Conference Chairs: Richard Bogoroch, Bogoroch & Associates Richard M. Bogoroch is the founder and Managing Partner of Bogoroch & Associates LLP, the successor to Bogoroch and Associates, a Toronto-based law firm established in November 1999 and which specializes in civil litigation. Bogoroch & Associates LLP concentrates on serious personal injury litigation, wrongful death litigation, medical malpractice litigation, products liability and disability claims litigation. Richard graduated from McGill University with a B.C.L. in 1978 and a LL.B in 1979. He was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1980 and called to the Ontario Bar in 1983. Richard completed his articles at Thomson Rogers and in 1983 joined the firm upon his call to the Ontario Bar. In 1993, he was certified by The Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Civil Litigation. From 1987-1999, he was a partner at Thomson Rogers. Richard is a past Director of the Ontario Centre for Advocacy Training and a past Director of the Advocates' Society. Richard is also a past Chairman of the Canadian Bar Association - Ontario Provincial Committee on the Judiciary. He is currently a member of the Toronto Lawyers Association, The Medico-Legal Society of Toronto, American Association for Justice, The Advocates' Society and The Ontario Trial Lawyer's Association. Richard has lectured and written extensively on many aspects of personal injury litigation for Continuing Legal Education Programmes organized by The Advocates Society, The Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario Bar Association, the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, The Canadian Institute, Osgoode Hall Law School s Professional Development Program, Insight and others. Since 1999 he has also been a guest instructor at the Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop at Osgoode Hall Law School. In 2011 and 2012, he co-chaired the Advocates Society Tricks of the Trade Program, its annual continuing legal education program on personal injury litigation. Richard has been recognized by LEXPERT as a Leading Practitioner In Personal Injury Law and was listed in Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Litigation. Susan E. Gunter, Dutton Brock LLP Susan has been a partner at Dutton Brock since 2002. She holds a Masters of Law in Civil Litigation from Osgoode Hall Law School. Susan is a Past President of Canadian Defence Lawyers (2009-2010), the only national association of insurance defence litigators, and was a Board Member of CDL from 2004 to 2011. She acted as Chair of CDL's Insurance Roundtable Committee which liaises with the industry on common issues. Susan now serves as the DRI's General Council/State Representative for Canada and attends its regular meetings in the U.S.A. She was appointed to the Board of The Advocates' Society in Spring, 2012. Susan represents corporations and insurers in defence of civil liability claims. Her specialization is in the defence of professional liability, products, occupiers and motor vehicle liability matters. She has tried motor vehicle, regulatory negligence, insurance coverage, sexual assault, occupier's liability, marine law, disability insurance and medical malpractice cases. Susan has appeared several times in the Ontario Court of Appeal. Susan has chaired many continuing legal education programs, seminars and audio-conferences on insurance and civil litigation issues. She has lectured for the Canadian Defence Lawyers, the Advocates' Society, the Ontario Bar Association, the Law Society of Upper Canada Continuing Legal Education Program, the Osgoode Professional Development Program, the Toronto Lawyers Association, the Canadian Institute and the Canadian Society of Medical Evaluators. Susan has also chaired programs for and lectured to the Ontario Risk and Insurance Managers Society, the Ontario Insurance Adjusters Association, and has presented to the Risk and Insurance Managers Society (Canada) National Conference and the Canadian Insurance Claims Managers Association Ontario Branch. Susan has addressed the Ontario Master s Association on insurance law reform. Susan holds a Masters of Law in Civil Litigation from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (2008). Originally from Fredericton, she obtained her LL.B. in 1994 from University of New Brunswick. Before that she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History (with Distinction, Mention: Francais) in 1991 from Carleton University. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1996. Susan was awarded the Davidson Dunton Memorial Scholarship for Academic Achievement in 1990.
