Angela
Swan

she / her / hers Counsel
Call to Bar:
Admitted to the Ontario Bar: 1970
Angela Swan

Angela plays an educational and advisory role as counsel to the firm’s lawyers across all practice areas. With nearly 60 years of experience practising and teaching law, particularly in contracts, tax and complex corporate/commercial matters, she is a highly efficient and comprehensive resource to her colleagues and their clients.

Angela assists the firm’s lawyers with respect to research and opinions. She is particularly experienced in contract law and statutory interpretation and consults with members of the firm on many legal issues, including corporate transactions and civil and commercial litigation.

Angela believes in a practical approach to resolving legal questions and in ongoing legal education. She frequently presents internal case law updates and other educational sessions to lawyers and articling student.

Angela has written a number of papers, reviews, books, case comments and annotations on topics such as contract law, civil litigation and conflict of laws. Her work has been cited with approval by a number of courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. She is frequently retained by other law firms as an expert witness in connection with matters pertaining to the law in Ontario.

Memberships

  • Senior Fellow, Massey College
  • Board of Trustees, McGill Law Journal (past)
  • Canadian/Ontario Bar Association (International Law and Business Law Sections)
  • Editorial Board, Journal of Contract Law (past)

Teaching Engagements

  • Adjunct Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • Graduate Supervision, 11 completed LL.M. candidates
  • Visiting Professor and Professor of Law, Faculty of Law, McGill University, 1996 - 2003
  • Special Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, 1991 - 1995
  • Lansdowne Visiting Professor, University of Victoria, 1984
  • Assistant, Associate and full Professor, University of Toronto, 1965 - 1988

Co-Author, "A Case of ‘More’ of the Same? … It’s Really Just Another Case of Anticipatory Breach," Aird & Berlis LLP, October 4, 2023.

Quoted in "'Kindness Can Accomplish Everything': Lawyers Discuss LGBTQ2+ Inclusion in the Workplace," Law Times, August 14, 2023.

"Design Services Ltd v. Canada" (with J. Adamski), 47 Can. Bus. L. J. 87 – 99, 2008.

"Concurrent Judicial Jurisdiction: A Race to the Court House or to Judgment?" 46 Can. Bus. L. J. 292, 2008.

Co-Author (with J. Adamski), "Contracts," Halsbury's Laws of Canada, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2008.

"What a Difference a Debt Makes for BCE Debentureholders" (with Jeffrey K. Merk), Corporate Financing, Volume XIV, No. 2.

Canadian Contract Law, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2006.

Contracts, Cases, Notes and Materials (with B.J. Reiter and N.C. Bala), 7th ed. (Toronto: Butterworths, 2006).

"Punitive Damages for Breach of Contract: A Remedy in Search of a Justification," Queen’s Law Journal, Vol. 29, 2003.

"The Rights of Third Parties to Contracts: A Suggested Basis for Recognition," Privity: Private Justice or Public Regulation, Kincaid ed., (Aldershot: Ashgate/Dartmouth, 2000) pp. 233 - 258.

"The Future of the Conflict of Laws: Can Morguard Point the Way?" Leading Cases of the Twentieth Century, O’Dell ed., (Dublin: Roundhall, 2001)

"The New Choice of Law Rules in Torts: The Aftermath of Tolofson v. Jensen; Lucas v. Gagnon," paper delivered at Canadian Bar Association Quebec Conference, April 22, 1999. pp. 28.

"Damages for Wrongful Dismissal: Lessons from Wallace v. United Grain Growers Ltd." (1998), 6 Canadian Labour & Employment Law Journal pp. 313 – 332.

"The Attitude of Canadian Courts to Arbitration Clauses and The Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Arbitration of International Business Disputes," Negotiating and Structuring International Business Transactions, The Canadian Institute, Toronto, November 6, 1998. pp. 27.

"The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods," Selling Goods and Services Abroad, Canadian Bar Association, Business Law Section, Annual Meeting, Vancouver, August 23, 1996. pp. 22.

"Foreign Proceedings and the Reluctant Ontario Participant," International Law Update: Legislation, Case Law and Treaties, Canadian Bar Association – Ontario, Continuing Legal Education, Annual Institute, January 25, 1996. pp. 20.

"Choice of Forum and Choice of Law: The Implications of the New Criteria for Judicial Control" (1996), 18 Advocates’ Quarterly. pp. 1 – 22.