Canadian Lawyer

20 www.canadianlawyermag.com TOP PERSONAL INJURY BOUTIQUES 2025 Oatley Vigmond LLP "We do not anticipate any major changes affecting the insurance industry. However, there may be some significant changes coming to the Rules of Civil Procedure," says partner Rob Durante. "While the changes will have an effect on the procedural aspects of personal injury litigation, they will not affect how we approach our cases, and the rule changes will not affect our ability to deliver exceptional legal representation to our clients." • Two firm partners are currently working with The Advocates' Society and the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association to prepare formal submissions addressing some of the proposed rule changes that could impact access to justice. What sets the top personal injury law firms apart All seven of these celebrated firms operate at the highest level of advocacy. However, each brings something unique regarding the values that shape their work. Whether it's trial excellence, client care, innovation, or integrity, these firms lead with purpose and back it up through results. Ninety years of standing strong As Thomson Rogers clocks up nine decades in 2025, the firm continues to stand out for its ability to lead the most complex personal injury cases with clarity, consistency, and a deep sense of purpose. At the heart of that work is a balance the firm knows well: empathy for what clients are going through, and the assertiveness needed to fight for what they deserve. "Lawyers deal with people who've had the worst day of their lives," says D'Agostino. "Empathy is non-negotiable. But without fully asserting our clients' rights, we won't get them the justice they require." [Ontario]," states managing partner Richard Bogoroch. "With the changes to the accident benefits schedule set for July 2026 and the proposals to completely revamp the Rules of Civil Procedure, the practice as we know it will be forever changed." Partner Heidi Brown adds, "We're going to fight hard to ensure that access to justice for vulnerable people remains front and centre for the government and the decision- makers driving these changes." • The firm is actively educating clients about the upcoming accident benefit changes and analyzing proposed civil procedure reforms while advocating to protect access to justice. McLeish Orlando LLP "We try to persuade political decision-makers about the need for a tort system and to not have clients live the rest of their lives in a complex regulatory, first-party system where there's no light at the end of the tunnel, no day in court," says Orlando. "Without tort, they don't get that closure. And generally, they don't receive the same level of compensation they would under a tort system." • Through political advocacy and a dedi- cated AI committee, the firm is working to influence policy while staying on the leading edge of how personal injury law will be practised in the years ahead. "We approach every file knowing that the everyday person, our client, may not get the benefit of the doubt. So we have to work harder to build the case, to marshal the evidence, and to tell that client's story with clarity and credibility" Aaron Waxman, Aaron Waxman & Associates FAST FACTS ON ONTARIO'S PROPOSED REFORMS TO THE RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE Elimination or restriction of examinations for discovery, shifting litigation toward a more paper-based process and reducing opportunities for oral advocacy Greater emphasis on early resolution and efficiency, with changes designed to streamline pre-trial steps and reduce time to trial, potentially at the cost of thorough case development Risk of accelerated timelines for complex cases, raising concerns that plaintiffs may be pushed to settle or proceed to trial before their injuries are fully understood or resolved SPECIAL REPORT

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