Canadian Lawyer

24 www.canadianlawyermag.com TOP PERSONAL INJURY BOUTIQUES 2025 "If the case is meritorious based on what the experts tell us, we will pursue it with persistence, determination, and courage," says Bogoroch. "People know when they hire us, we will fight hard for their rights." For Brown, what truly sets the firm apart is the depth of its relationships. "With many of our clients, we keep in touch long after the cases are resolved," she says. "They become very important to us in our life going forward." The firm's notable cases include: • Successfully upholding a $600,000 jury verdict in Surujdeo v. Melady, where the Court of Appeal affirmed the trial judge's instructions on standard of care and causa- tion in a complex malpractice case. • Securing court approval of a $10 million settlement in Bunch v. Midwife Amy Jackson et al., a medical negligence case involving catastrophic birth injury following failures in fetal monitoring. Decades of leadership built on trust Perennial top firm Oatley Vigmond has built a reputation for strong advocacy and trial experience, underpinned by prepara- tion, integrity, and a steady focus on client care. Both legal peers and healthcare profes- sionals describe the firm as "collaborative, compassionate, and deeply committed to clients and to the rehab experts who help support their recovery." Trust comes from relationships the firm has built over decades with top healthcare and rehabilitation providers. These partner- ships ensure clients get the care they need and also strengthen the medical side of the firm's legal work. "We work with people we trust," says Durante. "They're experts. And honestly, the last thing a healthcare provider wants is a lawyer telling them how to do their job." That kind of mutual respect goes back almost 50 years to founding partner Roger Oatley, who helped bring together medical and legal expertise in a way that changed how injury law was practised. His approach still shapes how the team work with clients and care professionals, and with each other. Durante remembers Oatley as "the first person I knew who had a laptop at work," a sign of the forward-thinking mindset the firm still has today. From going paperless early on to using AI in meaningful, practical ways, Oatley Vigmond keeps evolving because, in the personal injury space, preparation, compassion, and good judgment make all the difference. Its notable cases include: • Following a lengthy contested trial (and appeal), securing a jury award of over $7 million in Little v. Floyd Sinton Ltd., which involved a student who suffered a traumatic brain injury after jumping from a school bus. The case revealed a long-standing and dangerous tradition where Grade 8 students exited through the rear emergency door on the last day of school. While the defence argued the plaintiff was responsible for her own injuries, the jury held the adults in charge accountable. • Winning a landmark $24 million judg- ment in a judge-alone trial for two young men who suffered catastrophic inju- ries, one a brain injury and one a spinal cord injury, in a car crash, marking the largest joint damages award in Canadian history. Two senior partners led the case in a rare joint trial, securing compen- sation after a lengthy, contested trial. Trauma-informed approach Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers consis- tently ranks among Canada's top personal "When somebody retains us, they've put their faith in us. We've accepted this great responsibility, and we have to meet that challenge" Dale Orlando, McLeish Orlando LLP FAST FACTS ON ONTARIO'S 2026 AUTO INSURANCE OVERHAUL Income replacement benefits will no longer be included by default; drivers must now opt in and pay extra if they want coverage for lost income after a collision. Standard coverage will only include medical and rehabilitation benefits, leaving many drivers exposed if they aren't informed or aware of what they're opting out of. SPECIAL REPORT

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