Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP’s premier insurance offering is well weighted between market-shaping transactions, complex regulatory issues and strategic contentious work. Routinely sought after by major domestic and global insurers and reinsurers, the team is also a popular choice to represent insured entities on high-stakes disputes. On the litigation front, Calgary-based David Tupper is widely recognized for the breadth of his expertise, which spans subrogation actions, coverage actions, and liability defence cases, among others. The insurance litigation team also draws on Montreal-based Matthew Liben, who has extensive experience in representing US and Europe-based insurance companies and syndicates; and Calgary’s Keith Marlowe QC, who has an emphasis on insurance coverage and defence. Toronto-based financial services head Paul Belanger is a go-to specialist for non-contentious work. Also recommended in Toronto for transactional and regulatory insurance matters are Bonny Murray, Jake Gilbert and next-generation partner Michael Elder.

A destination practice for insurance litigation, Clyde & Co LLP is equipped to handle coverage and defence disputes across all insurance lines, from small claims through to large-scale arbitration cases. The team also demonstrates growing activity in representing insurers in contentious regulatory proceedings. Fielding a large national group, split between its four Canadian offices, the practice additionally stands out for its ability to draw on the wider firm’s global platform, which marks it as a key contender to advise domestic and international insurers and reinsurers on multi-jurisidictional matters. In Toronto, John Nicholl is widely regarded as one of Canada’s leading insurance litigators, while office managing partner Keith Geurts is also noted. A deep Montreal bench draws on global senior partner Carolena Gordon; Montreal managing partner Dominic Naud; and Robert Emblem, who is recommended for construction-related insurance cases. In Calgary, Don Dear KC and office managing partner Alexis Moulton are key contacts, while Craig Wallace is noted in Vancouver.

A leader in the the corporate insurance sphere, McCarthy Tétrault acts for a mix of insurers, reinsurers, brokers, insurtech companies and insured corporations on a broad scope of transactional and regulatory matters, including M&A, demutualizations and reorganizations. The group also leverages the wider firm’s premier dispute resolution offering to shine in contentious work. Seasoned counsel Nancy Carroll co-heads the practice and possesses a strong track record in complex and first-of-a-kind industry matters, including advising on the first demutualization of a life insurance company in Canada. Fellow co-head Hartley Lefton also specializes in transactional and regulatory work, including advising on sensitive regulatory investigations. Rounding out the key partners is insurance litigator Christopher Hubbard, who has a focus on professional negligence, product liability and mass torts. Other recommended names include Montreal-based Sonia Struthers, who handles financial services regulation, and litigator Atrisha Lewis. Named lawyers are based in Toronto unless stated otherwise. William Scott recently retired, while Aidan Cameron left the firm.

Stikeman Elliott LLP’s practice strikes a balance between insurance litigation and corporate and regulatory work, with its activity in the latter sphere particularly impressing. The team enjoys close relationships with major domestic and global insurers and reinsurers and brings to bear extensive experience across all insurance lines. High-profile insurance and financial services expert Stuart Carruthers (Toronto) spearheads the non-contentious offering and excels in large-scale industry transactions, company incorporations and regulatory compliance matters. Financial services partner Meaghan Obee Tower (Toronto) is also noted for corporate and regulatory insurance. On the litigation front, the team is well versed across a range of class action defence, coverage litigation and professional negligence cases, among other areas. Litigator Alan D’Silva (Toronto) is recommended for his handling of class actions defence, professional negligence and D&O claims. Other key insurance litigators include Éric Azran (Montreal), Michael Mestinsek (Calgary) and Pierre-Paul Daunais (Montreal).

According to satisfied clients, the insurance team at Torys draws on ‘some of the best experts in financial services corporate and litigation work in the country’. The practice is particularly dominant on the corporate and regulatory front, where it is a popular choice to advise insurance corporations on high-profile M&A deals, joint ventures and other highly regulated transactions and compliance matters. Financial services expert Blair Keefe co-heads the insurance regulatory practice and is a first port of call for insurance companies undertaking corporate transactions. Other advisory specialists include Jill McCutcheon; senior counsel Kelly Morris; and Melissa Prado, who was recently promoted to partner. Litigation and dispute resolution chair Linda Plumpton is the key contact for contentious insurance work and contributes significant experience in precedent-setting regulatory and coverage disputes. Litigator David Outerbridge is also noted for insurance disputes, including product liability claims, environmental claims and class actions. Named lawyers are based in Toronto.

In August 2023, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP strengthened its non-contentious insurance offering with the arrival of new corporate and regulatory insurance lead Rick Da Costa (Toronto) from Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. The practice continues to be weighted towards contentious work, with its broad claims expertise spanning a range of product liability, personal injury, D&O and municipal liability cases, among others. Rebecca Bush (Toronto) leads the insurance and tort liability group and specializes in public authority litigation and tort litigation. Other recommended litigators include Kevin McGivney (Toronto), who defends police services and municipalities in claims; specialized disputes head Graham Walker (Vancouver); and Patrick Heinsen (Calgary), who focuses on professional liability.

The full-spectrum practice at Fasken is an increasingly prominent team for both insurance litigation and non-contentious matters. The group additionally stands out for its national coverage and ability to lean on complimentary areas across the firm, including financial services, corporate and dispute resolution. Toronto-based financial services co-head Koker Christensen is a go-to specialist for transactional and regulatory insurance and retains close relationships with major Canadian and global insurers and reinsurers. Other recommended names for corporate and regulatory work include Montreal-based financial services co-head Nicolas Faucher; and Toronto’s Craig Bellefontaine. Key contentious practitioners include Michael Parrish and Jonathan Lim — both of whom operate from Vancouver; and ‘old-school litigator’s litigator’ David Rosenbaum in Toronto.

Dentons’ insurance practice is oriented towards corporate and regulatory work, but it also continues to raise its profile on the contentious side. From Toronto, Laurie LaPalme co-leads the national insurance group and specializes in insurance transactions and regulatory matters; she is particularly noted for her experience in advising international insurance clients on establishing in Canada. Toronto-based litigator Douglas Stewart co-heads the team and handles a mix of coverage, E&O and D&O claims. In Montreal, Nathalie Durocher is recommended for insurance litigation and regulatory compliance.

Gowling WLG maintains a diverse interdisciplinary insurance offering that intersects the insurance and professional liability, financial institutions and services and financial services regulation teams. From Toronto, litigator Belinda Bain heads the practice and is equipped to advise on insurance, insurtech, municipal liability and professional liability, among other areas. In Calgary, Paul Stein KC is noted for insurance litigation. Filomena Frisina recently retired from the firm, while Rachel Runge joined Intact Financial Corporation.

The insurance practice at dispute resolution boutique Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP scores highly for its ‘good practical experience and strategic acumen’. The group specializes in representing policyholders in complex insurance coverage disputes, including cases in the cyber, E&O, D&O, life insurance and environmental liability spheres. Department head Hovsep Afarian is an ‘exceptional insurance practitioner’ and a go-to insurance litigator.

Lenczner Slaght possesses a robust insurance litigation practice that is sought after for complex cases covering policy, coverage and defence matters. The Toronto boutique acts for a growing roster of insurance companies and insured entities and it added eight new clients during 2023/24, including XL Specialty (US) and CFT Clear Finance Technology. Practice head Nina Bombier specializes in insurance litigation, with a focus on professional negligence, product liability and environmental cases. Mark Veneziano is also a key contact for insurance disputes.