Walter M. Traub

Walter chairs the Real Estate Group and is widely regarded as one of Canada’s leading authorities on real estate and mortgage law. His practice is devoted almost exclusively to representing financial institutions in financial transactions, with an emphasis on mortgage and real estate secured lending — together with workouts, restructuring, bankruptcy and insolvency.

His expertise runs to both ends of the lending spectrum. When commerce is booming, he acts for lenders implementing major loans — some of the largest real estate purchase, sale and financing transactions in Canada, spanning shopping centres, condominium developments and hotels, including the financing of Terminal Three at Pearson International Airport. When it isn’t, he remedies defaults and acts on restructurings and enforcement retainers.

Among the first lawyers in Ontario certified by the Law Society as a Specialist in Real Estate Law, he taught the Ontario Bar Admission Course in real estate, mortgages, estate planning and estate administration from 1974 to 1990, and has published on construction lien, real estate and mortgage law. He sits on the Team Resolution arbitration and mediation panel and is frequently retained by other lawyers and firms for expert opinions and expert-witness work.

In 1997 he was asked to re-write Falconbridge on Mortgages — Canada’s foremost treatise on mortgage law, first published in 1919 — and he continues as Editor-in-Chief of its annually updated loose-leaf edition. Called to the Ontario bar with honours in 1973, he holds an LL.M. in Banking and Financial Services Law from Osgoode Hall.

• Law Society Medal — 2018
• Law Society Certified Specialist, Real Estate Law — among the first certified in Ontario
• Best Lawyers in Canada — Real Estate Law; Banking and Finance Law (2019, 2020, 2021, 2025, 2026 editions)

• Chair, Real Estate Group
• Member, Team Resolution arbitration and mediation panel
• Enforcement counsel to major financial institutions
• Chaired and served on committees advising on Ontario real estate, construction, mortgage and loan & trust legislation
• Member — Law Society of Ontario, Ontario Bar Association, Canadian Bar Association

• Editor-in-Chief, “Falconbridge on Mortgages” (Canada Law Book, 2003) — Canada’s leading treatise on mortgage law, updated annually
• Instructor, Ontario Bar Admission Course — real estate, mortgages, estate planning and administration (1974–1990)
• Instructor, Seneca College — mortgage and lender liability course, prerequisite for Ontario mortgage broker licensing (1996–2003)
• Lecturer — Canadian Bar Association, Law Society, Trust Companies Association and Real Estate Institute
• “Special Issues Related to Construction Mortgage Financing” and “Mortgage Remedies — Power of Sale” (Law Society, 2006–2007)

• Called to the Bar of Ontario, with honours, 1973
• LL.M., Banking and Financial Services Law — Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 1997
• LL.B., Osgoode Hall Law School, 1971 (redesignated J.D., 2008)
• B.A., York University, 1968
• Certified Specialist, Real Estate Law — Law Society of Ontario