Andrew C. Murray, Lerners LLP Andrew is a partner at Lerners LLP, where he is a member of the Plaintiff Personal Injury Practice Group and Appellate Law Group. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Trent University in 1989, and his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1992. He was called to the Bar in 1994. He is a member of The Advocates' Society, and a past chair of The Advocates Society s personal injury and insurance law practice group. Andrew also maintains memberships in the Canadian Bar Association, the Medical-Legal Society of Toronto, The American Association of Justice, the Head Injury Association of London & District, and the Middlesex Law Association. Andrew s most active role at the moment is as President of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association. His preferred area of practice is civil litigation, with an emphasis on motor vehicle, personal injury, and LTD litigation, and quasi-criminal law, including Occupational Health & Safety Act defence work. Andrew also frequently acts as a prosecutor-for-hire on behalf of municipalities for by-law and provincial offence prosecutions. Andrew is profiled in the 2012 Lexpert Canadian Legal Directory, being identified as a leading practitioner in personal injury. Speakers: The Honourable Justice Mark L.J. Edwards, Superior Court of Justice Mr. Justice Edwards received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Queen's University in 1975 and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Cambridge University (England) in 1978 and Dalhousie University in 1979. He was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1981. Mr. Justice Edwards began practising with the firm Beard Winter in 1984 and, until the date of his appointment, was managing partner. He was an associate with Osler Hoskin & Harcourt from 1979 to 1984. His main areas of practice are civil litigation, tort and insurance law, criminal law, family law, corporate and commercial litigation. Mr. Justice Edwards has been a guest speaker at various conferences offered by the Advocates Society and the Law Society of Upper Canada. The Honourable Justice Jane E. Ferguson, Superior Court of Justice University of Western Ontario graduate. Called to Bar in 1989. Joined McCarthy Tétrault LLP London, Ontario office. Civil litigation. Appointed to the Superior Court of Justice for Central East Region in May 2004. Originally to Newmarket, then to Whitby, then to Oshawa when new court opened 2 years ago. As a Justice of the Superior Court, she sits in criminal, civil and family courts. The Honourable Justice Patricia C. Hennessy, Superior Court of Justice Born, raised and educated in Sudbury, Patricia Hennessy graduated from Osgood Law School and was called to the Bar in 1981. She spent the next 20 years in a combination of the private practice of law and working in public institutions, including Laurentian University and Sudbury Regional Hospital. While in practice, Justice Hennessy served as President of the Canadian Association of University Solicitors and participated in a volunteer capacity at the local, provincial and national level. This work included a number of years working towards the development of the structure for the new profession of midwifery and its university program, the Boards of Lakeside Centre, United Way, Sudbury Community Foundation and the Sudbury Persona s Day Breakfast. In 1995, Patricia Hennessy was appointed to the Superior Court of Justice. In 2005/06 Justice Hennessy served as President of the International Association of Women Judges Canadian Chapter, and on the Board of the Superior Court Judges Association of Ontario. In 2011 Justice Hennessy received The Chief Justice Award for work in public education and a Doctorate of Laws Honoris Causa from Laurentian University. The Honourable Justice Darla A. Wilson, Superior Court of Justice Madam Justice Darla Wilson received a Bachelor of Arts from Queen s University in 1981, and a Bachelor of Laws from Queen s University in 1984. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1986. Madam Justice Wilson, was previously a partner with Lawson McGrenere LLP where she practiced exclusively in the area of civil litigation. She carried on her practice throughout Ontario defending
hospitals and other health care facilities on negligence claims, general insurance defence work including occupier s liability, motor vehicle and municipal negligence claims as well as representing plaintiffs in personal injury claims. Madam Justice Wilson was an instructor in Trial Advocacy at the University of Toronto Law School, as well as a Director of Advocates Society and a member of the Board of Directors of the Medico-Legal Society. In December 2007, she was appointed to the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto. Madam Justice Wilson is an avid runner, and completed the Boston Marathon in 2010. Maia L. Bent, Lerners LLP Maia obtained an undergraduate degree in theatre before going to law school. She received her LLB from the University of Western Ontario in 1996 and was called to the Bar in 1998. She is a partner at Lerners, LLP in London, Ontario where she practices in the area of serious personal