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Singer Kwinter Personal Injury Lawyers (Toronto) McLeish Orlando LLP (Toronto/Barrie/Hamilton, Ont.) One in-house counsel said this 11-lawyer firm is respect- ed for "vigorously forwarding their clients' cases in a professional and ethical manner," describing its lawyers as "known leaders in personal injury claims." John McLeish and Dale Orlando have accomplished much since departing what was then Loopstra Nixon Orlando LLP in 1999 to set up their own shop. McLeish notably represented Katherine-Paige MacNeil, who suffered cata- strophic injuries in an auto accident and was awarded an unprecedented $18.4 million by Ontario's Superior Court in 2009. Orlando is the current president of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, while McLeish and firm law- yer Patrick Brown are both past presidents. This firm was co-founded in 1974 by partners Alf Kwinter and the late Morris Singer, who were classmates at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law. They started out focusing on criminal and family law respectively, but Kwinter gradually shifted his practice to the personal-injury work for which his six-lawyer firm has become renowned. "This firm has very competent and skilled lawyers who are, at the same time, reasonable to deal with," said one in-house counsel. Kwinter helped secure the largest jury award in the province's his- tory for punitive damages against an insurer in the 2006 case Pereira v. Hamilton Township Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Co., with his clients ordered to receive $2.5 million. Oatley Vigmond Personal Injury Lawyers LLP (Toronto/Barrie/Sudbury/Hamilton/North Bay, Ont.) This firm traces its roots to Barrie, Ont.'s Oatley Purser law firm, which Roger Oatley established with Alan Purser in 1974 after starting out with what was then Borden & Elliot in Toronto. Oatley, a past Advocates' Society president, was later joined by Jim Vigmond, himself a former president of the OTLA. With offices in five Ontario cities, this firm has established an over- whelming presence in the personal injury field, and is highly respected for its approach to the law. "They have set the standard in so many ways for personal injury practice," commented one voter. • Specialty Lines • Property Damage • Coverage • Construction • Life & Disability • Fraud • Personal Injury • Policy Wordings We are pleased to be recognized by Canadian Lawyer as one of Canada's Top 5 Insurance Defence Law Boutiques. DOLDENWALLACEFOLICK LITIGATION COUNSEL TENTH FLOOR – 888 DUNSMUIR STREET, VANCOUVER, B.C. V6C 3K4 TEL: 604.689.3222 FAX: 604.689.3777 INFO@DOLDEN.COM WWW.DOLDEN.COM LLP oldenWallace_CL_Apr_11.indd 1 3/15/11 3:28:33 PM Untitled-1 1 www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com A PRIL 2011 41 3/16/11 9:42:56 AM singerkwinter .com mcleishorlando.com oatleyvigmond.com Top PERSONAL INJURY 5 BOUTIQUES