Chanakya Sethi

    Partner

    Chanakya Sethi

    Chanakya Sethi

    Partner

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    Bar Admissions
    • British Columbia, 2023
      District of Columbia, 2019
      New York, 2013
      Ontario, 2013

    Clients turn to Chan when they are seeking counsel who have been battle tested in high-stakes trials and appeals.

    Chan has helped to lead the defence of several bet-the-company, multibillion-dollar cases involving competition and class action claims, and has briefed or argued cutting-edge public law appeals. Chan’s broad-based experience also includes international arbitrations, white collar investigations and intellectual property disputes.

    As part of his commitment to pro bono work, Chan has represented national criminal defence groups, LGBT rights advocates and disability rights groups as amicus before the U.S. Supreme Court, including as lead counsel. He has published numerous articles on legal issues in academic and popular forums. In 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada favourably cited one of his academic papers in a constitutional case.

    Before joining Davies, Chan practised at a U.S. trial boutique firm and at a litigation firm based in Washington, D.C. His trial experience included successfully defending against an antitrust challenge by the Federal Trade Experience to a $12.8 billion minority investment and defending a senior corporate executive in a four-month jury trial involving a federal racketeering prosecution, after which the trial judge threw out the prosecution’s principal charges. Chan’s appellate experience included the successful defence of a U.S. federal district judge in landmark mandamus proceedings concerning the prosecution of former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn.

    Chan clerked for Justice Michael J. Moldaver at the Supreme Court of Canada and Judge Ronnie Abrams of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and interned for Justice Dalveer Bhandari of the Supreme Court of India. Earlier in his career, Chan worked for a global investment bank in New York.

    Chanakya Sethi

    Partner

    Office
    Tel
    Email
    Download vCard Download Bio
    Bar Admissions
    • British Columbia, 2023
      District of Columbia, 2019
      New York, 2013
      Ontario, 2013

    Clients turn to Chan when they are seeking counsel who have been battle tested in high-stakes trials and appeals.

    Chan has helped to lead the defence of several bet-the-company, multibillion-dollar cases involving competition and class action claims, and has briefed or argued cutting-edge public law appeals. Chan’s broad-based experience also includes international arbitrations, white collar investigations and intellectual property disputes.

    As part of his commitment to pro bono work, Chan has represented national criminal defence groups, LGBT rights advocates and disability rights groups as amicus before the U.S. Supreme Court, including as lead counsel. He has published numerous articles on legal issues in academic and popular forums. In 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada favourably cited one of his academic papers in a constitutional case.

    Before joining Davies, Chan practised at a U.S. trial boutique firm and at a litigation firm based in Washington, D.C. His trial experience included successfully defending against an antitrust challenge by the Federal Trade Experience to a $12.8 billion minority investment and defending a senior corporate executive in a four-month jury trial involving a federal racketeering prosecution, after which the trial judge threw out the prosecution’s principal charges. Chan’s appellate experience included the successful defence of a U.S. federal district judge in landmark mandamus proceedings concerning the prosecution of former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn.

    Chan clerked for Justice Michael J. Moldaver at the Supreme Court of Canada and Judge Ronnie Abrams of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and interned for Justice Dalveer Bhandari of the Supreme Court of India. Earlier in his career, Chan worked for a global investment bank in New York.

    Shaw Communications Inc.

    Successfully acted for Shaw Communications Inc. in a landmark trial before the Competition Tribunal and subsequent appeal before the Federal Court of Appeal challenging the company’s C$26-billion merger with Rogers Communications Inc. This was the largest case ever heard by the Tribunal and the first pre-closing merger challenge to go to trial before the Tribunal. This case won Commercial Litigation Team of the Year at the 2023 Canadian Law Awards and was named the #1 business decision of 2023 by Law360 Canada.

    Insolvency Institute of Canada

    Acting for the Insolvency Institute of Canada as an intervenor before the Supreme Court of Canada in Aquino v. Ernst & Young Inc. and Scott v. Doyle Salewski Inc., two cases raising important questions about corporate attribution and set-off in the insolvency context.

    National Beef Packing Company

    Acting for National Beef Packing Company in antitrust class actions commenced in Québec and British Columbia alleging a supply and price-fixing conspiracy in respect of cattle and beef.

    Confidential client

    Acting for the claimant in a C$1.1-billion ICC arbitration regarding a major Canadian infrastructure project.

    The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc.

    Acting as Canadian counsel for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. in defence of an adversary proceeding under Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code relating to the historic February 2021 winter storm in Texas and the resulting extraordinary demands on the state's power grid.

    McKesson Corporation and McKesson Canada Corporation

    Acting for McKesson Corporation and McKesson Canada Corporation to defend a high-profile proposed class action brought by the Province of British Columbia on behalf of all Canadian provincial governments, as well as the Federal government, against manufacturers and distributors of opioids seeking to recover health care costs related to the opioid crisis. Also acting for McKesson in additional opioid-related proposed class actions.

    FTI Consulting Canada Inc.

    Acting for FTI Consulting Canada Inc. in its capacity as court-appointed monitor of Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited and its affiliated corporation, Imperial Tobacco Company Limited, in proceedings under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act and Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

    Benchmark Litigation Canada Awards—Impact Case of the Year (2023)

    The Canadian Law Awards—Commercial Litigation Team of the Year (2023)

    Law360 Canada—Top Business Decision (2023)

    National LGBT Bar Association—Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 (2021)

    Bar Admissions

    British Columbia, 2023
    District of Columbia, 2019
    New York, 2013
    Ontario, 2013

    Education

    Yale Law School, LLM, 2014
    Osgoode Hall Law School, JD (Gold Medallist), 2012
    Princeton University, BA, 2007
    Clerk, The Honourable Mr. Justice Michael J. Moldaver, Supreme Court of Canada
    Clerk, The Honourable Ronnie Abrams, Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
    Judicial Intern, The Honourable Dalveer Bhandari, Supreme Court of India

    Professional Affiliations

    The Advocates’ Society
    Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers
    South Asian Bar Association

    Board Memberships

    The Daily Princetonian, trustee and secretary

    Community Involvement

    Ontario Bar Association, Civil Litigation Section Executive, former member
    Osgoode Hall Law School, Laskin Moot Team, coach
    Princeton University Summer Journalism Program, director
    Upper Canada College Association Council