injury, wrongful death, disability and insurance litigation. Her primary focus is representing those injured in motor vehicle collisions. Maia is an Executive Director of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, whose purpose is to promote access to justice, preserve and improve the civil justice system, advocate for safety initiatives and for the rights of those who have suffered injury or losses. In 2012 she was the recipient of the Women s Caucus Award, which is given for leadership, mentorship and promoting the retention of women in law. She was also honoured to receive the 2012 Professional of the Year from the Ontario Brain Injury Association. She is an active member of the London community and volunteers with many charitable organizations. The Honourable J. Douglas Cunningham, Q.C., Neeson Arbitration Chambers Douglas Cunningham was born in Kingston, Ontario. After public school there he attended Trinity College School. He received a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario and an LL.B from Queen s University Law School and was called to the Bar in 1969. He is a former partner in the law firm of Cunningham, Swan in Kingston where he practiced in the area of civil litigation, in which he was certified as a specialist in 1990. He was appointed Queen s Counsel in 1980. Justice Cunningham was appointed to the Ontario Superior Court in 1991. He served as President of the Ontario Superior Court Judges Association from April 1999 until May 16, 2000, when he was appointed Regional Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Justice for the East Region. He was appointed to the Pension Appeals Board on October 5, 1999, and to the Court Martial Appeals Court in 2010. On December 12, 2002, Justice Cunningham was appointed Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Justice. As a member of the Canadian Judicial Council, Associate Chief Justice Cunningham served as a member on the Executive Committee and chaired the Administration of Justice Committee. On September 30, 2012, Justice Cunningham retired from the Superior Court of Justice. On October 1, 2012, he began his Ontario private mediation and arbitration practice at Neeson Chambers in Toronto. Thomas J. Donnelly, Thomas Gold Pettingill LLP Tom Donnelly is a founding partner in Thomas Gold Pettingill LLP. Tom Donnelly litigates insurance coverage matters on behalf of policyholders and insurers. He has appeared in coverage cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and in private arbitrations and mediations. His policyholder clients have obtained over $559 million in settlements and judgments from their insurers. Tom is listed in Best Lawyers in Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, in the area of insurance law. Tom has experience in dealing with many types of insurance, including: directors and officers insurance; professional liability, commercial general liability, environmental liability and excess and umbrella liability insurance; fidelity and financial institutions bonds; property and business interruption insurance; and homeowners and automobile insurance. He has over forty reported decisions. He has handled many claims involving bad faith and bad faith refusal to settle within policy limits. Tom taught an advanced insurance law course at the University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Law, for three years. He has spoken at insurance industry conferences in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. In addition to his law practice, Tom is the co-author and contributing editor of
Insurance Law in Canada (Toronto: Carswell), which is the country's leading insurance law text. He has also written chapters in the Annotated Commercial General Liability Policy (Toronto: Canada Law Book). His work in these two texts has been quoted with approval by the Supreme Court of Canada and by trial and appellate courts throughout the country. Helen K. Friedman, Miller Thomson LLP Helen D.K. Friedman is a Litigation lawyer and Partner in the Waterloo office of Miller Thomson. She is engaged in an insurance defence practice with an emphasis on first party claims. In Statutory Accident Benefits disputes, Helen has developed expertise and appears regularly at the Financial Services Commission, private arbitrations, mediations and the courts. She provides representation and technical advice concerning first party benefit disputes, priority disputes, loss transfer, catastrophic claims, structured settlements, and contract and regulatory interpretation to property/casualty and disability insurers. Helen provides seminars to clients and the insurance industry on several topics related to her practice area. She also writes commentary on topics of interest to the industry. In addition to practising law, Helen is a Past Board Member of the Better Business Bureau of Mid-Western Ontario; Past Chair of the Board of Governors Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology; Past President and member of the Zonta Club of Kitchener- Waterloo, and Past Trustee of the Zonta Club Charitable Foundation. Ava Hillier, Hillier & Hillier Ava Marion Hillier was born in Montreal in 1954 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts ( BA) from Queen s University in 1975. She graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1978 and was called to the Ontario Bar in Toronto in 1980. She joined her mother Suzanne Hillier in legal practice in Brampton Ontario in 1980 and carried on a general litigation practice in real estate and commercial litigation and criminal law until 1987, at which time she became a partner at Hiller and Hillier, thereafter specializing in personal injury litigation, including professional negligence claims. She co founded the Ontario Trial Lawyer s Association ( OTLA) in 1991. She has presented numerous lectures, presentations and written numerous articles on personal injury litigation for OTLA and for its magazine, The Litigator, since 1991. She has lectured and presented for or on behalf of, The Canadian Institute, The Ontario Bar Association, Queen s University Law School, The Canadian Bar Association, Insight, The American Association of Justice (AAJ), The American Trial Lawyers Association ( ATLA), The Canadian Medical Legal Society, MAAD ( Mothers Against Drunk Driving), the Osgoode Hall Law Association and The Advocates Society. She served as a Director and Vice -President of The Ontario Trial Association for over 7 years. She received the Distinguished Service Award from the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association in October of 2004. In 1998 and 1995 OTLA awarded her The Most Popular Professor in the Trial Advocacy Course at Queen s University. She was invited to act as a Director of the Advocate s Society from 2007 to 2010, and she has presented on behalf of the Advocate s Society in Canada, Mexico and in the Cayman Islands. Ava has appeared in trial courts at every level in Ontario representing injured Plaintiffs, and at the Court of Appeal. Her legal practice is restricted to personal injury litigation, claims arising from denied disability and other insurance applications including SABS claims as well as professional negligence claims. She continues to present on behalf of OTLA and has chaired numerous conventions since its inception in 1991. Professor Allan C. Hutchinson, Osgoode Hall Law School - York University A member of Osgoode's faculty since 1982, Professor Allan Hutchinson served as Associate Dean from 1994 to 1996 and later, in 2003, he was named Associate Dean (Research, Graduate Studies and External Relations). Professor Hutchinson is a legal theorist with an international reputation for his original and provocative writings. He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 2004 and named a Distinguished Research Professor by York University in 2006. His research interests are law and politics; legal theory; the legal profession; constitutional law; torts; jurisprudence; civil procedure; and racism and law. As well as publishing in most of the common-law world's leading law journals, he has written or edited many books. Much of his work has been devoted to examining the failure of law to
live up to its democratic promise. His latest publications are Evolution and the Common Law (Cambridge University Press, 2005) and The Companies We Keep: Corporate Governance for a Democratic Society (Irwin Law, 2006). In 2007, he received the University-wide Teaching Award and was a Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School. Research Interests include Public Law, Legal Profession, and Legal Theory. Alf Kwinter, Singer, Kwinter LLP Alf Kwinter was born in Vienna, Austria. He grew up in downtown Toronto and obtained his B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1967 and his law degree from the University of Toronto in 1970. In 1974 Alf and his classmate Morris Singer founded the firm of Singer, Kwinter. For the first 10 years of his career, Alf practiced mostly criminal law before switching to the civil side representing plaintiffs in personal injury, malpractice and insurance claims. He has appeared as counsel at all court levels including The Supreme Court of Canada, where he appeared on behalf of the successful plaintiff in the landmark decision of Oldfield v. Transamerica Insurance Company. In a trial involving a fire loss claim, the jury awarded Alf's client the amount of the claim plus $2,500,000 for punitive damages-a new Canadian record. He has appeared as counsel on a number of other ground breaking cases including Kamin v. Kawartha Dairy which changed the law on trip and fall and Degennaro v. Oakville-Trafalgar Hospital-the largest award in Canada for chronic pain. Alf is a member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, the Canadian Bar Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the American Bar Association. He has taught trial practice in the Bar Admission Course and has been invited to speak at numerous programs sponsored by The Advocates' Society, OTLA, CBA and the LSUC. Alf has been certified as a specialist in Civil Litigation by The Law Society of Upper Canada and is a past director of the Advocates Society. He is currently an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. In May 2004, Alf was awarded the H. Bruce Hillyer Award by the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the cause of civil justice and for exemplifying