Executive Summary
Arnold’s practice was built from his focus on complex commercial litigation. His work has spanned judicial reviews of regulatory decisions, disputes between competitors, shareholder and partnership conflicts, and cases involving wrongful insurance denials and bad faith. He has handled employment matters on both sides of wrongful dismissal claims along with issues in marketing, distribution, and licensing, as well as trademark and copyright disputes. His practice has also included complex environmental litigation, contract breaches, financial and negligence claims and insolvency matters. Arnold has advised a wide range of successful, entrepreneurial business clients.
In August 2015, he served as trial counsel in R. v. Comeau, widely known as the “Free the Beer” case. In December 2017, he acted as co-counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada in a high-profile constitutional challenge addressing interprovincial trade barriers, particularly restrictions on moving liquor and other goods across provincial lines. The case drew significant media attention both in Canada and internationally and receives wide attention to this day.
Arnold has represented clients at every level of court in Ontario, as well as at the Federal Court (trial and appeal) and the Supreme Court of Canada. Since 1997, he has become widely recognized as one of Canada’s leading liquor-regulatory lawyers, and as the pre-eminent litigator in Canada for jewellery, fine art, armoured car, cash-in-transit, pawn shop, gun shop, furrier, shooting gallery and other speciality (“specie”) insurance claims.
Expertise
- General, Environmental and Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution
- Insurance Law including coverage opinions
- Specie Insurance Defence Litigation
Representative Work
- Advisor for On The Rocks? Section 121 of the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Constitutionality of the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act (2009), 35 Adv.Q.306
Articles and Presentations
- Special Lecturer at Law Seminars International (Wine Law) and Vancouver Wine Symposium
- Special Lecturer and Seminar Leader at International Fine Art and Specie Insurance Conference
- Special Lecturer for the Council of Professional Investigators of Ontario
- Past Lecturer - continuing education in legal matters at Ryerson University
My Blog
##blogcontent##Professional Involvement
- Member Law Society of Ontario
- Member of the Advocates Society
- Member of the Canadian Bar Association (Ontario)
Community Involvement
- Co-founder and past Director of A Better Richmond Hill, a community organization formed to improve governance in the community of Richmond Hill
- Chief Scout and former leader in the Scouts Canada organization
Beyond the Office
Arnold is a record producer, bassist, and radio/TV broadcaster, and is recognized as one of the most influential figures from Canada in the international jazz world. He has produced 36 records for Universal Music, appeared on radio and tv internationally, interviewed over 300 major artists, and produced the Jazz on the Mountain festivals in Whistler, Blue Mountain, and Horseshoe Resort.