The City of Toronto employs a team of more than 20 in-house civil and commercial litigators, who enjoy a dynamic and diverse practice in a collegial work environment. The City's litigators are at the forefront of matters of public policy as they relate to a broad range of practice areas that include litigation matters related to:

• Municipal bylaw and Charter challenges
• Human rights
• Environmental law
• Health
• Building Code
• Commercial law
• Heritage Act
• Personal injury
• Construction
• Licensing
• Police

The City's litigators appear at all levels of court, including the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada. City litigators also appear before the Toronto Licensing Tribunal as well as Inquests.

Our philosophy is that articling is not fourth year law school. Although there is a research component to the litigation rotation, students are not expected to spend their entire articles in the library. On the contrary, students are given the opportunity to actively participate as valued members of our professional team by assisting and attending with more senior lawyers at various hearings and court appearances, and by having carriage of their own small claims court actions. The City's articling students are given the opportunity to develop confidence and practical legal skills including oral and written advocacy, designing litigation strategy, communicating with clients, and negotiating with opposing counsel.