the spirit of OTLA in fearlessly advancing the cause of individual rights by the effective use of trial advocacy. Alf delivered the keynote address at the Atlantic Trial Lawyers Association in St. John s, Newfoundland in 2005 and in November 2008 Alf was again honoured by the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association at its annual Celebration of the Personal Injury Bar. On June 6th, 2012 at the Advocates Society End of Term Dinner, Alf was presented with an award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Barry W. Malcolm MD, FRCSC, MBA, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Dr. Malcolm graduated in Medicine from the University of Toronto in 1971. Following completion of his Orthopaedic Surgical Training at the U of T in June 1977, he did post-graduate spinal surgery training in Toronto and in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received his Royal College Fellowship in Orthopaedic Surgery in 1977, and began active practice in Orthopaedic Surgery in July 1978 at the Toronto East General Hospital where his practice comprised trauma and general orthopaedics with subspecialization in spinal surgery. He moved to the University Health Network Toronto Western Hospital in 1995 whilst doing an Executive MBA at the University of Toronto. There, he was Medical Director of Rehabilitation Solutions through 1998. He has been on the active staff of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre since September 1998, with his primary office at the Holland Orthopaedic & Arthritic Centre; and outpatient clinic at the Sunnybrook site. He is Part-Time Medical Director of the Working Condition Program and WSIB specialty Neck and Back Clinic at the Holland Centre; and the Sunnybrook Centre for Independent Living (SCIL) at Sunnybrook. He is currently, a part-time Assistant Professor, in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. His current clinical practice is non-surgical and involves the evaluation of workers with orthopaedic and spine diseases/disorders and their associated disabilities in the WSIB Regional Evaluation Centre (REC) at the Holland Centre; and patients/workers with spine-related problems in his outpatient clinic at Sunnybrook; and in the WSIB Neck & Back Specialty Clinic, at the Holland Centre. He teaches at the U of T s undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He is a member of several organizations including the Canadian Spine Society; and he is a past-president of the Medico-Legal Society of Toronto.
Cynthia F. Martin, LawPRO Cynthia Martin was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1984. She graduated from Trinity College, University of Toronto with a B.A. in 1979 and from Queen s University, Faculty of Law in 1982. She is currently enrolled in the LL.M. Program in Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution at Osgoode Hall Law School. Following her call to the Bar Cynthia carried on a broad-ranging insurance defence practice until joining LAWPRO. She is currently a Unit Director and Counsel in the Primary Professional Liability Claims Department where she directs a litigation team as well as overseeing the departmental portfolio of bodily injury claims. Cynthia was an instructor in the Bar Admission Course for many years in both Civil Litigation and Professional Responsibility. She has been an organizer and speaker at numerous CLE Programs organized by The Law Society of Upper Canada, The Ontario Bar Association, Insight, The Advocates Society and for various insurance companies. Cynthia was Vice-Chair of the Insurance Law Executive of the Ontario Bar Association for many years. She is also a member of the Advocates Society. Todd J. McCarthy, Flaherty Dow Elliott & McCarthy Todd McCarthy is a certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada. Todd received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto and graduated with distinction in 1984. He moved on to Osgoode Hall Law School where he earned a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1987. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1989. From 1992 to 2005 he was a part-time instructor for the Bar Admission Course-Law Society of Upper Canada. He co-authored an article published in the Advocates' Quarterly concerning the automobile accident threshold in Ontario (February 1994). Todd has also served as a trustee on the Durham Region Separate School Board and was the Vice-Chairman of the Board in 1996-97. He was Certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Civil Litigation in September 1996. Todd appears as counsel in matters before courts and tribunals throughout Ontario. His experience includes counsel and appellate work and over 100 jury and non-jury trials. Todd has extensive experience in mediation with a strong background in multi-jurisdictional disputes. He is a member of The Advocates' Society and in 1997 completed The Advocates' Society Mediation Course, which is offered off campus annually by the faculty of Harvard Law School. From 2000 to 2003 he was President of The Thomas More Lawyers Guild of Toronto, and from 2002 to 2004 he was President of the Durham Region Law Association. In September 2002, Todd was appointed