- Bio
- Awards & Recognition
- Professional Involvement
- Representative Matters
- Selected Speaking Engagements
- Insights
- Education
Leo's experience enables him to isolate issues quickly and arrive at a creative solution that advances his clients’ objectives. He remains committed to continuously learning and deepening his knowledge of the legal issues that matter to his clients.
As a senior member of the firm's Municipal & Land Use Planning Group, Leo's practice is devoted to all areas of land use planning, development law and municipal law, representing both private and public sector clients.
Leo appears before councils, tribunals and various levels of court.
Awards & Recognition
- Recognized in Chambers Canada as a top practitioner in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Ontario)
- Received the Ontario Bar Association's Award of Excellence in Municipal Law (2010)
- Certified Specialist in Municipal Law: Local Government and Land Use Planning and Development by the Law Society of Ontario
- Recognized in Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business as a Senior Statesperson in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Ontario)
- Appears in all editions of The Lexpert American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada as a leading lawyer in the area of Property Development
- Appears in all editions of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, a guide to the leading law firms and practitioners in Canada, as a leading lawyer in the area of Property Development
- Appears in all editions of The Best Lawyers in Canada in the fields of Municipal Law and Real Estate Law; 2014 Lawyer of the Year (Municipal Law - Toronto)
- Achieved the Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished Peer Review Rating
- Received the Ontario Building Officials Association's Yaman Uzumeri International Award of Excellence
Professional Involvement
Professional Activities
- Co-author of "A Comprehensive Guide to the City of Toronto Act, 2006" (with John Mascarin) - first edition published in 2008 by LexisNexis
- Author of several articles and participant in a number of seminars and programs in his area of specialization
- Occasional contributor, Municipal World and the Ontario Building Officials Association Journal
Memberships
- Canadian Bar Association (National Municipal Law Section, Member and Past Chair)
- Ontario Bar Association (Municipal Law Section, Member and Past Chair)
- International Municipal Lawyers Association
- Lambda Alpha International Simcoe (Toronto) Chapter
Teaching Engagements
- Sessional lecturer, Ryerson University Graduate Studies Course, "Legal and Institutional Context of Planning," 2008 - 2017
- Sessional lecturer, Queen's University Law School, Land Use Planning Law Course, 1999 - 2001
Representative Matters
Selected Speaking Engagements
June 2025 – “What Is a Building Permit?” – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 146.
May 2025 – "Four Tests. vs. Red Herrings," 2025 OACA Conference and AGM – Speaker.
April 2025 – "Update on the Planning Landscape and What Does It Look Like Now," LandPro Conference 2025 – Speaker.
March 2025 – “The Significance of Building Regulations and the CBO’s Relationship with Council” – OBOA Journal, Special Careers Issue.
October 2024 – “Relevant Accessibility-Related Building Codes/Regulations” - Speaker/PowerPoint - Aird & Berlis LLP Webinar “Exploring Accessibility: Healthcare, Design, Advocacy & Law.”
October 2024 – “Legal Corner Update – 2024” – OBOA’s 68th Annual Meeting & Training Sessions – Conference Speaker/PowerPoint.
September 2024 – “Pulling Back the Curtains on the Limits of a Lawful Site Inspection” – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 143.
June 2024 – “Bill 185 – The Legal Perspective” – OPPI Summer Solstice 2024 Conference – Speaker.
May 2024 – "Current Planning Law Challenges" – IMLA in Canada Program – Co-Speaker.
April 2024 – "Municipal Law Primer” – 21st Annual Real Estate Law Summit, LSO – Paper/Co-Speaker with Matthew Longo.
September 2023 – “Code Harmonization; Green Building Standards; and Miscellaneous Matters” – OBOA’s 67th Annual Meeting & Training Sessions – Conference Speaker/PowerPoint.
June 2023 – "The New Planning Regime in Ontario" – IMLA in Canada Program – Co-Speaker & PowerPoint.
March 2023 – "Site Plans" – A Deep Dive: Analyzing the Legislative Changes of Bill 23 – Webinar Speaker.
March 2023 – "Municipal Liability in Negligence" – LandPro Conference – Speaker/Panellist.
November 2022 – “The CBO’s Relationship with Council” - OBOA Journal, Issue No. 136, co-authored with John Mascarin and Chris Williams.
October 2022 – “The CBO and Council – A Timely Topic” – OBOA’s 66th Annual Meeting & Training Sessions – Conference Speaker/PowerPoint.
