Kate McGrann

Kate McGrann provides her clients with pragmatic and strategic representation on matters including complex corporate/commercial, securities, and administrative and public law issues. She has represented clients at all levels of the Court in Ontario, the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and before regulatory tribunals including the Ontario Securities Commission and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) (formerly, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada).

Kate brings a unique perspective to her securities regulatory work as she has both prosecuted and defended enforcement matters before the Ontario Securities Commission, having served as Senior Enforcement Counsel in the Enforcement Branch of the Ontario Securities Commission on a secondment in 2017-2018. In that role, she advised on confidential investigations and represented Staff of the Commission in enforcement matters, including prosecuting allegations of unregistered trading, illegal distributions, and fraud. She acted for Staff in a significant joint hearing before the Commission and the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan involving the interpretation of a newly adopted takeover bid regime and its applicability to a contested takeover in the cannabis industry.

Kate also has significant expertise in public inquiries. She served as lead Commission Counsel on the Town of Collingwood Inquiry, co-lead Commission Counsel on the Ontario COVID-19 Long-Term Care Commission, and co-lead Commission Counsel on the Ottawa Light Rail Transit Public Inquiry. In these roles she led teams of lawyers investigating issues including governance, procurement, public infrastructure, and regulated health professions. Kate is currently serving as Commission Counsel to the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions.

Kate is actively involved in the legal community. She has acted as a mentor to law students and lawyers, both informally and through the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and the University of Toronto Law School, and has volunteered with the Pro Bono Ontario Free Legal Advice Hotline. She has also served as a member with the Advocates Society on the Young Advocates Standing Committee, the 10+ Standing Committee, and the Securities Practice Group.

In 2021, Kate received the Lexpert Rising Star Award which recognizes leading lawyers under the age of 40 across Canada. She has also been ranked by Lexpert as a leading Securities Litigation Lawyer. Since 2018, Kate has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation Canada as one of the top litigation lawyers under 40 in Canada. She has also been recognized by Benchmark Litigation Canada as a Future Litigation Star.