George Karayannides, Q.Arb

Full Profile

Prior to joining Clyde & Co as a partner in 2014, George was the head of the Toronto litigation department of a leading national Canadian law firm. Since his call to the bar in 1986, he has represented various businesses, leading multinational companies, individuals and government bodies in the financial, energy, transportation, telecommunications, manufacturing, infrastructure and construction sectors. George regularly works with foreign counsel on cross-border issues and has appeared before Federal and Provincial Courts, as well as arbitral (international and domestic) and administrative tribunals.

George has been recognized by Lexpert® as a leading lawyer in commercial arbitration, corporate commercial litigation, commercial insurance litigation and professional liability, and by Best Lawyers as a leading practitioner in corporate and commercial litigation, construction law and alternative dispute resolution. He has also been recognized by The Legal 500 in Canadian construction law and by Lexpert® as a leading US/Canada cross-border litigator and infrastructure lawyer.

George holds a Qualified Arbitrator designation from the ADR Institute of Canada and is a frequent speaker on emerging legal issues, as well as an advocacy skills instructor. He currently sits on the Executive Committee of the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, and  was previously Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s Ontario Maritime Law Section. He is Honourary General Counsel to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada and an Honourary board member of the Hellenic Canadian Lawyers’ Association.

Admissions

• Ontario Bar (permitted to practise across Canada)
   

Education

• LLB, University of Windsor (1984)
• BA with Honours, York University (1980)
   

Professional Associations

• Law Society of Ontario
• Canadian Bar Association
• Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society
• ADR Institute of Canada
• Advocates’ Society
• Canadian Maritime Law Association
• Hellenic Canadian Lawyers’ Association

Experience

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

• Representation of insurers in complex and high value coverage disputes before arbitral tribunals and courts
• Counsel to a multinational design and engineering firm in an arbitration relating to the design of a new light rail infrastructure project
• Counsel to a multinational conglomerate in an arbitration relating to the design and manufacture or components for the construction of a new oil refinery
• Counsel to an insurer in litigation regarding the denial of coverage for a major business interruption claim by an international energy and chemical company arising from key equipment failures
• Counsel to a multinational design and engineering firm in a dispute relating to the design and construction of various elements of a new light rail infrastructure project
• Counsel to a group of infrastructure consulting firms in an arbitration and litigation relating to services rendered regarding the construction of a cross border infrastructure project
• Counsel to an engineering firm in litigation relating to the construction of a condominium project and the design of systems related thereto
• Counsel to an insurer in litigation regarding the denial of coverage for a major business interruption claim by an international energy and chemical company arising from key equipment failures
• Counsel to an insurer in COVID-19 coverage arbitrations
• Counsel to an international mining company in an arbitration relating to mining interests in South America
• Counsel to a nuclear energy company in litigation relating to the construction of a nuclear reactor and related issues
• Counsel to an institutional investor in litigation alleging breaches of representations and warranties relating to the sale of an industry-leading leasing company
• Counsel to former shareholders and a director of a public company in an oppression action against officers and directors
• Counsel to a global electronics manufacturer in litigation relating to the purchase of its Canadian subsidiary
• Counsel to a global energy company regarding the termination of a long-term supply agreement
• Counsel to a national bank in litigation relating to a multimillion-dollar fraud
• Counsel to a glass manufacturer in litigation alleging the systemic failure of curtain walls
• Counsel to a government and telecommunication company in pay equity human rights complaints by unions alleging systemic discrimination
• Counsel to an engineering firm relating to litigation arising from the supervision of an electricity infrastructure project
• Counsel to a municipality in litigation relating to the construction of a waste management project
• Representation of insurers, carriers and consignees/consignors in litigation regarding the transportation of goods by sea, air and land, including damages to bulk and containerized cargo

Class Actions

• Counsel to an automobile manufacturer in air-bag-related litigation
• Counsel to an insurer in COVID-19 coverage litigation
• Counsel to a supplier of fresh food products in litigation alleging health risks arising from contamination
• Counsel to a provider of medical solutions in litigation alleging negligence
• Counsel to a corporation established by three institutional investors for the purpose of purchasing a preeminent communications company, in an action brought by shareholders of the target company
• Counsel to a manufacturer of consumer products in litigation alleging defects in major appliances
• Counsel to an insurer in litigation relating to alleged vanishing premiums