a part-time deputy judge of the Superior Court of Justice for the Central East Region. Also, from 2007 to 2009, he was Chair of The Scarborough Hospital Foundation. From 2007 to 2009, he was a Director of the Advocates Society. In January 2010, Todd was appointed a part time Professor, Faculty of Justice and Emergency Services at Durham College. He also teaches CLE courses offered by The Advocates Society and The Canadian Institute. Jerome Morse, Adair Morse LLP Jerome Morse conducts a trial and appellate advocacy practice in the field of civil litigation. His practice areas include personal injury and fatalities involving motor vehicle collisions, medical (health care) malpractice, product liability, public authority, aviation and occupier liability; casualty, property and disability insurance litigation; professional negligence (physicians/lawyers/ engineers/accountants); corporate commercial and commercial insurance (including directors and officers) litigation; banking litigation; and class actions. Jerome is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL). ACTL s qualification requirements approve membership as a Fellow only to trial lawyers who are unquestionably and eminently qualified outstanding and considered the best in a state [or province] [who have] high ethical and moral standards and excellent character and are actively engaged in trial work as their principal activity. In 1990, Jerome was certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in the area of civil litigation. Jerome has been named one of Canada s 500 Leading Lawyers by Lexpert, which identifies Jerome as a frequently recommended practitioner in personal injury, medical negligence (plaintiffs) and product liability and a repeatedly recommended practitioner in commercial insurance litigation. The 2009 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada has identified Jerome in the specialties of personal injury litigation and product liability law. Jerome has conducted numerous trials throughout Ontario. He also has obtained
privileges and has conducted litigation in Nova Scotia, Alberta and Quebec. Jerome has published numerous articles in the above-noted practice areas. He is a member of the Advocates Society, the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, the Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association and the Toronto Medical Legal Society. Jerome is the past Head of the Trial Advocacy Program for the LSUC Bar Admission Course in London, a past member of the Board of Canadian Paraplegic Association (Ont.) and a past Director of the Toronto Medical Legal Society. Jerome is a founding member of the Holland Reform Group and has lectured at many continuing legal education seminars and conferences in his practice areas for the LSUC, the Canadian Bar Association (Ontario), the Canadian Institute, Insight, the Middlesex Law Association, the Ottawa-Carleton Law Association, and the B.C. Trial Lawyers Association. Richard J.T. Shaheen, Nesbitt, Coulter LLP Rick Shaheen is a partner in the Woodstock firm of Nesbitt Coulter and is certified by The Law Society of Upper Canada as a Certified Specialist (Civil Litigation) He leads Nesbitt Coulter's civil litigation and personal injury team and restricts his practice to serious personal injury claims and insurance disputes, as well as insurance defence for a variety of insurers. Rick has extensive trial and appellate experience, but also appears before the Financial Services Commission of Ontario as well as various Boards and Tribunals. He is a past Director of The Advocates' Society and presently serves as the co-chair of that organization's Personal Injury and Insurance Practice Group. He is a member of the Oxford Law Association and the Brain Injury Association of London and Region. He also served as the first lawyer elected to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Society of Medical Evaluators. Rick received his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario in 1983 after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from combined study at the Universities of Western Ontario and Laval. Since his call to the Bar in 1985, he has practised exclusively in various areas of civil litigation. Richard H. Shekter, Shekter Dychtenberg LLP Richard Shekter graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto, in 1973 as a Bronze Medallist. Following completion of his term of articles with Eddie Greenspan, Q.C., Mr. Shekter obtained an LL.M., Summa Cum Laude, from the University of California at Berkeley on a Laidlaw Foundation Scholarship. Mr. Shekter was called to the bar in 1976 and served one year as law clerk to the Chief Justice of Ontario before entering private practice in 1977. Mr. Shekter is the founding senior partner of the firm Shekter, Dychtenberg LLP in Toronto. He is a former Director of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, a former Director of the Advocate Society, is a former vice-chairman of the Civil Liberties Section of the Ontario Bar Association, past Chairman of the Health Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association, a Canadian delegate to the Council of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, a