Peter Manderville

(Peter E. Manderville) Peter Manderville is a partner in the Toronto-based law firm Gowlings (Gowlings, Lafleur, Henderson LLP).  He is a lawyer for the Cornwall Police Service at the Cornwall Public Inquiry.   

1990: Called to the bar

Law Degree: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia (1988)

Mr. Manderville has a litigation practice with a particular focus on commercial and insurance litigation, as well as professional and product liability. He has appeared as counsel before all levels of the courts of Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, the Federal Court, and the Supreme Court of Canada, in proceedings involving contractual and commercial disputes, shareholders’ disputes, product liability claims, directors’ and officers’ liability claims, fiduciary claims, real estate disputes, environmental claims, allegations of professional negligence and other civil and regulatory matters.

• He represented the Government of the Province of Ontario before the Walkerton Public Inquiry, established to investigate the circumstances surrounding the contamination of the Town of Walkerton’s water supply.
• He acted as counsel to four of Canada’s major financial institutions in a multi-jurisdictional dispute with investors in Lloyd’s of London.
• He acted as counsel to an international firm of chartered accountants in litigation involving allegations of auditors’ negligence and misrepresentation.
• He acts as counsel to a Canadian firm of pension consultants and actuaries before OSFI and in connection with a class action involving the collapse of a pension fund.
• He acts as counsel to an international auto parts manufacturer in connection with a product liability action with a major transportation company.
• He acts as counsel to a number of municipalities in defending or pursuing a variety of claims, including environmental impairment; landfill site claims; contract bidding and awarding claims; and planning claims.

Mr. Manderville received his LL.B. from Dalhousie University in 1988 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1990. He is member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Advocates’ Society, and the County of York Bar Association.

Mr. Manderville is a former editorial board member for Carswell’s Practice Cases, and has published a number of articles on a variety of topics including:

• “Lenders’ Liability for Third Party Breach of Trust”
• “Insurers versus Mortgagees: Who Should Bear the Loss”
• “Policy Issues in Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance”
• “Recent Trends in Products Liability”

As of July 2006, Gowlings professionals will participate in the Small Claims Court Duty Counsel Program, an initiative that provides legal services to unrepresented litigants on a pro bono basis. Conceived by Pro Bono Law Ontario, in concert with the Law Society of Upper Canada and Chief Justice McMurtry, the program will be held one day a week at the Small Claims Court at 47 Sheppard Avenue in Toronto.

Gowlings will commit several associates to the program, each offering a day as Duty Counsel every three months. The associates will provide unrepresented litigants with legal information and advice, assistance completing paper work, and in some cases, courtroom services. Gowlings Partner Glenn Hainey arranged with Pro Bono Law Ontario for Gowlings to participate and Partner Peter Manderville will supervise and coordinate the project on behalf of the firm.

Gowlings has a distinguished record of providing pro bono legal services throughout Canada. The Firm's participation in the Small Claims Court Duty Counsel Program furthers its pro bono commitment by offering unrepresented litigants with access to effective legal counsel.