Profile
Maanit Zemel practises in the field of civil and commercial litigation. She acts for individual and corporate clients in a variety of litigation and administrative matters and has represented clients at all court levels, including the Supreme Court of Canada and before administrative tribunals.
Ms. Zemel has significant experience and expertise in cross-border litigation, including jurisdictional matters and enforcement of foreign judgments. She also has substantial experience and expertise in the areas of defamation and internet defamation, debt collection, limitation periods, professional liability and real estate litigation.
Ms. Zemel has experience assisting victims of fraud or theft recovery proceeds of such crimes, and has overseen forensic investigations on behalf of her clients. She also has experience obtaining unique injunctive orders for her clients, including Norwich Orders and Mareva Injunctions.
Ms. Zemel is admitted to the New York State Bar and is eligible to practice in the U.S. Federal Courts. Prior to joining Miller Thomson, Ms. Zemel practised in the litigation department of a prestigious international law firm in New York City, where she worked on complex litigation files including class action lawsuits, securities regulation and cross-border claims. She also worked on a claim at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Ms. Zemel is fluent in Hebrew.
Education
- LL.B., Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 2003
- B.A., (Humanistic Studies / International Relations), McGill University, 2000
Professional Achievements
- International, Translational and Comparative Law Specialization Program, Osgoode Hall Law School, 2003
- Recipient, Benjamin Laufer Prize in International Law, 2003
Representative Work
- Nelson Barbados Group Inc. v. Richard Ivan Cox et al. [2009], 75 C.P.C. (6th) 58 (Ont. S.C.J.) (successful motion to dismiss the action for lack of jurisdiction and forum non conveniens)
- Krasnick Estate v. Canada (Minister of Veterans Affairs), 2007 CarswellNat 4394, (application by veteran’s estate and its executor for judicial review of decision of Department of Veterans Affairs denying eligibility for reimbursement of chronic care benefits over specified period)
- Pandi v. FieldOfWebs.com, 2007 CarswellOnt 4389 (successfully defended a motion for an interlocutory injunction to prohibit the defendants from engaging in an e-commerce business and obtained an order for substantial indemnity costs)
- Biolyse v. Brystol Meyers Squibb, [2005] 1 S.C.R. 533 (successful appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada on behalf of a small Canadian pharmaceutical company allowing our client to sell its unique cancer drug to patients in Canada)
Memberships
- Canadian Bar Association
- Ontario Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
Publications
- "Victims of Online Defamation Face Difficulties", The Lawyers Weekly (October 14, 2011)
- "The Facebook bullying case – some tough issues to ponder", First Reference Talks (May 9, 2011)
- "Will the SCC’s online defamation decisions go 'viral'?", The Lawyers Weekly (March 25, 2011)
- "The Facebook firing cases – can it happen in Canada?", First Reference Talks (February 14, 2011)
- "Are Website Operators and ISPs Liable in Canada for Online Defamation?", Internet and E-Commerce Law in Canada (December 2010)
- "To hyperlink or not to hyperlink – That is the question", First Reference Talks (December 13, 2010)
- "Liability of Website Operators and Internet Service Providers for Defamation", Ontario Bar Association Technology and E-Commerce Section Newsletter (November 2010)
- "Cyberlibel - Why Your Interactive Website Might Expose You to Liability", First Reference Talks (July 12, 2010)
- "Help! I have been defamed online – Part III, the perils of being Googled", First Reference Talks (November 8, 2010)
- "Search engine liability and the perils of being googled", The Lawyers Weekly (October 15, 2010)
- "Help! I have been defamed online: Practical tips – Part II", First Reference Talks (October 6, 2010)
- "The Anonymous Blogger Exposed - Extraordinary Injunctions in Internet Defamation Cases", Internet and E-Commerce Law in Canada (September 2010)
- "Liability of Website Operators and Internet Service Providers for Defamation", Ontario Bar Association Technology and E-Commerce Section Newsletter, Volume 12, No. 2 (November 2010)
- “Help! I Have Been Defamed Online: Practical Tips – Part I”, First Reference Talk (September 13, 2010)
- “What Lenders Need to Know about the Limitation Period”, Rebuilding Success, Vol. 8 (Spring 2009)
- “The Limitation Period in Ontario For Enforcement of a Guarantee: What All Lenders Need To Know”, National Creditor/Debtor Review, Vol. 23 (October 2008)
- The Limitation Period in Ontario for Enforcement of a Guarantee: What All Lenders Need to Know, Financial Services & Insolvency (September 2008)
- "Overview of the Proposed Changes to the Canadian Competition Tribunal Rules", Competition Law Report (Fall 2007)
- "The Do's and Don’ts of Costs on Motions", OBA’s Grid Talk 2006: Judging Costs Conference (November 2006)
Key Practice Expertise
Areas of Focus
- Cross-Border Litigation
- Appellate and Complex Litigation Injunctions
- Defamation and Internet Defamation
- Class Actions
- Real Estate Litigation
- Corporate Fraud
Year of Call
- Ontario Bar, 2005
- Bar of the State of New York, USA, 2004
- U.S. Federal Courts (S.D.N.Y and E.D.N.Y.), 2004