Denise Irene Sayer

Denise is a discerning, resourceful business litigator and skilled advocate who acts for large and small businesses in a myriad of corporate commercial litigation matters. Denise has appeared before all levels of Court in Canada and regularly appears before the Commercial List of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. She has also appeared before the Ontario Court of Appeal and argued many commercial arbitrations.

A large portion of Denise’s practice involves navigating shareholder disputes in closely held private corporations. She has successfully resolved many shareholder disputes involving a wide variety of oppressive conduct such as theft of corporate funds, failure to provide sufficient disclosure and information to minority shareholders, various breaches of corporate governance, and dilution of ownership interests.

Prior to forming Paris & Sayer LLP, Denise practiced corporate commercial and class action litigation at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP in Toronto. Denise obtained her Bachelor of Laws from Queen’s University in 2005, after which she clerked for the Justices of the Ontario Court of Appeal. While clerking, Denise was involved in researching, editing, and advising on all aspects of civil and criminal appeals.

Before becoming a lawyer, Denise obtained an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Sir Wilfred Laurier University and held a management position at Bell Mobility.

In her spare time, Denise enjoys knitting, making jewelry, and spending time with her two young sons.

Defeated an appeal of two successful personal bankruptcy petitions and a motion for fresh evidence before the Court of Appeal. The appellant was attempting to enter an expert report from a forensic accountant/certified fraud examiner and other documents. The Court of Appeal excluded all of the fresh evidence and dismissed the appeal from the bench ( 2023 ONCA 756 ).