Mr. Emery is Partner at Simpson Wigle LLP-Burlington and Hamilton. He graduated from Queen's University Law School in 1980. He was called to the bar in British Columbia in 1981, and to the Ontario bar in 1985. He practices civil litigation in the areas of commercial, insurance and employment law. He is Past chair of the Civil Litigation Section executive of the Ontario Bar Association. Mr. Emery is past president of the Halton County Law Association. He is a member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association and member of the editorial board for "The Litigator" magazine. He is a Member of The Advocates’ Society.

 

Jamie Trimble, Hughes Amys LLP

Mr. Trimble enjoys a broad practice with a focus on insurance matters. In that context, both insurers and insureds retain him to act for them in coverage disputes involving property and liability policies. In addition clients retain him to defend property, product liability and personal injury cases. He frequently acts in defence of professionals accused of professional negligence. Mr. Trimble also provides advice on a broad range of issues, to a broad range of the firms clients. He regularly speaks at gatherings sponsored by the OBA, Law Society, Canadian Institute, Insight, and community groups on litigation and insurance issues, substantive law and ethical matters. He has taught Professional Responsibility and Ethics at the Bar Admission Course and guest lectured at Ryerson Polytechnic University on Insurance in Business. In 2003, he had the dual distinction of being certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada, and receiving the designation of "Canadian Risk Manager" from the Global Risk Management Institute. Mr. Trimble came to Toronto to find love, fame and fortune. He has found the first with his wife Lynette, and daughter, Jennifer. He is still looking for the other two.

D. Kevin Carroll, Q.C., Carroll Heyd Chown

Since his call to the Bar in 1970, Mr. Carroll has practiced exclusively in the field of insurance related litigation including personal injury, property and casualty claims, professional liability and occupier’s liability. He has lectured at numerous conferences and seminars and was a member of the faculty at OCAT. An active member of the Canadian Bar Association, he has served as a member of the National Executive, National and Ontario councils, and was OBA President 1993-1994, he was Canadian Defence Lawyers - President 2002-2003. Mr. Carroll is currently a member of The Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Defence Lawyers, the Defence Research Institute, International Association of Defence Counsel, The Advocates Society and the Simcoe County Law Association. He is the senior partner in the law firm Carroll Heyd Chown, Barrie, Ontario a firm specializing in insurance related litigation.

Gordon Cudmore, Barrister & Solicitor

Mr. Cudmore is a litigation lawyer in London, Ontario and has appeared in all levels of Court. Called to the Bar in 1975, he has law degrees from U.W.O. (LLB) and Cambridge (LLM). Mr. Cudmore has published two books, Civil Evidence Handbook, and Choate on Discovery 2nd Ed. (Carswells). He has taught Trial Process at Western’s Law School and was Sr. Instructor in Civil procedure at the Bar Admission Course London. He has been a legal commentator for radio (CBC) and television and has received five National awards for best television commentary.

The Honourable Mr. Justice Dan Ferguson, Ontario Superior Court of Justice

Mr. Justice Ferguson used to be counsel at Borden, Ladner, Gervais and wondered why judges did not think like counsel. Now he is a judge who wonders why counsel do not think like judges.

Rosemary Fisher, Simpson, Wigle LLP

Ms. Fisher is a partner in the firm of Simpson, Wigle LLP, a business law firm. She practises in the areas of commercial litigation, secured transactions and Insolvency Law. She has a BA in history from the University of Western Ontario and a LLB from Osgoode. She was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1991. Ms. Fisher has written articles and presented addresses on various PPSA and insolvency matters. She is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Trial Lawyers’ Association and past Director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation.

Jack Fitch, Hughes Amys LLP

Mr. Fitch is a senior partner at Hughes, Amys LLP where he articled and has practiced law since his call to the bar in 1980. He is certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada and has a varied civil litigation practice with an emphasis on insurance defence litigation, including personal injury, personal and commercial property, products liability, professional negligence and coverage and duty to defend cases. He is a frequent speaker at continuing education programs and has spoken recently about the evolving law of host liability, institutional liability for assault and sexual abuse and the liability of insurance brokers. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, The Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association, Canadian Defence Lawyers, The Advocate Society and The Sir Thomas Moore Society.

Ava Marion Hillier, Hillier & Hillier

Ms. Hillier has been a partner at Hillier & Hillier, Barristers & Solicitors, since 1980, specializing in personal injury litigation. She earned her B.A.(Hons) from Queen's University in 1974 and her L.L.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1978. She is a founding member and Director of the Ontario Trial Lawyers' Association and was also Vice-President from 1997 to 2000. She is a member of The Advocate's Society, the Medico-Legal Society and the American Trial Lawyers' Association. Ms. Hillier has been a lecturer at Queen's University Law School, the Peel Women's Association and the Peel Board of Education and Peel Separate School Board.

