Deanna S. Gilbert

Partner

T: 416-868-3205
F: 416-868-3134

Practice areas

Practice highlights

Biography

Deanna was raised in the world of personal injury litigation, but chose not to follow in the footsteps of her father, a senior insurance defence lawyer who practiced for 50 years. As someone with a compassionate heart, she wanted to fight for the rights of those who had been seriously injured and their families. Deanna became a trauma lawyer and has dedicated her practice to helping victims of all ages, across all parts of Ontario from Timmins to Windsor, Orangeville to Ottawa. She takes on cases involving car accidents, slip/trip and falls, medical malpractice, and assaults, amongst others.

Deanna’s approach to client management is to keep clients educated and informed about their files, to take the stress out of litigation so clients can focus on their rehabilitation and recovery, and to provide objective, professional legal advice.

Her approach to the litigation is to know the facts, issues, and law better than anyone else on the file, so that she can make persuasive and sound arguments. Deanna has a solid reputation amongst her peers, earning the highest peer rating of AV Preeminent® in Martindale-Hubbell® for her legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards. She has been Certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Ontario. Deanna understands that many people do not want to go to trial, but that sometimes it is necessary to do so to obtain fair compensation. Deanna has extensive and successful mediation, in-court, tribunal, and trial experience. Her advocacy has resulted in a number of precedent-setting and reported judicial and arbitral decisions. Deanna is ranked as “repeatedly recommended” in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory and is listed in The Best Lawyers in Canada publication.

As a contributing member to the legal community, Deanna has authored many papers on personal injury litigation, is often invited as a guest speaker at medical-legal conferences, and is regularly contacted by legal news publications for her insight into “hot topics”. Deanna is the Contributing Editor of the Ontario Accident Benefits Case Summaries and a Contributor to the Personal Injury Module both published by LexisNexis Canada Inc. Deanna has also enjoyed volunteering for Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, the Brain Injury Society of Toronto, the Toronto Lawyers Feed the Hungry Program, and other causes close to her heart.

In her spare time, Deanna enjoys cooking, dancing, and Muay Thai (but do not expect to see her in a UFC octagon anytime soon).

Year of Call

2008

Education

Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Huron University College (2004)
Bachelor of Laws, Osgoode Hall Law School (2007)

Accreditations

Certified Specialist (Civil Litigation)
LEXPERT^® Ranked Lawyer
Martindale-Hubbell® Ranked Lawyer, AV Preeminent®
Listed in The Best Lawyers™ in Canada since 2018
The Advocates’ Society
Ontario Trial Lawyers Association
Ontario Bar Association
Canadian Bar Association

Industry recognition

BIST Volunteer of the Year Nominee 2017 badge

Testimonials

Flor G.

Deanna Gilbert was a great help throughout the entire process. While it was and still is a difficult and painful situation that we are experiencing, Deanna was very kind, knowledgeable, and accommodating. She was extremely professional, going above and beyond her responsibilities, and the results of the negotiations exceeded our expectations. My family and I are very grateful to have worked with the entire team, especially Deanna. We strongly recommend this firm. It is not only that they have a reputation as one of the best firms, they are THE best. Thank you for everything again.

Vivian M.

Deanna Gilbert represented me in a personal injury case as a result of an MVA. I’m truly grateful that we connected. She is an incredible lawyer and was always on top of my case easing my stress by educating me every step of the way. She is an excellent communicator, very transparent, thorough in all aspects of her skillsets and most importantly, very compassionate about her client’s circumstances. Deanna works hard to ensure the best possible outcome for you. Her office staff, in particular Laurie G. Running, is incredible as well. I highly recommend her and the team without any hesitation.

Jameela K.

Deanna Gilbert is an extraordinary lawyer. I have never seen anyone pay closer attention to detail and manage a matter with more professionalism. She is responsive, patient, sharp, kind, meticulous and tenacious. She leaves no stone unturned and is not just there to settle your matter – she sees the big picture and will fight for you! She’s willing to go the distance if that’s what’s right for your file. I could not be happier with her level of service and ability to cleverly piece together arguments. There is no better lawyer and team to handle your matter!

Reza Nayeb-Yazdi

I got in touch with Deanna Gilbert after three very long years of stress and anxiety from dealing with my previous lawyer. I was involved in an accident which I thought should have been an easy case to resolve. I was a pedestrian crossing the street at a crosswalk and I was hit by a car. I suffered several injuries and my life was altered forever. When I explained my situation to Deanna she happily agreed to take over my case and I immediately felt my stress and anxiety melt away. Hiring her was the best decision I could have ever made. She saved me from several more years of having to deal with my previous lawyer.

The amazing effort and amount of work she put into my case was evident from the start. She knew more about my case during our first meeting than I even knew myself. Her incredible work continued throughout the entire process. I had so many questions and Deanna was there every time. I never felt rushed during our conversations and she took the time to make sure that I really understood everything every step of the way. I never felt like my case was being “put on the back burner” and forgotten about. She always referred me to the best doctors and specialists for my injuries and always made sure all documents and paperwork were completed properly and on time.

Even during a global pandemic I always felt like Deanna had my best interests in mind. I did not have to chase her down for anything, not even once. In fact, she is the one who made sure I stayed on top of everything at all times. When I felt unmotivated and hopeless, Deanna was always there to make sure I stayed on track and did not lose hope.

I used to worry so much about my future after the accident, but now that my case has settled I don’t have to worry anymore. Deanna is truly an amazing person and my life is infinitely better thanks to her.

Bozena D.

I had an accident in 2015, and when I was looking for a lawyer, I found Thomson Rogers at the hardest time of my life. I’m thrilled that I found them because I got to work with Deanna Gilbert. She is an incredible lawyer. Deanna and her team kept me informed of what was happening with my case, I found her to be thoughtful and kind and compassionate. If it wasn’t for her I would have not received the help I did and my rehabilitation outcome would have been different. Because of her and her team I was able to focus on healing and getting better. I’m so grateful to Deanna for taking such good care of me and getting the best possible outcome for my case. She has made a world of a difference in my life and I would certainly recommend her to anyone who has had a personal injury. She will fight for you until the end.