Dispatches from the Middle
Frontline insights on mediation, reform and resolution
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· 5 min read
Revoking Probate in Ontario: Limitation Periods and the Boundaries of Challenge
The Legal Framework
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· 5 min read
When Trust Vanishes: Withdrawing as Solicitor of Record in Ontario
Over the course of my years representing individual plaintiffs in personal injury cases, I discovered that the most difficult battles were not always against…
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· 4 min read
The Doors WILL BE LOCKED: Patton v. Aviva and the End of Rolling Limitation Periods
I often remind myself of one of Billy Porter’s “Seven Rules to Live By”[1]: Be on time.
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· 7 min read
The MIG Squeeze: Why Minor Injury Guideline Fights Keep Escalating at the LAT
If you’re hurt in a car crash in Ontario, you can claim accident benefits from your own auto insurer, no matter who caused the…
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· 4 min read
Executor Compensation Battles: Percentages vs. Principles in Estate Disputes
Executor compensation is one of the most common flashpoints in estate cases. For estate litigators, these disputes are bread-and-butter—frequent enough to be familiar, but…
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· 5 min read
The Price of Hardball: ONCA in Barry v. Anantharajah on Costs and Proportionality
On August 29, 2025, the Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision in Barry v. Anantharajah, 2025 ONCA 603[1], a case that will resonate…
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· 6 min read
The Winter Maintenance Puzzle: Recent Decisions on Municipal and Contractor Responsibility
Ontario winters are more than a nuisance. They are a legal flashpoint. Each year, slip-and-fall claims on icy sidewalks, parking lots, and trails trigger…
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· 3 min read
When Costs Eclipse Damages: The Case of Barry v. Anantharajah
The decision in Barry v. Anantharajah (2024 ONSC 1267)[1] stands out not because of the modest damages awarded at trial, but because of the…
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· 6 min read
Civility on Trial: What the Supreme Court’s Groia Decision Really Means for Lawyers
For years in the courtroom, civility was something debated as much as it was practised — a question of how far an advocate could…
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· 10 min read
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: The Legal Fallout of Beauty Salon Mishaps
When I was running my own shop, for years on Staff Appreciation Day, my partner and I would shut down the office, rent out…
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