June 2022 – “Public Safety Forum-Case Law Update” – City of Markham Staff Seminar – Speaker/PowerPoint.
April 2022 – “How to prepare and present evidence at the OLT, both virtually and in person” – Speaker – Canadian Association of Certified Planning Technicians – Lunch & Learn Series.
January 2022 –“Stalled and Dormant Construction Sites: What can be done?” – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 133.
December 2021 – “Legal Miscellany 2021” – OACA Legal Webinar – Speaker/PowerPoint.
November 2021 – “What Constitutes a “Core Policy Decision” Exemption from Negligence Liability” – OBOA Legal Session – Speaker/PowerPoint.
October 2021 – “Inclusionary Zoning – Ontario’s Legislation and Toronto’s IZ Initiative” – OPPI21 Conference - Co-Speaker with John Pappas.
October 2021 – “Inclusionary Zoning – The ‘How’ and ‘Why’” – 86th IMLA Conference - Speaker/Materials.
March 2021 – “Municipal Law Miscellany” – Speaker/PowerPoint – Canadian Association of Certified Planning Technicians – Lunch & Learn Series.
March 2021 – “Municipal Law Coffee Talk” – Speaker – CBA Municipal Law Section & CBA Young Lawyers Section.
March 2021 – “A Question Respecting Conduct: What is Proper?” – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 129.
February 2021 –"Digging in the Dirt: Seven Things to Know about Ontario’s New Regulation for Excess Soils” – Speaker/Paper, co-authored with Matthew Helfand and Stacey Blydorp - OBA’s 2021 Annual Institute: Building Communities – Municipal Law Section.
October 2020 – “How Crazy Has 2020 Been?” – 64th Annual OBOA Meeting – Conference Speaker/PowerPoint.
June 2020 – “On-Site and Excess Soil Management: MECP's New Regulations” – Aird & Berlis LLP Webinar – Organizer/Moderator.
April 2020 – “Changes to Planning Act Timelines During Ontario State of Emergency” – Aird & Berlis LLP Newsletter – co-authored with Patrick Harrington.
March 2020 – “Crown Immunity From Subdivision Control” – Aird & Berlis LLP Website Blog – co-authored with Matthew Helfand.
January 2020 - “Some Perspectives on Transforming and Modernizing the Delivery of Ontario’s Building Code Services” – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 125.
October 2019 – “Building permits – A Very Abridged History” – 63rd Annual OBOA Meeting – Conference Speaker/PowerPoint.
September 2019 – “Bill 108 Updates: Key Amendments” – Aird & Berlis LLP Webinar – Speaker/PowerPoint.
May 2019 – “A ‘Lot’ About Sewage Systems” – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 122.
April 2019 – "Municipal & Planning Law Potpourri” – 16th Annual Real Estate Law Summit, LSO – Co-Speaker with Maggie Bassani.
March 2019 – “The Regulation of Building Materials” – Construction Canada, Vol. 61, No. 2 – Article co-authored with Meaghan Barrett.
March 2019 – “LPAT – Planning Lawyer Panel” – LandPro Conference 2019 – Moderator/Speaker.
November 2018 – “Bill 5 – Better Local Government Act, 2018” – OBA Municipal Law Section Dinner Program – Speaker/PowerPoint.
October 2018 – “Planning Act vs. Building Code Act, 1992: Which Prevails Respecting Site Plans?” – 62nd Annual OBOA Meeting – Conference Speaker/PowerPoint.
September 2018 – “The Division of Powers in Site Plan Control” – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 119, article co-authored with Meaghan Barrett and John Pappas.
September 2018 – “Navigating the Rules of the New Local Planning Appeal Tribunal – Part 3: Things You Need to Do” – Municipal World – Article co-authored with Patrick Harrington.
August 2018 – “Navigating the Rules of the New Local Planning Appeal Tribunal – Part 2: Things You Need to Understand” – Municipal World – Article co-authored with Patrick Harrington.
July 2018 – “Navigating the Rules of the New Local Planning Appeal Tribunal – Part 1: Things You Need to Know” – Municipal World – Article co-authored with Patrick Harrington.
Summer 2018 – “Ontario’s New Land Use Planning Appeals Regime: An Overview of What Has Changed” – Public Sector Digest – Article co-authored with Patrick Harrington.
April 2018 – "The ‘Abolition’ of the Ontario Municipal Board and the Curtailment of Appeal Rights” – 15th Annual Real Estate Law Summit, LSO – Paper.
