The Law Office of Calvin Goldman, K.C.

The Law Office of Calvin Goldman, K.C. is a dynamic Toronto-based law firm led by principal Cal Goldman, whose accomplished career puts him in a uniquely qualified position to advise and act in all areas of Canadian competition, antitrust and foreign investment law. His practice encompasses Canadian and international matters before the Competition Bureau, as well as foreign investment reviews under the Investment Canada Act. Cal has acted as counsel in a number of leading competition law and foreign investment review cases in Canada, including competition cases before the Supreme Court of Canada. 

Most recently, Cal was Co-Chair of the Competition, Antitrust, and Foreign Investment Group at Goodmans LLP. He is a former head (a position now called Commissioner) of the Competition Bureau in the Canadian Government and a former Vice Chair of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Competition Committee. As of August 2023, Cal is Vice Chair of the ABA Antitrust Section’s new Committee on Foreign Investment and National Security. From 2019 to August 2021, he was Co-Chair of the ABA Antitrust Law Section (ABA ALS) Task Force on the Future of Competition Law Standards, which delivered two substantial Reports to the Section’s Council in August 2020 and August 2021 on evolving antitrust thinking and enforcement issues. In 2020-21, Cal also was Co-Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce Competition Commission’s Working Group on Competition Policy and Economic Recovery. He was Co-Chair (2017–2019) of the National Interest and Competition Law Task Force of the ABA ALS. In 2013–2015, he was Co-Chair of the Foreign Investment and Antitrust Interface Task Force of the ABA ALS. He is currently a Special Advisor to the Business at OECD Competition Committee (BIAC), and a member of the C. D. Howe Institute Competition Policy Council. Cal also is on the Binational Panels Roster under the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement and serves as Co-Editor of the Foreign Investment Regulation Review text. In addition, Cal is a former Chair of the National Competition Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association.

Cal is a gold-medal Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) graduate from York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School and completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) at Harvard Law School before accepting a clerkship for the Honorable Justice Wishart Spence of the Supreme Court of Canada in 1975.

Cal’s law firm includes Richard Taylor as Senior Competition Analyst and Case Manager. Richard was Deputy Commissioner of the Competition Bureau for 12 years, which followed many years as a Bureau official. His broad experience included responsibility for the enforcement of the merger, abuse of dominance, and criminal provisions of the Competition Act.

Cal’s experience over the years is summarized, together with a number of case examples, including in recent years, in the Experience section of this website. He also is engaged with various posts on LinkedIn.

Cal continues to be widely recognized globally as a leading competition and foreign investment review lawyer in numerous forums, directories and guides, including in recent years:

Panel 1: Updating the World’s Antitrust Statutes: What’s to Be Done…If Anything? 

Chambers Global and Chambers Canada 2020, where he is ranked as one of the Senior Statespeople for Competition/Antitrust law. The Global ranking states that he “is a distinguished figure in the Canadian competition market. He has a wealth of experience advising clients on merger review as well as antitrust investigations.”

In Chambers 2023, he was again ranked as a Senior Statesperson for Competition/Antitrust Law.

“Industry stalwart Calvin Goldman KC is a highly regarded Toronto-based competition lawyer and former commissioner of the Competition Bureau. He is well known for his position at the forefront of his field”

Who’s Who Legal, 2020, where he is ranked Global Elite Thought Leader – Foreign Investment Review, and which states that he is “Top practitioner,” and “well-respected for his sweeping knowledge of competition and foreign investment laws.’’ He is also ranked Recognized Global Leader, Competition, with a similar ranking in 2019. Who’s Who Legal, 2022, where he is ranked for M&A and Governance, as well as Competition

Scotiabank – “Please join us as presenters share some of their deep expertise pertaining to the drivers causing both regulation such as the Canadian Competition Commissioner and Parliamentarians to review the effectiveness of the Competition Act and how mergers are assessed. Without discussing any ongoing cases, we will discuss what changes may occur in a revamped Competition Act, particular in relations to merger reviews and the efficiency defense. We will also briefly discuss recent developments pertaining to the Investment Canada Act for review of certain high-level acquisitions by foreign based acquirors.”

I am pleased to have been appointed recently by the Office of the United States Trade Representative and Canada’s Trade Law Bureau as one of the five binational Panelists under Article 1904 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), together with Paul Jameson, Robert Ruggeri, Mary Staley and Greg Tereposky, who will decide a legal matter in 2023 in relation to a long-standing dispute pertaining to the softwood lumber market. My administrative assistant and law clerk, Iman Nadeem, will join me as a Panelist Assistant.

Scotiabank  – “Please join us as presenters share some of their deep expertise in competition law and factors that pertain to the review process with the Competition Bureau for proposed mergers and for other conduct subject to the Competition Act. Without discussing any ongoing cases, we will discuss the process in which cases are resolved or proceed through contested litigation before the Competition Tribunal and highlight some previous cases as examples.”

The webcast was attended by over 100 financial analysts from various financial firms, including hedge funds, based not only in Canada but also in New York and other cities outside of Canada.

Euromoney’s Guide to the World`s Leading Lawyers, 2020, where he is Recognized, Competition and Antitrust.

The Legal 500 Canada, 2020, where he is ranked Leading Lawyer, Competition and Antitrust, with a similar ranking in 2019.

Lexpert/American Lawyer Media Guide, 2020, where he is Recognized, Competition.

Lexpert Magazine, 2019, where he was Most Frequently Recommended, Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Lawyers in Canada, Regulatory.

Chambers Global and Chambers Canada, 2019 where he was ranked – Tier 1, Competition/Antitrust – Nationwide; Chambers Canada, 2018, where he was ranked –Tier 1, Competition/Antitrust – Nationwide, stated that Cal is regarded by his peers as an “undisputed leader of the field.”

Euromoney’s The Best of the Best, 2018, where he was recognized as one of the top 30 competition lawyers worldwide.