Berkley Sells practises civil litigation with a focus on corporate/commercial disputes and internet litigation. He has recognized expertise with respect to matters involving ''extraordinary relief,'' in particular Anton Piller orders and Mareva and other injunctions. He has experience at both the trial and appellate level including litigation involving: professional liability (negligence, negligent and fraudulent misrepresentations, breaches of fiduciary duties); corporate governance (oppression, directors' and officers' duties and liability); interlocutory proceedings (including complex motions for injunctions, contempt of court, interim relief from oppression, summary judgment and recovery and preservation of property); and matters involving employment relations, defamation, breach of confidence, contract interpretation and fraud.
In 2010 Berkley was named a "Litigation Lawyer to Watch" in Lexpert's Guide to the Leading US-Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers.
In 2009 Berkley was named a "Rising Star" by Lexpert. The award recognizes leading lawyers under the age of forty from law firms and in-house counsel across Canada.
In 2008 Berkley received the Centre for International Legal Studies' certificate of appreciation for his achievements in legal research and writing.
Berkley is the Editor-in-Chief of Williston and Rolls Court Forms, 2nd Edition, the foremost guide to civil litigation precedents in Ontario. He has also been a speaker and an author on a wide variety of litigation topics. Since 2002 he has been an annual guest lecturer for the Advanced Litigation Practice course at the Faculty of Law at University of Western Ontario. For many years he has given legal education lectures on topics such as injunctions, electronic evidence, motions court practice and procedure, civil case management and the conduct of out of court examinations.
Berkley summered with the firm in 1995, articled with the firm in 1996-97, joined the litigation department as an associate in January 1998 and became a partner in 2003.
Membership/Affiliations
- Member, Advocates' Society (Intermediate Member since 1998 and Regular Member since 2003
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association
- Member, Law Society of Upper Canada