April 2018 – “What You Need to Know When the OMB Becomes LPAT” – Aird & Berlis LLP Webinar – Speaker/PowerPoint.
March 2018 – “Toronto’s Regulation of Short Term Rentals” – LandPro Conference 2018 – Speaker.
March 2018 – “Green Buildings: Municipal Requirements and Other Building Standards” at OBA Webinar “Land Development and Construction Law Issues in Ontario: Part 2” – Speaker/Paper.
February 2018 – “Bill 139: How Will This Affect You and Your Clients?” – Aird & Berlis LLP Webinar – Speaker/PowerPoint.
December 2017 – "Bill 139: How This Will Affect You and Your Clients” – Aird & Berlis LLP Breakfast Seminar – Speaker/PowerPoint.
December 2017 – “Your Time Is Up [The Law Respecting Extensions of Time to Appeal]" – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 116.
November 2017 – "LPAT – The New OMB” – Aird & Berlis LLP Real Estate & Development Law Breakfast Seminar – Speaker/PowerPoint.
October 2017 – “The Elliot lake Inquiry Report – Three Years Later: What Has Happened?” – 61st Annual OBOA Meeting – Conference Speaker/PowerPoint.
October 2017 – “Beyond Airbnb: Balancing Community Interests in the Sharing Economy - Lessons Learned from Regulating Short Term Accommodations in the Town of The Blue Mountains” – OPPI Annual Conference – Speaker/PowerPoint.
June 2017 – “Provincial Planning Policy & Legislation: Highway Infrastructure” – OPPI Summer Solstice Seminar – PowerPoint/Speaker.
June 2017 – “The New Provincial Plans” – Moderator, Aird & Berlis LLP Municipal Law Webinar.
April 2017 – "Your First Look at Second Units” – Paper – 14th Annual Real Estate Law Summit, LSUC.
February 2017 – “What Constitutes a ‘Material Alteration’ Requiring a Building Permit?” – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 112.
September 2016 – "Addressing Airbnb" - 81st IMLA Conference - Speaker/Paper.
June 2016 – "Short Term Accommodation Regulation” – Corporate Housing Providers Association Chapter Meeting – Speaker.
June 2016 – “Provincial Planning Policy and Legislation Concerning Public Infrastructure” – OPPI Summer Solstice Seminar – PowerPoint/Speaker.
May 2016 – "Municipal Summit on OMB Reform: Process & Powers" – Speaker/Facilitator.
May 2016 – “Three Truths About Building Permit Appeals” – OBOA Journal, Issue No. 110.
May 2016 – “OMB Think Tank: Future Directions, Updates and Best Practices” – Discussion Facilitator – OBA Municipal Law Section Dinner.
April 2016 – "What’s Going on Today in Municipal Law that Real Estate Lawyers Really Need to Know” – Speaker/Paper – 13th Annual Real Estate Law Summit, LSUC.
February 2016 –"Provincial Plan Review – 2016 Update” – Speaker/Paper, OBA’s 2016 Institute: Municipal Section.
February 2016 – “Municipal Jurisdiction to Regulate Short Term Accommodations – Addressing Airbnb” – Speaker/Paper, LSUC Real Estate Webinar.
December, 2015 – “Professionalism Issues for Municipal Lawyers” – “Communicating with Members of Council and Staff” – PowerPoint & Speaker, OBA Seminar.
October 2015 – “On the Waterfront” – Speaker/PowerPoint – 59th Annual OBOA Meeting Conference.
May 2015 – “Brampton ‘Monster Home’ Saga Continues” - OBOA Journal, Issue No. 106.
May 2015 – “The PPS 2014: What’s New? Has It Made Any Difference?” – Speaker/Paper, The Six-Minute Municipal Lawyer 2015, LSUC.
May 2015 – “Bill 73: Smart Growth for Our Communities Act, 2015” – Speaker/Presentation – OSUM Conference.
April 2015 – "I Object – How to Advise a Client Who Wants to Oppose a Development Application or Municipal Approval” - Speaker/Paper - 12th Annual Real Estate Law Summit, LSUC.
April 2015 – "Bring Us a Problem…and Go Home with a Solution” - Moderator, 11th Annual Planning & Development Law Forum, Cambridge Forums.
March 2015 – “The Declaration of Office: What it Covers; What it Means; Why it Matters!” – Speaker/PowerPoint, Aird & Berlis LLP Municipal Law Webinar.
Insights
Education
- LLB, Queen's University, 1977
- BA, St. Michael's College, University of Toronto, 1974