Denise is a talented and resourceful lawyer who enjoys working with her clients to develop practical solutions to their legal problems. She has particular skills in solving complex legal and factual problems, and in viewing matters from her clients' perspective.
Denise has a broad civil litigation practice that includes complex commercial, estates, and employment disputes, as well as appeals. Denise is an accomplished advocate, who practices before all levels of court and administrative tribunals.
Prior to joining Paliare Roland as an associate, Denise clerked for the Justices of the Court of Appeal for Ontario. There, she assisted on leading cases across a broad spectrum, including administrative, civil, family and criminal law. She graduated with honours from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.
Education
- University of Toronto, J.D. 2012
- Queen's University, M.A., 2009
- University of Western Ontario, B.A. (Hons.), 2008
Bar Admissions
Ontario, 2013
Professional Affiliations
- Ontario Bar Association
- The Advocates’ Society
Representative Work
Denise successfully represented a complainant in a sexual assault claim with respect to a decision of the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. The Health Professions Appeal Review Board concluded that the Committee’s decision was unreasonable. The Committee subsequently referred the allegations of the physician’s professional misconduct to the Discipline Committee of the College: L. F. v B. C. T., 2017 CanLII 62882 (ON HPARB) http://canlii.ca/t/h69xh
Rob Centa, Kris Borg-Olivier and Denise Cooney successfully represented Brandon Moyse in proceedings brought by Mr. Moyse’s former employer in The Catalyst Capital Group Inc. v Moyse.
They successfully defended the employee in contempt proceedings in which Mr. Moyse’s former employer sought to have him sent to prison for breach of a court order (2015 ONSC 4388 (CanLII), http://canlii.ca/t/gm3x1). Subsequently, they successfully moved to have the employer’s appeal to the Court of Appeal from that decision quashed (2015 ONCA 784 http://canlii.ca/t/gm3x1), and to the Divisional Court dismissed for delay (2016 ONSC 554 (CanLII), http://canlii.ca/t/gn1mk)
At the trial of the action, the plaintiff advanced the tort of spoliation against Mr. Moyse, the first time such a claim had been advanced to trial in Ontario. The court dismissed the action against Mr. Moyse in its entirety (2016 ONSC 5271 (CanLII),http://canlii.ca/t/gt24t). Mr. Moyse was wholly successful on appeal. The Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed the appeal from the trial judge, and the motion for leave to appeal the costs decision (The Catalyst Capital Group Inc. v. Moyse, 2018 ONCA 283 (CanLII), http://canlii.ca/t/hr4gx).
Awards and Honours
Recognized by Best Lawyers - Ones to Watch - Corporate and Commercial Litigation
Publications and Presentations
Speaker, CBA, "Summary Trial Essentials", October 2021.