A founding partner of MMW, Ian is an accomplished barrister with the experience and versatility to represent either defendants or plaintiffs in difficult litigation cases. Recognized for many years in Best Lawyers in Canada in the area of Insurance Law, Ian is frequently retained by other lawyers to act as trial counsel.
Ian is an avid reader of historical biography, especially all things Churchill, Nelson and Lincoln. Ian has been known to recite the poems of Scottish poet Robert Burns to his dog, who doesn’t understand a word. Undeterred, he can then turn around and recite them to an audience of a hundred or so people who, likewise, don’t understand a word.
Raised in a northern Ontario mining town, family has always come first and Ian takes pride in the achievements of his children and his spouse. A once and future sailor, Ian likes nothing better than just messing around on boats. But these days, when not fighting the good fight for truth and justice, Ian can be found methodically working on his golf game.
Counsel work
Insurance defence litigation
Municipal liability
Product liability
Occupier’s liability
Premises liability for violent crime
Plaintiff personal injury
Ontario, 1988
LL.B., University of Western Ontario, 1986
B.A., Huron College (English and History), 1983
McLeish v Daines, 2017
Trial counsel for plaintiff’s lawyer in Ottawa jury trial arising out of auto collision. Jury apportions liability in client’s favour and awards economic loss damages to client where chronic pain limits her to working as security guard instead of achieving career goal of becoming police officer.
Ivany v Financière Telco and Verbeek, 2015
Lead counsel in a motion to certify a class action involving withdrawal of funds from class members’ locked-in RRSPs in exchange for illegal loans.
Grammatico v Chambers, 2012
Trial counsel for plaintiff’s lawyer in damages jury trial arising out of high speed crash on Highway 400.
Spence v Yesterdayze Tavern, 2011
Trial counsel for plaintiff’s lawyer where plaintiff injured in an assault at a tavern.
Gorman v Powell, 2006
Trial counsel for plaintiff’s lawyer in a rear-end collision case. Single mother of three was awarded damages over three times the defence offer - plus costs.