James Sayce

James's legal career is marked by a dedicated focus on class action lawsuits, particularly those seeking redress from government entities under section 24(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. His expertise spans a wide array of areas including product liability, institutional negligence, competition law, consumer protection, and securities.

In the landmark case of Brazeau v Canada, James secured a groundbreaking $20 million in aggregate damages for a class comprising severely mentally ill inmates, marking a series of firsts in Canadian legal history: the first class action to be awarded aggregate damages for Charter violations, the first to reach a judicial decision on institutional abuse claims, and the first concerning solitary confinement practices.

Justice Perell lauded James's efforts, recognizing the significant access to justice provided to around 2,000 current and former prisoners who suffered under administrative segregation, highlighting the exceptional risk undertaken by James to achieve a meaningful and substantial result for the class.

James's portfolio of recent cases underscores his commitment to justice:

- As trial counsel in Anderson v. Canada, he played a pivotal role in achieving a $50 million settlement for plaintiffs in an Indian residential school trial in Newfoundland after a four-month presentation of the case.

- In Tidd v. New Brunswick, he secured a record $17 million settlement for systemic failures at a psychiatric facility, the largest in New Brunswick's history.

- He led the first certified class action in Canada addressing systemic police racism (Nasogaluak v. Canada).

- James represented prisoners subjected to prolonged solitary confinement across federal and provincial correctional systems in multiple cases, including Brazeau v. Canada and Francis v. Ontario.

- In the automotive sector, he was instrumental in the historic settlements of the 'dieselgate' scandal involving Volkswagen, totaling over $2.5 billion, and a $750 million settlement for Mercedes "Bluetec" vehicle purchasers and lessees.

- His advocacy extended to survivors of abuse at a boarding school for the blind (Seed. v. Ontario) and to those affected by illegal smartphone patent breaches (Barroqueiro v Qualcomm Incorporated).

- He also represented survivors of abuse in Canadian major junior hockey (Carcillo v. CHL).

Recognized nationally, James contributes to major media outlets and frequently presents at legal forums on class action litigation. His acknowledgments include listings in the Benchmark Litigation “40 and under hot list” and recognition as a “Litigation Star” by Chambers and Partners and Lexpert.

James practices through a Professional Corporation, holding a J.D. from Queen’s University and a B.A. (Hons.) from the University of Toronto, illustrating his deep-rooted commitment and profound impact on the landscape of class action litigation in Canada.