Michael Eizenga is Senior Partner and Co-Chair of the Class Actions practice group at Bennett Jones LLP practicing out of the firm's Vancouver and Toronto offices.
Michael was co-counsel on the first class action certified in the Province of Ontario and has been described by the Court as one of the “pioneers” of the class action bar. He has acted in some of the country's most important class actions and today Michael is regarded as one of Canada's go-to defense counsel for companies facing complex class actions.
He was one of the lead counsel for six provinces and the three territories in the Tobacco Health Care Cost Recovery litigation which, in 2025, delivered the largest resolution of its kind in Canadian history.
Chambers Canada
“Michael is outstanding in strategy and communication."
Chambers Canada, Client Interview
"Michael is a balanced and experienced lawyer who is wonderfully calm and pragmatic."
He has been named Canadian Class Action Litigator of the Year six times by Benchmark Canada. A Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers, he has also been named annually to the publication Best Lawyers in Canada since its inaugural edition in 2006 and is ranked by Chambers and Partners (Band One) for his expertise in Dispute Resolution: Class Actions. He is listed in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross Border Litigation Lawyers.
In 2017, he was awarded the Law Society Medal, recognizing his undisputed leadership in the Class Action Bar and outstanding commitment to public service.
In 2024, he was awarded the Ontario Bar Association Award of Excellence in Civil Litigation.
Chambers Canada, Client Interview
"He has the perfect combination of strategy, client service and intelligence."
Chambers Canada
"He is at the top of the pack" in the class actions space.
Michael has taught and written extensively throughout his career and he is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law teaching "Class Actions". Among other published works, he is author of The Class Actions Handbook and co-author of Class Actions Law and Practice.
Michael advises and represents clients on all issues relating to complex commercial litigation and class proceedings, including consumer class actions, privacy and data breach matters, product liability, competition and securities cases.
He has been appointed Special Master by the Superior Court of Justice in three class actions and amicus curiae in a major class action appeal. In 2024-25, he acted as counsel to the Court with respect to the historic Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.
Bennett Jones