Deborah Templer

Deborah is a versatile advocate who leads teams in complex, bet-the-company disputes with domestic and global implications. She practices nationally in commercial litigation, with a focus on product liability, mass tort, and class action matters.

Deborah maintains one of the preeminent product liability practices in Canada. She has deep experience defending domestic and foreign-based companies in multijurisdictional class actions, including aggregated cost recovery lawsuits brought by governments stemming from alleged mass toxic torts and public harms, and related pre‑litigation matters.

Deborah’s experience spans a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, consumer and food products, telecommunications, infrastructure, technology, manufacturing, and financial services. Her commercial practice focuses on contractual claims, economic torts, and shareholder remedies, including the oppression remedy.

Deborah has acted in significant litigation for Philip Morris International, 3M Company, Juul Labs, Novartis, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly, Masco, Diageo Canada, Bacardi Canada, Corby Spirit and Wine, Bell Canada, Molson Coors, and Rothmans, Benson & Hedges.

Deborah is the Chair of Pro Bono Ontario’s board of directors, a director of The Advocates’ Society, Co-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Class and Derivative Actions Subcommittee (Business and Corporate Litigation Section), and a member of the International Association of Defence Counsel (IADC).