Celeste Poltak is a partner in the Koskie Minsky Class Actions Group. Celeste joined the firm in 2003 after practicing as an associate in the Toronto office of an international law firm. She regularly appears before a variety of courts throughout the province, including the Court of Appeal, and has prepared a number of applications for leave to the Supreme Court of Canada. She has developed a particular expertise in class proceedings, having worked on some of the most notable Canadian cases, and is well-published in the area. Celeste was nominated for the Rising Stars Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers in Canada competition in 2011 and named a Litigator to Watch by the Lexpert Cross-Border litigation guide.
Celeste’s practice has focused extensively on class proceedings litigation, including the cases of Dolmage v. Ontario, Pearson v. Inco and Cloud v. Canada. Her practice has involved negotiations with the Federal Government which sought to resolve the Indian Residential Schools litigation, including the implementation and court approval of that settlement agreement, and attended the settlement approval hearings in each province. Celeste also attended a lengthy trial of the common issues as Class Counsel against Vale Inco regarding the operation of its nickel refinery in Port Colborne.
Celeste holds a Masters of Law degree from the London School of Economics, obtained her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Calgary and Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) from Queen’s University. She has guest lectured at the University of Waterloo with respect to international conflict resolution and international criminal law, and sits on the firms Executive Committee.
Celeste has been published in the University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review, the Canadian Class Actions Review, the Lawyers Weekly, and has prepared papers for conferences such as the Osgoode Hall National Symposium on Class Actions and the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association. She also lectures on class proceedings at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Koskie Minsky is widely acknowledged as one of Canada’s pre-eminent firms in the areas of Trade Union Labour Law, Employment Law, Civil Litigation, Class Actions, and Pension & Benefits, Koskie Minsky continues to build a flexible, multi-faceted practice.
Koskie Minsky maintains a small-firm atmosphere and team-oriented practice. With the depth and breadth of knowledge and skill at our disposal, we can quickly assemble a professional team to suit the precise needs of each client.
Koskie Minsky devotes substantial resources to continuous monitoring and analysis of legal and public policy issues, which is shared with clients through seminars, newsletters and training programs. The firm has a rich tradition of ongoing public and community service, providing input and counsel to various government and professional bodies. In addition, members of our firm hold leadership positions in various professional associations. Most of the firm’s partners have been ranked by the Lexpert organization as top practitioners in their respective fields.
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“The New Approach to Summary Judgment in Ontario”, Lawyers’ Weekly, January 27, 2012
“Are the costs of certification too high?”, Lawyers Weekly, January 11, 2011
“Is Decertification Doomed to Failure?”, Lawyers Weekly, May 28, 2010
“The Space Between Rule 20 and Rule 21: the evidentiary burden on certification”, The Canadian Class Action Review, Vol. 6 (2010)
“Class Action Costs Awards: A Swinging Pendulum”, Lawyers Weekly, October 10, 2008.
“Residential Schools Settlement Approval: Testing Jurisdictional Boundaries or Vigilant Scrutiny”, The Canadian Class Action Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, (2008).
“Ability of members to appeal orders in class proceedings remains limited”, Lawyers Weekly, May 25, 2007.
“Ontario and Her Sisters: Should Full Faith & Credit Apply to the National Class?”, The Canadian Class Action Review, Vol. 3, No. 2 (2006).
“Defendants May Have Difficulty Defeating Preferability Finding with ADR Programs”, Lawyers Weekly, June 23, 2006.
“Humanitarian Intervention: A Contemporary Interpretation of the UN Charter”, University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review, Vol. 60, No. 2, May 2002.
