In Memoriam
Albertos Polizogopoulos
Albertos Polizogopoulos was a co-founder of The Acacia Group. His national practice focused on constitutional, commercial, and civil litigation. Albertos represented individuals, businesses and corporations, financial institutions, healthcare institutions, universities, political parties and campaigns, insurance companies, churches, and charities. He provided legal and strategic advice to his clients in all matters relating to litigation and liability.
Remembering Albertos
As litigation counsel, Albertos was frequently called upon to address a variety of matters including contract, employment, insurance and human rights disputes, professional malpractice, defamation, tax litigation, and debt recovery and enforcement. In his ecclesiastical law practice, Albertos advised Roman Catholic, Protestant, and other churches, providing counsel on church policies, church discipline, and church membership.
An advocate, Albertos served as counsel in many leading constitutional cases and high-profile matters, including more than 10 appeals before the Supreme Court of Canada. He appeared before various administrative tribunals and courts including:
- The Ontario, Alberta, and Nova Scotia Human Rights Tribunals
- The Canadian Industrial Relations Board
- The Provincial Courts of Ontario and Nova Scotia
- The Trial Courts of Ontario, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and British Columbia
- The Divisional Court of Ontario
- The Courts of Appeal for Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia
- The Tax Court of Canada
- The Federal Court of Canada
- The Federal Court of Appeal
- The Supreme Court of Canada on multiple occasions
Albertos also sat on the boards of a number of local charities and organizations.
He was regularly retained by other counsel, providing advice and agency services regarding motions and appeals before the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as research and opinions on complex legal matters. He was also frequently invited to comment or speak on constitutional and human rights law matters.
A number of his high-profile cases received widespread media coverage in publications such as the Globe and Mail, Maclean’s Magazine, the Vancouver Sun, the Catholic Register, and the Ottawa Citizen. Albertos also had commentary featured in media outlets such as the Globe and Mail, CTV News, The Wall Street Journal, Faith Today, and the National Post, among others.
Albertos passed away on May 9, 2024. You may read Albertos’ obituary here.
His wife, partner, and Acacia co-founder, Faye Sonier, spoke about his legacy at The National March for Life’s Rose dinner in May 2025. Her address can be viewed here.
His work
Representative cases and policy work
Supreme Court Work
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Canada St. Mary Cathedral v. Aga, 2021 SCC 22
Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper Canada, 2018 SCC 33
Law Society of British Columbia v. Trinity Western University, 2018 SCC 32
Wall v. Judicial Committee of the Highwood Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 2018 SCC 26
Ktunaxa Nation Council et al. v. British Columbia et al.
Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 5
Mouvement laïque québécois v. Saguenay (City), 2015 SCC 16
Loyola High School, et al. v. Attorney General of Quebec, 2015 SCC 12
Cuthbertson v. Rasouli, [2013] SCC 53
S.L., et al. v. Commission scolaire des Chênes, et al.,[2012] SCC 7
Alberta v. Hutterian Brethren of Wilson Colony, [2009] 2 S.C.R. 567
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission v. William Whatcott, [2013] SCC 11
Other Representative Work
Redeemer University College v. Canada (Employment, Workforce Development and Labour), 2021 FC 686
Farrish v. Delta Hospice Society, 2020 BCCA 194
Farrish v. Delta Hospice Society, 2020 BCSC 968
Christian Medical and Dental Society v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, 2019 ONCA 393
Power To Change Ministries v. Canada (Employment, Workforce and Labour), 2019 CanLII 13579 (FC)
CHP v. City of Hamilton, 2018 ONSC 3690
Christian Medical and Dental Society v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, 2018 ONSC 579
ARPA Canada et al. v. Ontario, 2017 ONSC 3285
E.T. v. Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, et al., 2017 ONCA 893
S, S.S and N.S. by his litigation guardian S.S. v. The Private Academy, 2017 HRTO 791
Trinity Western University v. The Law Society of Upper Canada, 2016 ONCA 518
Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society et al. v. Trinity Western University et al., 2016 NSCA 59
E.T. v Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, 2016 ONSC 7313
Bansal v. 2343467 Ontario Inc., 2015 ONSC 1016
Trinity Western University et al. v. Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society et al., 2015 NSSC 25
Trinity Western University et al. v. The Law Society of Upper Canada et al., 2015 ONSC 4250
London Sales Arena Corp. v Judith Salsman, 2015 ONSC 7243
Fontaine v. Canada (Attorney General), 2014 ONSC 3781
Lobo v. Carleton University, 2012 ONCA 498
Policy
- Represented the Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada, the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians Societies and Canadian Physicians for Life in submissions before the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan regarding its policy Conscientious Refusals.
- Represented the Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada and the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians Societies in submissions before the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario regarding its policy.
- Appeared before the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s Standing Committee on Social Policy on behalf of the Coalition for Parental Rights in Education in relation to Bill 13: Accepting School Act.
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