Lou Brzezinski is a partner of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Group and practices in all areas of business reorganization, insolvency, liquidation and bankruptcy. He has consistently argued complex cases before all levels of courts and tribunals, including the Supreme Court of Canada, Court of Appeal for Ontario, Federal Court of Appeal, and Divisional Court. Variety in representation, Lou has acted for creditors, debtors, court-appointed monitors and trustees in bankruptcy. Lou has acted for a number of high profile insolvencies in Canada, including Sears Canada, Target Canada, Coopers & Lybrand, Crystallex, US Steel Canada Inc. and Essar Steel Algoma Inc. Commercial litigation high profile clients include Greenwin Property Management Limited and Burger King Canada in critical business issues.
Also noteworthy is Lou’s extensive experience in the investigation of fraud on behalf of major financial institutions and with Canada’s largest security and investigation. As Chair of the firm’s Fraud, Investigation, Recovery and Enforcement (FIRE) group, Lou Brzezinski often times employs Mareva injunctions and Anton Piller orders. Much of this expertise has been derived from dealing with bank fraud including significant cheque kiting cases, Ponzi schemes and breaches of internet protocol and security. Notably, his broad-based experience has extended itself to many varied clients such as international manufacturers and suppliers, residential and corporate managers of brokers (real estate) and defence contractors. He has acted as legal counsel in many alternative dispute processes, including mediation. Lou is a certified arbitrator.
Lou has developed extensive knowledge in the emerging areas of blockchain and digital currency. He has been called upon by clients to assist in complex legal issues in these areas.
Lou has previously taught seminars on legal aspects of fraud investigation in Canada, detecting and dealing with cheque kiting, remedies for victims of fraud, cross-border insolvencies, Privacy Legislation, Sarbanes Oxley Compliance and Internet Security. He has spoken on internet issues at the University of Toronto and has chaired a series of seminars on Internet Law for the graduate law program at Osgoode Hall, Toronto. Lou has contributed to Credit Manager's Guides on Bankruptcy and Insolvency in Canada; Privacy Legislation; Cross-Border Insolvency; Reading and Understanding Contracts; and the Construction Lien Act.
Lou applies an investigative approach, blending legal, innovative, and creative thinking that leads to an implementative strategy for a successful outcome. Lou Brzezinski is known and appreciated for his style in the courtroom and with clients as being open, approachable, with logical and reasonable positions. At times, he will add a touch of humour.
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Lou spent five years as a Judge at the University of Toronto Upper Year Court.
He is also an avid photographer and has exhibited his works at Q Gallery. His photograph, “Harry’s Dry Goods” was selected to appear in the SNAP ACT Exhibition in March 2017.