My practice is focused on helping people who have been injured in car accidents or through medical negligence or who have been denied disability insurance benefits. With over 35 years of experience as a personal injury lawyer, I understand how a serious injury or denial of disability benefits affects not just my individual client, but their entire family. I am alert to each client’s individual physical, emotional and financial needs and challenges. I work to achieve an outcome that is client focussed. As a trained mediator, I understand that my client’s personal goals must be met in order to come to a satisfactory resolution of their case, preferably through a reasonable settlement, but by trial judgement if necessary.
Although assisting individuals has been the focal point of my legal career, my clients get the benefit of my wide range of litigation experience including disability claims, intellectual property litigation, commercial disputes, Indian Land Claims and Aboriginal Rights cases. I have appeared before the Superior Court of Justice, the Divisional Court, the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Nunavut Court of Justice and the Federal Court Trial Division.
I graduated with an LLB from the University of Ottawa in 1977 and completed my LLM at the London School of Economics in 1979. I was called to the bar in Ontario in 1981 and I have been a member of the Nunavut Bar since the day it was created in 1999.
Over the course of my career, I have been actively involved in the delivery of Continuing Professional Education to the lawyers of Ontario. I have delivered more than 15 individual lectures, participated in 16 panel presentations, published 10 articles, written 6 papers, and participated in 2 advocacy skills demonstrations. I have been invited to take part in educational programs presented by the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario Bar Association, the University of Ottawa Faculty of Common Law, the County of Carleton Law Association, the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, the Canadian Institute, and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. I also taught Advanced Civil Procedure at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law.
In May 2018, I was sworn in as a Deputy Judge in Small Claims Court.
When not working, I enjoy taking advantage of Ottawa’s wonderful geography and climate: cycling and canoeing in the summer, cross country skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and hiking in the Gatineau Park year round.
My history of community volunteer work includes positions on the Board of Directors of the Roberts/Smart Centre (a residential treatment centre for adolescents with mental disorders), the Credit Counselling Service of Ottawa, the Coalition for Access to Student Support Services (CATSS), the Brain Injury Association (Ottawa Valley) and the Peter Gzowski Golf Tournament for Literacy in Ottawa. Currently I am a member of the Board of Directors of the Rehabilitation Centre Volunteer Association and chairman of the Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Consumer Advisory Committee.
Helping families when they face what is often their most challenging time is what motivates me. I am always available to meet my clients, at the office, in their home, or in the hospital. Please do not hesitate to give me a call if I can be of service to you and your family.