Brian Greenspan

Brian Greenspan, Toronto, Ontario, 2012

Brian H. Greenspan, (born March 14, 1947 in Niagara Falls, Ontario) is a Canadian criminal defence lawyer. He is the senior partner in the Toronto firm Greenspan, Humphrey, Makepeace LLP and one of the most prominent defence lawyers in Canada.^[1][2]

Career

Greenspan received his B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1968 and his LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1971. He received his LL.M. from the London School of Economics in 1972. He was called to the Bar in 1974. He taught the Administration of Criminal Justice at Osgoode Hall Law School from 1977 to 1984 and was a special lecturer in Criminal Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto Law School from 1984 to 1998.

Greenspan is a senior partner in the Toronto firm Greenspan, Humphrey, Weinstein. He is the brother of the late Edward Greenspan,^[3] also a well-known Canadian lawyer, and Rosann Greenspan, Executive Director of the Center for Law and Society (ret.) at the University of California, Berkeley . Greenspan is married to Marla Berger, and is the father of Jared and Jenna Greenspan and the grandfather of Lucy, Greta, Sam and Oliver.

Greenspan was President of the Criminal Lawyers' Association (Ontario) from 1989 to 1993^[4] and was the founding Chair of the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers from 1992 to 1996.^[5][6] Greenspan is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers and Litigation Counsel of America.^[7] He was awarded the Douglas K. Laidlaw Medal for excellence in oral advocacy in 2002^[8] and received the G. Arthur Martin Medal for contributions to criminal justice in Canada in 2010.^[9] In 2012, he was recognized by the Law Society of Upper Canada with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.^[10] In 2013, he was awarded the Alumni Gold Key for Achievement by Osgoode Hall; received the "Key to the City" of his hometown, Niagara Falls, Ontario; and was selected as an "Alumni of Influence" by University College of the University of Toronto.^[11][12][13] In 2020, Greenspan was honoured by the Toronto Lawyers Association with the Award of Distinction, was the Milvain Chair in Advocacy at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law and received Chambers Canada's Lifetime Achievement Award. Greenspan is a member of the Board of Directors of the Innocence Canada Foundation.^[14] Greenspan has been recognized in The International Who's Who of Business Crime Lawyers^[15] and The Best Lawyers in Canada since their inception and is a Band 1 leading individual in White Collar Crime in Chambers Canada.^[16][17] He has been named three times ^[18] as one of the 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada by Canadian Lawyer Magazine.^{[19] [20]} He was also named one of the 50 Most Influential Torontonians by Toronto Life in 2021.

Notable clients

Greenspan's clients include:

• Alan Eagleson, hockey agent and founder of NHL Players' Association^[21][22]
• Peter Nygard, former fashion executive convicted of sexual assault^[23]
• Naomi Campbell, Model^[24]
• Myron Gottlieb, Co-founder and president of Livent^[2][21]
• Cathy Smith, accused in the death of John Belushi^[25]
• Rob Ramage, retired hockey player charged with dangerous driving causing the death of Keith Magnuson^[21]
• Omar Khadr, accused of war crimes (on behalf of the Criminal Lawyers' Association)^[26]
• Armour Pharmaceutical Company, acquitted of providing contaminated haemophilia blood products^[21][27]
• Andrew Rankin, Investment banker, acquitted of insider trading, convicted of stock tipping^[21][28][29]
• Douglas Dunsmuir, CEO of Royal Group Technologies, acquitted of fraud^[21][30]
• Dr. George Doodnaught, Anesthetist charged with sexual assault^[31]
• Dr. Nancy Morrison, Palliative care physician, acquitted of murder^[32]
• Justin Bieber, Singer^[1]
• Greg Logan, Former Mountie convicted of smuggling narwhal tusks^[33]
• Marco Muzzo, pleaded guilty to the deaths of three young children and their grandfather in a car crash while driving drunk^[34][35]
• Thomas Baker, Lawyer and former CEO of 7-Up Canada acquitted of tax evasion^[36]
• Mike DaSilva, acquitted of the murder of Canadian boxing champion Eddie Melo^[37]
• Robert K. Waxman, Director of Philip Services Corp.^[38]
• Boaz Manor, CEO of Portus International[36]^[39]
• Sherman family, investigating the deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman^[40]
• Abul Hasan Chowdhury, acquitted in the $1.2 Billion dollar Padma Bridge graft scandal.^[41]
• Keith Hobbs, Mayor of Thunder Bay acquitted of extortion ^[42]
• Dan Potter, CEO of Knowledge House ^[43]
• Kevin O'Leary's family, Linda O'Leary acquitted in boating accident.^[44]
• Pat Sorbara, acquitted of Election Act charges^[45]
• Floyd Smith, former coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs acquitted of criminal negligence^[46]
• Steve Murray, acquitted of murder in the disappearance of his daughter, Misty Murray^[47]
• Frank Stronach, Austro-Canadian billionaire businessman, horse owner, breeder and politician^[48]

