Thomas Mathews is a Toronto-based lawyer building a broad practice in civil and commercial litigation and criminal defence. These areas permit a lawyer to develop different skill sets, while often complementing each other for unique cases. There is a significant area of law developing in the grey areas between civil, commercial, and criminal litigation, which is of great interest to Thomas. Such areas include competition law, white collar crime, securities litigation, and investigations.
Thomas enjoys the personal relationship he can develop with his clients, providing them full attention and accountability for their legal needs — all at a fair price.
Thomas is member of the Bars of Ontario and Quebec, trained in both the common law and civil law legal traditions. He practises in both provinces, most often in Toronto and Montreal, representing clients in both English and French.
Training
A native of Ancaster, Ontario, Thomas completed his undergraduate degree in the Arts & Science Program at McMaster University. After spending a year in France playing rugby two divisions below the professional leagues, he studied law at Université Laval and the University of Ottawa. He summered and articled with a national law firm in Montreal, first being called to the Bar of Quebec in 2010, and subsequently, Ontario, in 2013.
As competition law is a discipline that combines business law with commercial and criminal litigation, Thomas was particularly drawn to this field during his legal studies. In 2013, Thomas was awarded the Canadian Bar Association’s James Bocking Memorial Award and the J.S.D. Tory Writing Award, for a paper entitled The Failing Firm: Re-examining Canada’s Approach to Rescue Mergers in Light of the US and EU Experience. This paper was subsequently published in the Canadian Competition Law Review. Thomas further completed a placement with the Criminal Matters Branch of the Competition Bureau, participating in cartel and price-fixing investigations.
Outside of the law
As lawyers have always played a role in the public affairs of their country, Thomas enjoys writing on political and business issues. He has been published in both national and local newspapers.
Outside the courtroom, Thomas finds his competitive spirit on the rugby pitch, and is most at home playing scrum-half. Past school teams and clubs include Ancaster High, Ancaster Loyalists, Stoney Creek Camels, McMaster University, and the infamous PUC (Paris Université Club). He currently plays with Bay Street RFC in the Toronto Rugby Union.