member of the Criminal Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, the Metropolitan Toronto Lawyer s Association, the Medico-Legal Society and the Advocates Society. In May of 1998 Mr. Shekter became the third recipient of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association H. Bruce T. Hillyer Award for Outstanding Advocacy. Mr. Shekter has been a special prosecutor for the Federal Department of Justice in selected prosecutions. Mr. Shekter practises in the field of health, medical malpractice, civil, personal injury, criminal and administrative litigation. He has acted as general counsel to the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario and the College of Dental Technologists of Ontario and also appears regularly before other health college tribunals and regulators representing a wide variety of professionals. Mr. Shekter has appeared regularly on television and radio as a commentator on legal matters. Mr. Shekter was CHFI's legal commentator on the O.J. Simpson and Paul Bernardo cases. He writes and lectures widely on legal matters and has been an occasional legal affairs colu columnist for Family Practice, a McLean-Hunter Publication. Mr. Shekter practices law in Toronto. David F. Smye, Q.C., Mackesy Smye LLP David Smye is a partner at Mackesy Smye LLP. Mr. Smye is recognized as one of the top personal injury lawyers in Canada. Early in his career, Mr. Smye honed his skills as a litigator through the criminal courts, later expanding his practice into personal injury, where he has focused his attention
over the past 35 years. Mr. Smye has conducted dozens of trials before both judges and juries in virtually every conceivable manner of personal injury including car and motorcycle accidents, falls on property, product liability, long term disability and medical negligence. Mr. Smye has also argued numerous personal injury cases before the Ontario Court of Appeal. Mr. Smye is recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is a past Trustee of The Advocates Society and the Hamilton Law Association. He is a Past President of the Hamilton Criminal Lawyers Association. Mr. Smye is recognized as a Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation by The Law Society of Upper Canada. He is currently a member of the Hamilton Law Association, The Ontario Trial Lawyers Association and The Advocates Society. Mr. Smye grew up in Hamilton. In addition to his law practice, Mr. Smye is keenly interested in and supports a number of community charitable causes. Mr. Smye obtained his LL.B from Queen s University in 1970. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1972 and was appointed Queen s Counsel in 1985. Paul Tushinski, Dutton Brock LLP Paul is a civil litigator. He was called to the Bar over 25 years ago, has been with Dutton Brock for nearly a quarter of a century, and is the managing partner of the firm. He focuses almost exclusively on defence and represents a broad range of insurers and self-insured corporations. His practice includes claims involving products liability, professional liability, construction claims, class proceedings, environmental disputes, property, general liability and complex insurance coverage matters. He is a certified specialist in civil litigation and is listed in the Best Lawyers in Canada - Insurance Law and repeatedly recommended as a leading practitioner by Lexpert in Commercial Insurance Litigation and Personal Injury. Paul holds a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from York University in Toronto. He continued at the University of Windsor Law School where he earned his LL.B having graduated in 1983 on the Dean's Honour Roll. Paul was called to the Bar in 1985. Paul was on the Dean's Honour Roll at the University of Windsor in 1983 where he stood in the top 10 out of 150 graduating students. At York University, he received a Scholarship in 1979. Paul has been repeatedly recognized in "The Best Lawyers in Canada - Commercial Insurance". David B. Williams, Harrison Pensa LLP Dave is the Managing Partner of Harrison Pensa and a senior litigator designated by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in Civil Litigation. His practice includes personal injury work for both plaintiffs and defendants, commercial litigation and class actions. He was a member of the plaintiff's class action group for the Walkerton contaminated water claim. He also has a professional negligence practice representing plaintiffs in medical malpractice matters, and lawyers in negligence claims. He acts as General Counsel to Thames Valley District School Board. Dave has taught courses on civil litigation and advocacy and practice for the Bar Admission Course. He has also published numerous conference papers on education law issues. Dave formerly served for 10 years on the Law Society of Upper Canada's Civil Litigation Specialty Committee which evaluates applications for specialist certification in civil litigation. He has taught courses on civil litigation and advocacy and practice for the Bar Admission Course. He has also published numerous conference papers on education law issues. In 2009, Dave was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers.