Top 10 in Ontario and top five each in Western and Atlantic Canada unveiled
Canadian Lawyer’s top personal injury boutiques for 2026 have distinguished themselves due to their ability to establish their litigation position early, maintain that stance until resolution, discern the crucial turning point of cases, and take the initiative to act accordingly.
This year’s winning firms include (Sponsor) Carol Bierbrier & Associates (CBA), Auger Hollingsworth Accident & Injury Lawyers, Bergeron Clifford LLP, Bogoroch & Associates LLP, Boland Romaine LLP, Howie Sacks & Henry LLP, James H. Brown & Associates, McLeish Orlando LLP, Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers, Oatley Vigmond LLP, Thomson Rogers, Cuming & Gillespie, Gluckstein Lawyers, MacGillivray Injury and Insurance Law, McKiggan Hebert, Pacific Medical Law, and Weir Bowen LLP.
These firms have secured victories in personal injury litigation because they can:
- Set the direction of the case at the outset and build it with discipline from there
- Maintain a proper pace amid systemic delay, which impacts cost, timing, and leverage
- Establish proof of loss and liability through a combo of clinical credibility, real-world evidence, and a record designed to survive intense scrutiny
“The justice system is bogged down by extreme delay,” says Brenda Hollingsworth, co-founding partner at Auger Hollingsworth Accident & Injury Lawyers.
“In response to court delays, our firm has shifted to a more proactive, aggressive litigation strategy,” adds Laura Comfort, partner at Cuming & Gillespie LLP.
“We negotiate from preparation, not from hope,” Cynthia Carels, partner at Weir Bowen LLP, tells Canadian Lawyer. “By the time we’re at the table, our case has been built as though trial is the next step.”
Trends in personal injury practice
The report announcing Canada’s best personal injury law firms for 2026 notes that most personal injury cases never reach trial. According to civil courts data from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and Statistics Canada, personal injury proceedings reached the trial stage for only:
- 7.5 percent of matters not involving motor vehicles
- 10.2 percent of matters when including motor vehicle claims
Lawyer workflow updates, protracted timelines, and shifting client expectations have also affected the current personal injury landscape. The report highlights four particular trends influencing today’s personal injury practice:
- decreasing in-person interaction
- insurers gaining leverage due to structural and legislative factors
- more aggressive litigation owing to delays and benefit disputes
- clients coming to the table with more information than ever and with the expectation that the law firm will take a more active role
“Relationship-building is different when people aren’t physically together,” says David Levy, managing partner at Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP.
“The playing field has tilted in favour of insurers, vis-à-vis, who gains the benefit of delay,” adds Edward Bergeron, founding partner at Bergeron Clifford LLP.
How the winners emerged
Canadian Lawyer’s readers ranked personal injury firms from an initial list, with the option to nominate additional legal practices not on the list. For a firm to qualify, the majority of its business had to come from personal injury work.
Readers cast over 1,750 votes across the 57 nominated firms within the survey period from Jan. 19 to Feb. 13. The Canadian Lawyer team applied a points-based system, weighted by position in the ranking.
Apart from the quantitative outcome of the reader rankings, the team factored in Lexpert peer survey results, input from respected senior members of the bar, and regional diversity considerations.
The Canadian Lawyer team categorized firms by geography, including the top 10 personal injury boutiques in Ontario, as well as the top five each in Western and Atlantic Canada.
Carol Bierbrier and Associates (CBA) proudly sponsors the report.
"At CBA, working with personal injury firms across the country and building long-standing relationships gives us a clear view of the level of standards that exist, and the strong litigators in this year’s list," says Carol Bierbrier, CBA’s founder and clinical director. "Their work not only supports meaningful outcomes for clients but also contributes to maintaining a high standard across the profession. We congratulate all of the winners on this well-deserved recognition."
Canadian Lawyer congratulates the best personal injury firms for 2026. See more information about the winners.
