Speaker Biographies

Joanna A. Carroll (Co-Chair)

Graduated from the University of King's College at Dalhousie University in 1995 with a B.A. double advanced major in Political Science and English literature. Received her LL.B. from the University of Calgary, Faculty of Law. Articled with Blaney McMurtry LLP and upon her call to the Bar, returned to the firm as an associate in the Commercial Litigation Department. Practice is principally focused on commercial and construction litigation. Is a member of the firms' commercial litigation practice group and the Architectural, Construction and Engineering Services Group (ACES).

Kelly J. Smith (Co-Chair)

An associate with Rogers, Moore a boutique litigation firm in downtown Toronto. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 2001. He is continuing to develop his litigation practice with a focus on the defence of property and casualty claims, commercial liability claims, professional negligence claims, product liability claims, and a variety of insurance-related and general litigation. An active member of the Ontario Bar Association (OBA), he has served on numerous committees and held executive positions at a number of levels including Chair of the Young Lawyers' Division (2002/2003), Co-Chair of the YLD CLE Committee and Vice-Chair of the OBA Law Day Committee. He was recently elected as Executive-at-Large to the OBA Executive Committee and sits on the Strategic Planning Committee and the CBA Futures Committee.

Roderic G. Ferguson, Q.C.

Senior partner of the law firm of Ferguson Barristers. B.A. in Political Science, University of Waterloo, 1966. LL.B., Osgoode Hall Law School, 1968; (First Place Standing, Silver Medal); LL.M. (A.D.R.) Osgoode Hall Law School 2002; Called to the Bar in 1970. Appointed Queen’s Counsel 1982; Certified as a specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada, June 1989; Practice restricted to civil litigation. Counsel to law firms in Alliston, Barrie, Beaverton, Bracebridge, Burk’s Falls, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Elmvale, Gravenhurst, Haliburton, Honey Harbour, Huntsville, Kitchener-Waterloo Kingston, Magnetawan, Midland, Minden, Mississauga, Morrisburg, Newmarket, North Bay, Orillia, Ottawa, Owen Sound, Parry Sound, Penetanguishene, Peterborough, Port Carling, Powassan, Sudbury, Sundridge, Toronto. Member and past director of the Advocates Society, Long time member of National Council Canadian Bar Association, Member and past Bencher Law Society of Upper Canada; Twice has lectured on Damages at the annual L.S.U.C. Special Lectures, 1998 and 2002. Lectures delivered on numerous civil litigation, insurance and alternate dispute resolution subjects.

Stephen R. Moore

Called to the Bar of Ontario in 1982. He has been a partner with the Toronto firm of Blaney McMurtry LLP since 1988 and is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in civil litigation. His practice is restricted to personal injury litigation, insurance litigation and coverage opinions and insurance regulatory matters such as automobile rate filing requirements. He has authored a number of papers commenting on issues relevant to automobile insurance regulation and personal injury and insurance litigation. Since the Fall of 1996 he has delivered a number of papers commenting on the protected/unprotected defendant dichotomy under Bills 59 and 198. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers' Association and the Advocates' Society.

Stephen G. Ross

Partner at Rogers, Moore. Graduate of University of Western Ontario where he earned a number of awards for academic excellence as well as the university’s Bronze “W” award for athletic distinction. Practice includes civil litigation matters related to insurance law, personal injury actions and medical-legal issues. Has written numerous articles including a comparison of the automobile insurance compensation regimes in Ontario. An active member of the Ontario Bar Association as Chair of the Insurance Law section, as well as a member of the Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association, the Advocates’ Society, and the Canadian Defence Lawyers Association.

Michael E. Royce

Honours B.A. in Political Science and Economics at University of Toronto, 1968; LL.B. at University of Toronto, 1971. Called to the Bar in March, 1973. Barrister and Solicitor with McCarthy Tétrault, Toronto, from March, 1973 to October, 1992; partner of that firm February, 1979 to October, 1992. Since October, 1992, partner with Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin. Practice restricted to civil litigation, including in particular a wide range of commercial litigation (often involving complex medical, engineering, pharmaceutical and other technical areas), defence of physicians, lawyers and other professionals in civil and discipline proceedings, advising a variety of professional associations and acting as prosecutor or defence counsel at discipline hearings in numerous professions. Lecturer and instructor at programs run by the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Medical Association, the Ontario Hospital Association, and commercial programme organizations.

Frank E. Walwyn

Partner at WeirFoulds LLP. B.A., University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (1987); LL.B., Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario (1993); Certificate of Legal Education, The Eugene Dupuch Law School, Nassau, The Bahamas (2000). His practice is general litigation. He appears before all the courts and all tribunals. He is a member of the Bars of Ontario and St. Kitts and Nevis. He is frequently consulted and appears as counsel on complex commercial litigation matters in the Caribbean. He recently provided legal advice and assistance to a team of forensic investigators retained by the Ministry of the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago to assist the Special Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau in investigations into certain contracts entered into by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. Has appeared as one of the counsel for Roman Catholic hospitals and played a significant role in the various administrative law and Charter court challenges arising out of the restructuring of health care in Ontario. He is the Chair of the firm's Associates / Students Committee. He is a frequent speaker and contributor to the OBA’s Continuing Legal Education programs. He is a contributing editor of Credit and Banking Litigation, a Journal devoted to examining litigation issues of credit and banking practice. While attending The Eugene Dupuch Law School in Nassau, The Bahamas, he was associated with Dr. Peter Maynard, President of the Bahamas Bar Council, with whom he appeared on a Constitutional Challenge of the Bahamian Government’s actions relating to public officials. 

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