Your advantage, in and out of the courtroom.

Admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1980

Practice Highlights

Personal injury lawyer Craig Brown attributes much of his success to proper risk management. Craig, one of L’Expert Directory’s “Leading personal injury practitioners", counts several multi-million dollar court verdicts among his recent achievements. Nevertheless, he makes every effort to settle before facing the uncertainties of a trial as he did in helping secure the $5 billion-plus deal for Aboriginal victims of the residential schools system. “Going to court obviously involves risk and almost always costs more, “he says. “I want to control that risk for my client, although I love going to court.”

In the past five years, Craig has helped hundreds of clients achieve lucrative awards for injuries and harm sustained due to negligence. From common “slip and falls” to two headline-making court battles: he won $3.5 million for a 16-year-old Fort Erie boy who suffered severe head injuries after being thrown from a defective bicycle and $1.2 million for Jennifer Cowles, 25, of Cambridge who was mauled by a Siberian tiger while visiting the nearby African Lion Safari.

In the historic Indian Residential Schools case, Craig displayed his class-action experience by leading a cross-Canada, 19-law firm consortium that achieved compensation for some 86,000 former ex-students. “This was a national tragedy that needed to be dealt with,” he says.

Craig is passionate about seeking compensation for damages suffered by innocent people. In the African Lion Safari case, the trial verdict allowed the single mother to “overcome tremendous odds and start her life anew.” He adds, “she was justly compensated and they got what they deserved.”

An author and lecturer, Craig is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Advocates’ Society, Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and a board member of the Disabled Sailing Association of Ontario.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Queen’s University (1975)
• Bachelor of Laws, Queen’s University Faculty of Law (1978)
• Masters of Environmental Studies, York University (1997)

Practice Areas

• Personal Injury
• Insurance Disputes
• Professional Malpractice
• Product Liability
• Class Action
• Environmental

Professional Activities and Affiliations

• Canadian Bar Association
• The Advocates’ Society
• Ontario Trial Lawyers Association

Articles

L. Craig Brown, Stacey L. Stevens, Jury Questions in Complex Cases, presented March 30, 2007

L. Craig Brown, Alan A. Farrer, When Tigers Attack, presented at the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association on June 15, 2007

Presentations

L. Craig Brown, Mary Carter Meets the Jury 2, May 26, 2007

L. Craig Brown, Mary Carter Meets the Jury, May 2, 2007

L. Craig Brown, Jury Questions in Complex Cases, May 2, 2007

L. Craig Brown, Strategies for Success in Class Actions, February 19, 2007

L. Craig Brown, Toronto Judges Seminar, November 6, 2006

L. Craig Brown, Darcy R. Merkur, Effective Use of Technology at Trial, October 1, 2006

L. Craig Brown, Social Host Liability, December 1, 2003

Recent Reported Cases

Baxter v Canada (Attorney General):

• Baxter v. Canada (Attorney General), 2006 CanLII 41673 (ON S.C.), December 15, 2006
• Baxter v. Canada (Attorney General), 2005 CanLII 18717 (ON S.C.), May 30, 2005

Cowles v Balac:

• Cowles v. Balac, 2006 CanLII 41806 (ON C.A.), December 15, 2006
• Cowles v. Balac, 2006 CanLII 34916 (ON C.A.), October 19, 2006
• Cowles v. Balac, 2005 CanLII 2038 (ON S.C.), January 27, 2005
• Cowles v. Balac Judgement, January 22, 2005
• Cowles v. Balac, 2004 CanLII 42936 (ON S.C.), November 19, 2004
• Cowles v. Balac, 2004 CanLII 35085 (ON S.C.), November 4, 2004
• Cowles v. Balac, 2004 CanLII 35084 (ON S.C.), November 4, 2004

Lytle v Toronto (City):

• Lytle v. Toronto (City), 2006 CanLII 33300 (ON C.A., September 27, 2006
• Lytle v. Toronto (City), 2004 CanLII 12155 (ON S.C.), April 15, 2004

Resch v Canadian Tire Corporation

• Resch v. Canadian Tire Corporation, 2006 CanLII 24128 (ON S.C.), July 18, 2006
• Resch v. Canadian Tire Corporation, 2006 CanLII 11930 (ON S.C.), April 13, 2006
• Resch v. Canadian Tire Corporation, 2006 CanLII 11444 (ON S.C.), April 11, 2006

Testimonials

Good Afternoon Craig,

I went down on Sept 20th, 2007, and applied for my residential school compensation for common experience for the five years I spent in the St Philips Residential School in Keeseekoose Saskatchewan.

I just wanted to thank you for all the hard work yourself, Darcy Merkur, Allan Farrer and others in your firm put into putting an end to one of Canada's most tragic legacies. I truly believe, (as a person who was on hand to see the day to day dealing with the federal government), that without your firms relentless pursuit to end this legal and often painful experience, that it may not have been settled. You and your firm should take a bow and pat yourselves on the back for a great job well done.

So again, I want to thank you and your firm for all you have done on behalf of us survivors. Many don't realize the work your company put into settling this issue.

Thank you,

Basil J Quewezance,
Residential School Survivor 1965-1969 St Philips Residential School

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Na- Me- Res would like to say CHI-MIIGWETCH! - (Thank you in Ojibway)

To Thomson Rogers:

(Alan Farrer, Craig Brown, Darcy Merkur, Marcia Schmitt)

Through your generous donation at this time of year, Na- Me- Res is able to provide much needed items to over 222 clients we serve through our Programs and Services offered at our Men’s shelter—14 Vaughan Road; our Youth Shelter- 26 Vaughan Road, as well as the clients in our Outreach Services Department assisted on the streets. Your donation goes along way in providing Christmas cheer to those less fortunate.

Glad Tidings and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year!!!!!