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26 www.canadianlawyermag.com BUSINESS STRATEGY TOP PERSONAL INJURY BOUTIQUES SPECIAL REPORT D ale Orlando says the key to McLeish Orlando LLP's successful practice is to be "selective" regarding the cases it takes on. "We started the firm with a view to having a very limited client base," says Orlando, one of the firm's founding partners. He adds, McLeish Orlando LLP generally deals with cases of catastrophic or near-catastrophic injuries. It tends not to take "your average slip-and-fall or motor vehicle accident case." However, Orlando points out a slip and fall or motor vehicle accident can lead to catastrophic injuries. "It all depends on the details." Orlando says the firm turns away about 95 per cent of inquiries it gets. "It's not because those people don't deserve representation. It's just that these lesser-injury cases are not what this firm does. We're not so much focused on growth as delivering high-quality service to a select group of clients." He says: "We can't undo the harm that people have suffered, but we get to be their champion, we get to represent them and make sure they aren't taken advantage of." A quick look at the firm's website indicates the type of results the firm has earned. There is the case of a young man awarded more than $15 million after a billboard crashed onto him, causing him to become a quadriplegic. There is also the case of more than $10 million awarded to a young gymnast catastrophically injured in a training accident. Orlando says he takes pride in knowing that as a partner in a boutique firm, he knows who the clients are. "When I pick up the phone, I know who it is, I know their case, and that's something I couldn't do if we had a roster of 400 clients." McLeish Orlando LLP's main office is in Toronto. However, Orlando emphasizes the firm's lawyers can meet with clients across the province. It has dedicated space available for meetings in Barrie, Hamilton, Kitchener and St. Catharines and Sault Ste. Marie. It was formed in 1999 by Orlando and John McLeish, with fellow principal partner Patrick Brown. One of the trends Orlando has seen in the personal injury space is the amount of adver- tising used these days. The growth of advertising in personal injury law has impacted the legal system in terms of how plaintiffs are viewed by jurors (in cases of a trial) and by society in general. "I personally wish direct-to consumer advertising was not a thing, as it has to some extent diminished the stature of the profession." He says this type of advertising "can make jurors jaded, thinking it's all about greed, or question the credibility of lawyers in general." 10 Number of lawyers 45 Number of support staff 5 Number of partners 1999 When firm was founded MCLEISH ORLANDO PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS LLP AT A GLANCE Main areas of personal injury practice: motor vehicle, occupier liability, long term disability TOP PERSONAL INJURY BOUTIQUES MCLEISH ORLANDO LLP SPECIAL REPORT McLeish Orlando LLP Dale Orlando, McLeish Orlando LLP Email: dorlando@mollp.com Telephone: 416-366-3311 Toll-Free: 1-866-685-3311 Website: www.mcleishorlando.com