Recent News:
Andrew Elbaz, Rory Godinho, Shane Hardy, Michael Osborne, Steven Weisz, and Kevin Zimka were named to the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for 2024.
Michael helps businesses navigate competition (antitrust), foreign investment, and other regulatory regimes, and resolve commercial disputes. Michael's 25 years' experience and broad practice enable him to identify an achievable outcome that best aligns with his clients' goals, and to work towards achieving that outcome.
Michael advises and defends clients from around the world in inquiries and proceedings commenced by the Competition Bureau, including criminal matters, abuse of dominance, and marketing and advertising matters. He defends clients in private proceedings under the Competition Act, including price fixing class actions.
Michael helps clients obtain merger clearance under the Competition Act and the Investment Canada Act, including national security reviews under the Investment Canada Act.
Clients also seek out Michael's representation in a wide range of commercial disputes, including contractual disputes, shareholders' disputes, commercial fraud, and employment matters.
Michael has acted as trial and appellate counsel before all levels of court across the country, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He has tried several cases before the Competition Tribunal and appeared as counsel before arbitral tribunals in international and domestic arbitrations, both institutional and ad hoc. He is also qualified as an arbitrator.
Michael frequently speaks and writes on competition law and commercial litigation topics.
Michael earned his law degree from Dalhousie University, his master's degree in medieval studies from the University of Toronto, and his undergraduate degree in philosophy, with high honors, from the University of Saskatchewan. Following law school, Michael was a law clerk to the late Honorable Justice John Sopinka with the Supreme Court of Canada. He is bilingual in English and French.
Before joining the firm, Michael was a partner at a leading Canadian national firm.
News
March 29, 2024
Andrew Elbaz, Rory Godinho, Shane Hardy, Michael Osborne, Steven Weisz, and Kevin Zimka were named to the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for 2024.
March 05, 2024
Geoffrey Ferrer, Shane Hardy, Michael Osborne, and Steven Weisz were recognized in their practice areas based on their legal knowledge and experience, ability, effectiveness, and client service.
January 23, 2024
We are excited to launch Cozen O’Connor Canada’s Privacy and Technology team.
December 01, 2023
Michael Osborne, chair of the firm’s Canadian Competition Practice, has been selected to Who’s Who Legal: Competition 2023.
October 23, 2023
In a video interview with BNN Bloomberg, Michael Osborne discusses the Competition Bureau's study on Canada’s competitive intensity over the last two decades.
October 13, 2023
In a video interview with BNN Bloomberg, Michael Osborne discusses Minister François-Philippe Champagne's announcement regarding initial commitments from Canada's grocers to stabilize food prices.
October 13, 2023
Shane Hardy (Intellectual Property), Michael G. Osborne (Competition/Antitrust: Litigators), and Steven J. Weisz (Restructuring/Insolvency) were also recognized in the 2023 Chambers Global rankings.
October 05, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Financial Post article discussing a class action lawsuit that alleges major brokers and real estate organizations in Toronto implemented rules that essentially stifled competition for buyer brokerage services, resulting in higher prices.
September 22, 2023
Michael Osborne sat down with BNN Bloomberg to discuss the Canadian government's new legislation.
September 19, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Bloomberg article discussing the impact of Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne's demand for grocery executives to decrease food inflation rates.
September 18, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Globe and Mail article discussing the proposed changes to the Competition Act to combat food inflation prices.
September 06, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a National Magazine article discussing the mixed reactions to the Competition Tribunal’s order for the Competition Bureau to pay roughly $13 million to Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc.
September 05, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Financial Post article discussing the Competition Tribunal’s order for the Competition Bureau to pay over $12 million in legal fees and compensation after it failed in its bid to block the Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications merger.
August 24, 2023
Ten Cozen O’Connor lawyers from the firm’s Toronto and Vancouver offices were selected for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada
July 11, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Toronto Star article discussing the concern about the Toronto Star and Postmedia deal reducing competition in the media sector.
June 02, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a CBC News article discussing the Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell’s efforts to reform Canada’s competition laws.
May 25, 2023
In a video interview with BNN Bloomberg, Michael Osborne, chair of the firm’s Canadian Competition Practice, discussed the Competition Bureau and Cineplex lawsuit over the theatre’s online ticket prices.
May 16, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Reuters article discussing Canadian institutional investors wanting to push Canada’s most significant pension funds to limit their exposure to domestic companies.
April 27, 2023
Cozen O’Connor is proud to announce that Michael Osborne has been elected to the board of directors for the Canada Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).
April 14, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Toronto Star article discussing the joint letter Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, and Jonathan Kanter, assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice Antitrust Division, sent to Canada’s Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne about the new competition rules for Canadian businesses.
April 10, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Globe and Mail article discussing critics’ opinions of increasing competition in Canada to fix the economy.
April 05, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Financial Post article discussing Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s threat to seek further legislation and regulatory powers to drive down cellphone bills if they do not get cheaper with Videotron in the mix.
April 03, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Reuters article discussing the approved Rogers-Shaw Communications merger requirements.
March 31, 2023
In a video interview with CBC News: The National, Michael Osborne, chair of the firm’s Canadian Competition Practice, discussed a legal ruling that predicted one of the several conditions in the approved Rogers acquisition of Shaw Communications.
March 14, 2023
Shane Hardy, Michael Osborne, Steven Weisz, and Kevin Zimka were named to the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for 2023.
February 22, 2023
Chambers Global has recognized six Cozen O’Connor attorneys: Susan Eisenberg (Miami – Labor & Employment), Geoffrey Ferrer (New York – Transportation & Trade), Shane Hardy (Toronto – Intellectual Property), Michael Osborne (Toronto – Antitrust & Competition), Joseph Tilson (Chicago – Labor & Employment), and Steven Weisz (Toronto – Bankruptcy & Restructuring) as worldwide leaders in their respective practices.
February 01, 2023
Michael Osborne and Samuel Bogetti were quoted in a Foreign Investment Watch article discussing the new guidelines the Canadian government issued for their national security review process.
January 26, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a National Magazine article discussing the Federal Court of Appeal’s ruling to uphold the decision to allow the Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications’ merger and the effect it could have on the Competition Commissioner’s ability to advocate for reform.
January 25, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Toronto Star article discussing Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications’ victory at the Federal Court of Appeal, which upheld a ruling in favor of their merger.
January 24, 2023
In a video interview with BNN Bloomberg, Michael Osborne, chair of the firm’s Canadian Competition Practice, discussed the dismissal of the Competition Bureau’s appeal seeking to overturn the Competition Tribunal’s approval of Rogers Communications Inc.’s proposed merger with Shaw Communications Inc
January 24, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Bloomberg article discussing the dismissed appeal by a Canadian appeals court in the Roger-Shaw Communications merger.
January 23, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Reuters article discussing the Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications’ appeal, which will be heard tomorrow in a Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa.
January 04, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Financial Post article discussing the Competition Bureau’s appeal of a tribunal decision to approve the merger between Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc.
January 03, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Toronto Star article discussing the substantially increased odds of the Rogers-Shaw deal closing.
January 03, 2023
Michael Osborne was quoted in an article published by The Globe and Mail that discusses the Competition Bureau’s appeal to the tribunal’s decision to permit a proposed $20 billion deal between Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc.
December 30, 2022
In a video interview with BNN Bloomberg, Michael Osborne, chair of the firm’s Canadian Competition Practice, discussed his view on the Competition Tribunal not opposing the Rogers-Shaw $20 billion deal.
November 18, 2022
Michael Osborne was quoted in a Globe and Mail article discussing the increased interest and confidentiality aspects of the Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. public hearing.
November 16, 2022
In the article, "Foreign Firms Making Waves in Canada's Mid-Market" Law.com discusses Cozen O'Connor's recent growth in Toronto and Vancouver.
November 04, 2022
Michael Osborne was quoted in an article published by The Globe and Mail that discusses a recent request for Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. to address proposals from Canada’s anti-competition watchdog to resolve a dispute.
October 17, 2022
Osborne has defended leading pharmaceutical, banking, and technology enterprises based in Canada, the U.S., and Asia in high-stakes litigation.
Publications
December 01, 2023
Michael Osborne contributed an article to the Concurrences No-Poach Agreements – Closing the Enforcement Gap publication, discussing wage-fixing and no-poach agreements, which are now prohibited and considered a criminal offense in Canada.
October 06, 2023
Michael Osborne contributed an article to The Globe and Mail discussing a new bill, C-56, which contains amendments to the Competition Act to make groceries affordable again.
September 29, 2023
Michael Osborne authored the chapter “The Long Arm of Canadian Price-Fixing Law? Canadian Jurisdiction Over Foreign Price-Fixing Conspiracies” in the Transnational and Cross-Border Criminal Law Canadian Perspectives, published by Irwin Law.
September 28, 2023
Michael Osborne contributed the article “Back to the Future: Modernizing Canada’s Monopolization Law” to the Canadian Competition Law Review.
July 06, 2023
Michael Osborne contributed a Practice Note to Thomson Reuters Practical Law, discussing the legal regime governing foreign investment companies and industries in Canada.
June 22, 2023
Michael Osborne and Samuel Bogetti contributed the Canada chapter to the Chambers Cartels 2023 Guide.
April 12, 2023
The Alberta Court of Appeal held that theft of personal information does not entitle the victim to damages; proof of loss or harm is required.
February 27, 2023
Michael Osborne contributed an article to Lloyd’s List Intelligence Competition Law Insight, discussing the potential change for a more balanced, less plaintiff-friendly approach to the certification process for price-fixing class actions.
February 17, 2023
Wage-fixing and no-poach agreements will be illegal and subject to criminal penalties in Canada as of June 23, 2023.
January 24, 2023
Michael Osborne contributed an article to Financial Post discussing the new hearings held by the House of Commons Standing Committee in the Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications merger.
January 23, 2023
Foreign investors in Canadian businesses are set to face tougher national security review provisions under the Investment Canada Act.
January 23, 2023
New policies and changes to Investment Canada Act to block Chinese control of critical minerals supply chains.
January 23, 2023
Michael Osborne contributed an article to The Globe and Mail discussing the Competition Bureau’s appeal in the Rogers-Shaw Communications merger.
January 17, 2023
The Commissioner’s appeal is scheduled to be heard on January 24, 2023. Read our prediction on the outcome of this appeal.
January 17, 2023
The Commissioner of Competition had applied for a full block of the Rogers-Shaw-Videotron deal. The Tribunal rejected every allegation made by the Commissioner.
December 19, 2022
Michael Osborne contributed three sections, Multi-Jurisdictional Investigations, Employee Witnesses and Upjohn Warning, and Data Protection and Privacy, and provided edits to the Canadian Bar Association’s “Guide for Internal Investigations of White Collar-Crime.”
November 14, 2022
Michael Osborne contributed an article to The Financial Post discussing the Commissioner of Competition’s challenge to the Rogers Shaw acquisition.