Barbara L. Legate, Barrister and Solicitor

Ms. Legate practices in London at Legate & Associates. She obtained her L.L.B. at the University of Western Ontario in 1979 and was called to the Bar in 1981. Her practice is restricted to serious personal injury, wrongful death, disability, insurance and medical negligence. She is past president (1998-99) of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, established and was Chair of its Insurance Committee for 5 years, and has chaired its Rules and Legislation, Costs and Conference Committees. She is a former director of the Advocates' Society and is an active member of a variety of its committees including Insurance. She has presented many lectures, among them to the Advocates' Society, the Ontario Trial Lawyers' Association, the Law Society of Upper Canada, The Canadian Trial Lawyers Association, and the Canadian Bar Association. She has lectured to students at the University of Western Ontario Law School on Advocacy and as an adjunct faculty member.

Eugene Meehan, Q.C., Lang Michener (Ottawa)

Mr. Meehan is a Litigation Partner at Lang Michener, Ottawa. His primary work involves the Supreme Court of Canada, mainly assisting other lawyers in taking cases (both Leave to Appeal and Appeal) there. He was the Executive Legal Officer S.C.C. from 1990-1992. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1999. He also does Public Law generally (pensions, energy, oil & gas, defamation, international trade, advice to governments/municipalities). He holds four law degrees from: the University of Edinburgh (LL.B.), McGill University (LL.M.), University of Ottawa (LL.B.) and Doctorate in law from McGill University (D.C.L.). He was the National President, Canadian Bar Association from 1999-2000. He is a practising member of the Bars of Ontario, Alberta, N.W.T., Yukon and Nunavut. He has authored/co-authored the following books: Supreme Court Manual: Practice & Advocacy (Canada Law Book, 2000, Loose-leaf, updated), Injunctions Practice Guide (Carswell, 1996), Charter of Rights Annotated (Carswell, 2003), Canadian Constitutional Documents Consolidated (Carswell, 1994), Creditors’ Remedies in Ontario (Butterworths, 1994), Constitutional Law in a Nutshell (Thomson Carswell, 3rd ed. 2003), and The Law of Criminal Attempt in Canada (Thomson Carswell, 2nd ed. 2000). Mr. Meehan provides legal services to clients and members of the legal profession in French, English, and Scottish.

J. Patrick Moore, Rogers, Moore

Mr. Moore is a partner in the law firm of Rogers, Moore. He graduated from the University of Toronto upon completion of his B.A. and he received his LL.B. from the same University before being called to the Bar in 1974. Mr. Moore has maintained a defence practice for almost thirty years, encompassing an array of civil litigation cases including matters of products liability, errors and omissions, environmental, personal injury and insurance. He has pleaded matters before courts and tribunals in Canada and elsewhere, from the preliminary inquest stage to full trial. He has also appeared in Judicial Inquiry and Alternate Dispute Resolution settings. He is active in professional and other organizations, and has participated as a lecturer and trial advocacy instructor, director and secretary of the Advocate’s Society.

John A. Olah, Beard, Winter LLP

Mr. Olah received his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 1970 from York University (Glendon College) and his Bachelor of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1973. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1975. Mr. Olah has appeared at all levels of courts, including the Court of Appeal for the Supreme Court of Canada. His practice centres on civil litigation, including complex tort and commercial litigation. He was co-chairman of a number of programs by the Ontario Bar Association. He is the author of a number of articles on civil litigation and criminal law. He has lectured at Windsor Law School, McGill Law School and the Ontario Bar Association on a variety of subjects. He was a guest instructor and demonstrator in advocacy at the Intensive Advocacy Program for trial lawyers at Osgoode Hall Law School. He also taught advocacy at Osgoode Hall Law School. Recently, Mr. Olah lectured to the Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia at a seminar entitled “Advocacy Today and Tomorrow”, the Advocates’ Society in Ottawa on “Creative Advocacy” and the Young Lawyers Section of the Ontario Bar Association on demonstrative evidence. He is the author of the recently published The Art and Science of Advocacy, a textbook for lawyers on trial tactics and trial procedure.

Terrence J. O’Sullivan, Lax O’Sullivan Scott LLP

Mr. O’Sullivan is a partner at Lax O’Sullivan Scott LLP. His practice areas include: civil litigation, commercial litigation, banking litigation, securities litigation, environmental litigation, employment litigation, products liability litigation, estate litigation and class actions. He was a member of the Superior Court of Justice/Toronto Region Civil Bench and Bar Committee (1993- present); Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (1998- present); Bar Representative on the Ontario Civil Justice Review Task Force (1994-96); Chair of the Joint Committee on Court Reform (1994-96); President of the Advocates’ Society (1991-1992), Member of the Executive Committee of the Advocates’ Society (1988-92); Director of the Advocates’ Society (1982-84) and 1988-90; Chair of the Advocates’ Society Committees on Contingency Fees and Class Action Reform; Member of the Advocates’ Society Committee on The Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights; Member of the Attorney General of Ontario’s Advisory Committee on Class Action Reform (1990). He is a lecturer and demonstrator at the Osgoode Hall Intensive Trial Advocacy Program.

James R. Turnbull, Mackesy, Smye LLP

Mr. Turnbull is a senior partner in the firm of Mackesy, Smye LLP in Hamilton Ontario. Called to the Ontario Bar in 1973 he primarily practices civil, criminal and commercial litigation. Mr. Turnbull received a LL.B. from Queen’s University and a LL.M. from York University. He is past President and Trustee of the Hamilton Law Association and winner of the Emilius Irving Award for Outstanding Service to the Hamilton Law Association.

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