She will serve again as a judge for the Canadian Law Awards this year
Caroline Zayid is the regional managing partner for Ontario at McCarthy Tétrault. She spoke to the CL Talk podcast about her multifaceted role, the broader landscape of litigation in Canada, and her reflections on being a returning judge at the 2025 Canadian Law Awards.
Below is a summary of the conversation:
A seasoned litigator, Caroline Zayid focuses on two main areas: class action defence litigation and public law and regulation. “I represent some of the biggest business entities in Canada when they get sued in the class action context,” she says, noting that product liability continues to be a central issue in this space. With governments increasingly turning to civil liability to address the societal costs of product use, she anticipates this area will demand significant attention from litigators in the coming years.
Her practice reflects broader shifts within the Canadian legal system, where technological advancements and regulatory changes are transforming litigation. “Through the pandemic, we learned to do a lot more of our litigation in a hybrid format,” Zayid explains. She says McCarthy Tétrault’s MT>3 unit is harnessing technology for document review and issue identification. This allows the firm to streamline complex litigation processes, which traditionally consume hundreds of hours of associate time.
Zayid emphasizes the need to balance technology with the human elements of the legal profession. Speaking about the integration of AI, she notes its potential to enhance efficiency while safeguarding client confidentiality and the firm’s intellectual property. “We’re trying to stay ahead of the curve and finding ways to use it so that we can deliver service to… clients efficiently, but with all the safeguards that our clients would expect.”
Despite technological advancements, Zayid maintains a preference for in-person litigation. “I’m … old-fashioned and… would always much prefer to be in a courtroom … to see the judge in person, and to have that rapport, same with witnesses,” she says. Yet, she acknowledges the practicality of virtual proceedings in specific contexts, such as hearings with professional regulators and national class actions. “[It] makes a tremendous amount of sense in terms of saving resources for clients and law firms.”
As the regional managing partner in the Toronto office, Zayid’s leadership focuses on fostering cross-practice collaboration to deliver seamless client services. Reflecting on her transition from leading the national litigation practice to her current role, she stresses the importance of connecting expertise across the firm’s diverse practice areas. “[It’s about] making sure that we interact and work effectively across practice groups… and deliver seamlessly to clients so that they’re not the ones having to figure out, well, what kind of a lawyer do I need for this.”
The firm’s commitment to talent development and inclusivity is also a priority for Zayid. “We want to make sure that McCarthys continues to be the best place to work in Canada for lawyers,” she says. Diversity and inclusion are essential to this goal, and the firm works to ensure its “attracting the very best people from whatever background… in every form of diversity.”
Innovation remains central as McCarthy Tétrault adapts to client needs. Zayid highlights MT>Align, a business line that supports clients with flexible legal staffing solutions, noting, “We see that… clients are struggling to be flexible, to… adapt to [a] changing environment.” She underscores that these offerings are driven by client demand, aiming to provide tailored and cost-effective solutions.
On leadership and the firm’s future direction, Zayid shares her perspective on McCarthy Tétrault’s new CEO, Sunil Kapur, who began his tenure in January 2025. “It gives us both this new CEO, but frankly, all of us as partners… the chance to… take stock [and think about] where are the areas that we can grow.” She describes this period as an “exciting time for the firm.”
Being a judge for the Canadian Law Awards gave Zayid a chance to see the breadth of talent within the legal profession across Canada. “What really struck me reading all of the submissions is… the range of talent that we know we have… big firms, small firms right across the country,” she says. Zayid says noteworthy accomplishments “don’t necessarily come from… the oldest, most experienced lawyers… They’re often… people who’ve had a good idea, a creative idea, to address an issue.”
Nominations are open now for the Canadian Law Awards. The deadline to submit is January 31.
This conversation can also be found here:
The episode can also be found on our CL Talk podcast homepage, which includes links to follow CL Talk on all the major podcast providers.
