Member Bio
Brent J. Arnold is a partner practising in Gowling WLG's advocacy department, specializing in commercial litigation, arbitration and cybersecurity. Brent heads the firm's Commercial Litigation Technology Sub-group. He also leads cybersecurity initiatives for the firm's Financial Services Regulatory Group, and is a member of its InsurTech Group and its Innovation Council. In 2019 he co-authored the Canada chapter of Chambers Global Practice Guide: Data Protection & Cybersecurity, 2nd ed.
Brent's experience includes cyber breach coaching, cyber risk, consumer, implementation and other disputes for e-commerce vendors and software developers, construction, administrative and insolvency law, shareholders' rights, class actions, employment contracts, and general contractual disputes.
He has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario, including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada, and has appeared before numerous administrative tribunals. In 2011, Brent appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada in support of the federal government's constitutional reference regarding a Canadian Securities Act. In 2020, Brent was appointed to the E-Hearings Task Force established by The Advocates' Society, the Ontario Bar Association, the Federation of Ontario Law Associations, and the Ontario Trial Lawyers’ Association to work with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to expand virtual access to the courts.
Brent currently serves on the Steering Committee for the Cybersecurity and Data Privacy section of the U.S.-based Defence Research Institute (DRI). Brent served two terms on the Executive for the Civil Litigation Section of the Ontario Bar Association. He has chaired committees of The Advocates' Society and is editor for its Advocacy Matters publication. He co-authored the Society's Paperless Trials Manual, is a frequent speaker on the topics of cybersecurity, courtroom innovation, and electronic trials. Brent is also a member of the Canadian Technology Law Association, the Internet Society (Canada Chapter), and the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
He has also worked as an adjunct faculty member at York University, where he taught advanced business law in the School of Administrative Studies.