References

1. Pagliaro, Jennifer (January 30, 2014). "Mayor Rob Ford's friend accused of extortion and the pop star now charged with assault turn to the same man for legal help". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
2. Westfield, Heidi (October 15, 2015). "Chambers Canada: Brian Greenspan makes short list of elite white-collar crime practitioners". Financial Post.
3. Jaques, Gallant (December 24, 2014). "Top criminal lawyer Eddie Greenspan dies at 70". The Toronto Star.
4. "Criminal Lawyers Association History". The Criminal Lawyers Association.
5. "CCCDL - CCAD, Executive, Brian H. Greenspan, Founding Chair". The Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers. Archived from the original on 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
6. "CCCDL - CCAD, Executive". The Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers.
7. Cohen, Gail J. (August 3, 2010). "The Top 25 Most Influential". Canadian Lawyer. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
8. "Feb. 25, 2002: Brian Greenspan receives 2002 Douglas K. Laidlaw Medal". University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. February 25, 2002.
9. "Criminal Lawyers' Association, Awards, G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Medal". The Criminal Lawyers' Association.
10. "Renowned defence lawyer Brian Greenspan receives LLD". The Law Society Gazette. June 13, 2012.
11. "Dr. Brian Greenspan". The University of Toronto. 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-04-25. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
12. Spiteri, Ray (July 10, 2013). "Greenspan brothers receive key to Niagara Falls". Sun Media Community Newspapers. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
13. "Eight distinguished lawyers honoured at Osgoode's annual alumni reception". York University. May 25, 2013.
14. "AIDWYC - The Association for the Wrongly Convicted, Governance". AIDWYC. 2015.
15. "Home, Practice Areas, Business Crime Defence". Law Business Research Ltd. 1998-2016. 2016.
16. Westfield, Heidi (October 15, 2015). "Chambers Canada: Brian Greenspan makes short list of elite white-collar crime practitioners". The National Post.
17. "Chambers And Partners, Canada Guide, Brian Greenspan". Chambers and Partners.
18. Wilbur, Tim. "The Top 25 Most Influential of 2018".
19. Cohen, Gail J. (August 3, 2010). "The Top 25 Most Influential: Canadian Lawyer's picks of this country's most powerful lawyers". Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
20. Cohen, Gail J. (August 5, 2013). "The Top 25 Most Influential - Criminal Law/Human Rights". Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd. Archived from the original on October 26, 2013.
21. "White-collar clients rely on specialists". National Post. October 18, 2006. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
22. "Eagleson Asks To Go Free". Philadelphia Daily News. April 17, 1998. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015.
23. Chang, Arturo (January 17, 2024). "Peter Nygard's lawyer quits, saying he can no longer represent former fashion mogul for ethical reasons". CBC News. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
24. "Supermodel Naomi admits assault". BBC News. February 3, 2000.
25. Holley, David (January 20, 1985). "Belushi Death Suspect to Return to L.A. : Cathy Smith Expected to Drop Extradition Appeal in Canada". Los Angeles Times.
26. Makin, Kirk (October 25–26, 2010). "Serving time in Canada would give Omar Khadr a better chance of parole". The Globe and Mail.
27. Small, Peter; Huffman, Tracy (October 2, 2007). "Accused in tainted blood trial exonerated". Toronto Star.
28. "Securities Regulator sets date for Rankin retrial". The Toronto Star. June 8, 2007.
29. "Court upholds ruling ordering new Rankin trial". The Toronto Star. February 27, 2007.
30. McFarland, Janet (August 23, 2012) [December 10, 2010]. "Royal Group defendants found not guilty". The Globe and Mail.
31. Hasham, Alyshah (September 3, 2013). "Dr. George Doodnaught: Defence argues sex assaults during surgery are physically impossible". Toronto Star.
32. "R. v. Morrison, 1998 2075 (NS SC)". Case Law Canada. Globe 24h. November 19, 1998. Archived from the original on February 15, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
33. "Narwhal tusk smuggler faces extradition hearing". CBC News. January 21, 2014.
34. Miller, Adam; Morales, Steve (January 6, 2016). "Marco Muzzo, charged in crash that killed 4, to plead guilty on Feb. 4". Global News.
35. "Marco Muzzo argues for reduction in $25M lawsuit for drunk-driving case that killed 4". CBC News. Toronto. January 9, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
36. Donovan, Kevin (May 2, 2003). "Lawyer acquitted of all charges". Toronto Star.
37. Choi, Paul (October 1, 2005). "Man acquitted in Melo killing eager for normalcy". The Globe and Mail.
38. Arnold, Steve (April 3, 2014). "Hamilton businessman's exotic lifestyle ends as he goes to jail". The Hamilton Spectator.
39. Acharya-Tom Yew, Madhavi (May 26, 2011). "Failed hedge fund co-founder gets four years in jail". The Toronto Star.
40. Fakiha Bail (December 20, 2017). "Lawyer Brian Greenspan to help Sherman family conduct own investigation". Thestar.com. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
41. "Accused in SNC-Lavalin bribery case argues Canada has no jurisdiction". Toronto Star. 7 April 2014.
42. Doug Diaczuk (August 30, 2018). "Hobbs to stand trial on all charges". tbnewswatch.com. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
43. Bruce Bundale (May 22, 2018). "Crown seeks 10 years for former executives behind Knowledge House collapse". financial post. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
44. Genoveve Creole (November 5, 2019). "Kevin O'Leary, wife being sued for wrongful death in boat crash". torontosun.com. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
45. Crawley, Mike (Oct 28, 2017). "Why prosecutors pursued Sudbury bribery charges, despite weak case". CBC News.
46. "St. Catharines Standard". October 9, 1981.
47. Laframboise, Donna (September 25, 1999). "Life as a prime suspect". National Post.
48. "Magna International conducting 'targeted review' of records as more charges laid against founder Frank Stronach". CTV News. October 30, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2024.

External links

• Greenspan Humphrey Weinstein