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This is a photo of Awanish Sinha

Awanish
Sinha

Partner
Co-Lead l Public Sector

Toronto

Contact by email at [email protected]

t. +1 416-601-8030

3556

Law School

McGill University

Bar Admission

Ontario, 2001

Awi practices uncommon law. 

Awi Sinha advises major enterprises in unusual, high-stakes situations.

Extraordinary circumstances can have high impact on your revenue, reputation and risk. Often, enterprises cannot predict or prepare for these scenarios with normal measures. Awi has unique experience executing legal strategy to serve your goals in such circumstances. Political dynamics, market disruptions, policy shifts, crisis and scandal can present unprecedented legal issues and special cross-pressures on legal decision making. Leaders value Awi’s ability to see around corners, separate knowledge from noise and solve problems in uncertain times.

In 2023, Canadian Lawyer magazine named Awi to its Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers as one of the country’s five most influential lawyers in the Business category. He is also Lexpert-ranked in Commercial Litigation and Infrastructure.

" He has had an outsized impact on the evolution of law over the last decade. "
Canadian Lawyer

Awi is highly sought after for special projects and mandates.

Political Law

Awi has the leading practice in Canada acting for senior political figures and major corporations in inquiries and investigations by the federal Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, Commissioner of Lobbying, Canada Elections Commissioner and their provincial counterparts.

Awi also has deep experience representing corporations called upon to engage in studies and hearings by parliamentary committees, both federally and provincially. He works seamlessly with communications and policy experts to prepare top executives for high profile public hearings, recently in areas such as war sanctions, COVID vaccine procurement and government use of consulting services.

Special Advisory

Some examples of Awi’s mandates are below:

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) re: COVID-era “Return-to-Play” – The first phase of the COVID pandemic was one of intense and extreme regulatory reform in real time. Awi acted for MLSE in its processes with all levels of governments and commercial partners for development of a COVID-safe strategy for the iterative return to play of the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Soccer (MLS) in Canada. Awi advised on MLSE’s winning bid to the host the 2020 NHL “Playoffs Bubble” in Toronto and on the 2021 return from Tampa Bay of the Toronto Raptors for the 2021/2022 season.

Canadian Universities re: Middle East Tensions Awi acts as a special advisor to a number of Canadian universities dealing with a myriad of conduct controversies, security issues and academic freedom concerns arising from actions of students, faculty and campus groups regarding Middle East tensions.

Cadillac Fairview (CF) re: Freedom Convoy – In February 2023, the “Freedom Convoy” parked trucks and created encampments in downtown Ottawa. One of the urgent public safety impacts was the shutdown of the iconic CF Rideau Centre shopping mall near Parliament Hill. The continued closure of CF Rideau Centre became a symbolic flashpoint for a national discussion on the convoy. Awi acted as special counsel for CF to coordinate with public authorities on legal strategy and practical situation management. The mandate included government relations, civil claim strategies and collaboration on an injunction application by the City of Ottawa. Our assistance to CF ultimately led to a safe, strategic plan for re-opening without any incidents.

Dentists of Canada – Awi acted as special counsel to a collective of national and provincial dental organizations to consult, collaborate and contribute to the new federal Canada Dental Plan.

Reputational Crisis Mandates

Awi has elite experience as special counsel for enterprises facing high stakes reputational risk. He has worked in concert with and is preferred counsel for the leading public communications and strategy consultants in Canada. His matters are confidential.

 

Awi serves as a McCarthy Tétrault’s ambassador to Legal Leaders in Diversity and is a prominent voice on diversity and inclusion issues in the Canadian business community.