are available.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
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Band 4
Band 4
Andrew Spiro
Andrew Spiro is a respected practitioner who handles a range of tax matters including those arising from transactions.
Andrew is always knowledgeable and responsive. We feel he is really a member of our team.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Andrew is very reliable and provides excellent advice.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
He has provided us excellent service.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Andrew's memory and grasp of our file is incredible. He is also very pleasant to work with.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Andrew is very thoughtful, thorough and technically strong.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
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Band 4
Band 4
Josh Jones
Josh Jones retains a well-known presence in the Canadian tax market, notably advising clients on Canadian income tax matters, as well as on mandates with cross-border components. He offers further expertise in the tax aspects of acquisitions and corporate restructurings across various industries. Jones is based in the firm's Toronto office.
I trust when I work with Josh that I am getting comprehensive advice and that I am not going to miss anything.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Josh is highly responsive, very technically strong and good at analysing and describing the risk. He is also a real pleasure to work with.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Josh is an outstanding professional.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
His attention to detail and his ability to summarise and take something that is very complex and explain it in a way that makes sense stands out.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
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Band 5
Band 5
John Leopardi
John Leopardi advises on the tax aspects of corporate transactions and reorganisations.
John's responsiveness, open communication and expert knowledge in many legal aspects stands out.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
John is extremely knowledgeable in his field. He is extremely meticulous, organised and supportive.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
John was a total life saver navigating an existential matter.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
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Band 5
Band 5
V. Daniel Jankovic
Daniel Jankovic often works with international and domestic clients on the tax aspects of transactions from the firm's Calgary office.
Dan provides excellent client service, combining both deep tax technical knowledge with practical, business-driven advice.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Dan is very well-versed in anything tax and very knowledgeable in corporate law.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Dan is extremely knowledgeable, thorough and detailed. He is also very responsive and quick to get back to me.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
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Spotlight
Spotlight
Zvi Halpern-Shavim
Zvi Halpern-Shavim is best known for his expertise as it relates to indirect tax.
The thing about Zvi is that he thinks outside the box. He has a very practical and realistic view of legislation and has ability to provide creative solutions to tax issues.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Zvi has been phenomenal getting to the issues and communicating with challenging representatives.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Zvi is one of the best lawyers I have ever hired. He gets our business needs, responds to them effectively, is proactive about reaching out and makes the client feel like they are his top priority.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Zvi has been very helpful when we have sophisticated indirect tax issues. He is extremely responsive and never disappoints us with his level of knowledge and service.
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
Zvi is always available and provides excellent, reliable advice
Tax: Litigation respondentCanada
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