David R. Byers

David R. ByersR: Senior Counsel and Former Co-Chair of the National Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group

David Byers is a seasoned litigator with extensive experience in complex commercial litigation, including product liability, securities, insolvency and insurance, as well as domestic and international arbitration.

Practice Areas

• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Class Action Litigation
• Corporate & Commercial Litigation
• Director & Officer Liability Practice
• Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Law
• International Arbitration
• Data Privacy & Security Law
• Product Liability Law
• Securities Law

David has a deep understanding of the industries in which he practices, including manufacturing, technology, pharmaceuticals, financial services, and tobacco. He has represented companies and their management teams across these sectors. His experience also extends to representing both lenders and debtors in court-supervised restructurings.

Awards

• Lawyer of the Year: Director & Officer Liability Practice (Toronto, Canada), 2025
• Lawyer of the Year: Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Law (Toronto, Canada), 2015
• Recognized: Bet-the-Company Litigation (Toronto, Canada)
• Recognized: Class Action Litigation (Toronto, Canada)
• Recognized: Corporate & Commercial Litigation (Toronto, Canada)
• Recognized: Director & Officer Liability Practice (Toronto, Canada)
• Recognized: Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Law (Toronto, Canada)
• Recognized: International Arbitration (Toronto, Canada)
• Recognized: Data Privacy & Security Law (Toronto, Canada)
• Recognized: Product Liability Law (Toronto, Canada)
• Recognized: Securities Law (Toronto, Canada)

David has extensive advocacy experience before both the Trial and Appellate levels of courts in Ontario. His practice includes a wide range of industries, allowing him to offer clients comprehensive legal counsel tailored to their unique needs.

Education: David Byers is a project management professional with a B.A. from the University of Toronto and a J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School. He is admitted to practice in Ontario, Canada.

Affiliations: David currently practices at Stikeman Elliott LLP since 2006. His prior affiliation was with Stikeman Elliott LLP where he served as a Senior Counsel and Co-Chair of the National Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group.

Languages

• English

Firms: David Byers has currently practices at Stikeman Elliott LLP. He previously served as a Senior Counsel and Co-Chair of the National Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group at Stikeman Elliott LLP, where he was recognized for his contributions to the legal community.

David is committed to staying informed about industry developments through his participation in ongoing learning opportunities. He has also been invited by Best Lawyers to be a Lawyer of the Year in various practice areas throughout his career, most recently being designated as Lawyer of the Year in Director and Officer Liability Practice (Toronto, Canada) for 2025.

Location: David R. Byers is a is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His extensive experience across multiple sectors and practice areas makes him well-equipped to provide comprehensive legal services to clients from all over the world.