David Gadsden

As chair of Baker McKenzie's Canadian Class Actions Group, David draws on his extensive class action experience, having acted as counsel for defendants and plaintiffs in domestic and international class actions involving antitrust claims, misleading advertising, consumer protection, securities fraud, product liability and professional service negligence.

David’s competition class action experience includes acting as lead counsel in cases involving auto parts, computer components, loyalty rewards programs, consumer electronics, credit card transaction fees, generic pharmaceuticals and construction chemicals.

David has deep expertise in fraud and financial crime matters and is trusted counsel on multijurisdictional fraud investigations, including related civil disputes and regulatory proceedings. David's practice also comprises international and domestic arbitration, business torts, trade secrets and product liability matters.

• Defending multinational specialty construction chemicals company in proposed class actions alleging collusion and price-fixing in the concrete admixtures industry.
• Defending national airline’s loyalty rewards and recognition affiliate in proposed class action alleging anticompetitive conduct and breaches of consumer protection legislation.
• Counsel to defendants in proposed class action alleging price fixing in the generic pharmaceuticals industry.
• Defending a Japanese suspension assemblies manufacturer in class action alleging global price-fixing conspiracy.
• Defended gold refiner in Tax Court of Canada appeal relating to alleged involvement in fraudulent ‘carousel-scheme’.
• Represented investor group in a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scheme that resulted in bankruptcy and criminal charges against the self-proclaimed “Crypto King”.
• Defended major credit card issuer and acquirer in class actions alleging conspiracy with respect to credit card transaction fees.
• Defended global consulting company in USD 9.2 billion class action involving alleged securities fraud and negligence.
• Defended Japanese computer components manufacturer in multijurisdictional class actions alleging price-fixing in the film capacitors industry. 
• Represented primary defendant securities issuer in class action alleging secondary market misrepresentations in the mining industry.

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• Litigation Counsel of America – Fellow
• Ontario Bar Association Class Actions Section – Executive Committee Member
• Ontario Bar Association Professional Development Committee – Member
• Canadian Bar Association (Competition Law) – Member
• The Advocates' Society – Member
• Law Society of Ontario – Member