Blakes hires two litigators

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement


Blakes hires two litigators

Canadian law firm Blake Cassels & Graydon has taken two tax litigators from rival McCarthy Tétrault.

Ed Kroft QC, a prominent tax litigator, and Deborah Toaze, another tax litigation partner, started on June 21.

Kroft is heading up Blakes' national tax controversy and tax litigation practice from the firm's Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary offices. Toaze is based in Vancouver.

In addition to litigating in the country's major courts, Kroft conducts audit and appeals work and deals with tax authorities in and outside Canada on tax treaty and transfer pricing matters.

Toaze is a lawyer and chartered accountant who acts in disputes involving transfer pricing as well as the taxation of financial institutions and financial products. She has previously worked in industry posts.

 

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

UK Chancellor John Healey extended a VAT cut, suspended tariffs, increased a bank surcharge and vowed to increase funding for HMRC
Kristine Riisberg warned that TP decisions can determine top-up tax exposure under pillar two, while global consensus over the rules remains unsettled
Both Germany’s NIS2 and the EU AI Act now determine whether a tax function can meet its obligations – and both can make management personally accountable
Originators, loan purchasers and securitisation vehicles may need to revisit servicing agreements and pricing after a key judgment narrowed the VAT credit management exemption
Opening doors for existing talent within Baker McKenzie and a desire for enhanced legal capabilities informed Ricardo Perera’s switch from KPMG
Boaz Goren’s move to the upstart PE-backed firm takes the number of senior UK tax professionals who have left EY this year to 13
The allegations against Deloitte Cyprus raise uncomfortable questions about how far the big four can distance themselves from misconduct at member firms
The UAE accounted for most Middle East promotions and new rankings, as A&M Tax, Baker McKenzie, Dhruva Consultants and DLA Piper breached the top tier
Spanish-headquartered multinationals lead on reporting quality, while US and Swiss groups lag in the Fair Tax Foundation’s expanded analysis
Former IRS commissioner Danny Werfel joins ITR for a must-listen conversation spanning his time leading the agency, his AI risk framework, and the future of the OECD
Gift this article