For Canada’s top insurance defence law firms, the past two years have brought transformation - not just in the types of claims they see, but in the expectations placed upon them.
Once regarded as service vendors operating quietly in the background, these firms have emerged as strategic partners in a legal environment where efficiency, precision, and institutional insight are no longer optional. With rising litigation costs, evolving liability risks, and the mounting sophistication of insurer clients, a new standard has taken hold.
“Our clients’ ongoing success is our ongoing success; it’s a symbiotic relationship,” said Eli Lipetz, a partner at Benson Percival Brown LLP, one of the top-ranked firms in Canadian Lawyer’s biennial survey of insurance defence boutiques. “We reject a one-size-fits-all approach.”
The publication’s 2025–26 list reflects not just legal excellence but a wider cultural shift across Canada’s insurance sector. Based on an extensive survey of lawyers, in-house counsel, and industry clients, and augmented by Lexpert peer review data, the ranking highlights firms that bring more than legal doctrine to the table. What distinguishes them is an ability to marry litigation strategy with business acumen — and to do so under pressure.
The demands on these firms have never been higher. Lawyers are expected to interpret and respond to complex rulings in real time — such as the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision in Loblaw v. Royal & Sun Alliance, which clarified the allocation of defence costs across serial insurers — while simultaneously accounting for new risk exposures like genetic discrimination, cyber liability, and e-scooter regulation.
“New precedents can shift things overnight,” said Jacques Waite, Corporate Director of Litigation at iA Financial Group. “We rely on legal partners who not only understand the black-letter law but can anticipate its ripple effects.”
Waite sees increasing pressure for speed, accuracy, and business-oriented solutions. “We don’t want lengthy summaries. We want insight,” he said. “We’ll follow great lawyers from firm to firm, but if they don’t adapt to how we operate, we won’t stay.”
Nowhere is adaptation more urgent than in cybersecurity. The average cost of a data breach in Canada decreased in 2024 to USD $4.66 million, yet the financial sector saw an uptick, with costs reaching $6.08 million. Insurance clients — second only to healthcare in data breach expenses — are demanding defence counsel who understand not just privacy law, but the technical and reputational dynamics of a breach.
Firms like Benson Percival Brown, which has earned a spot on Canadian Lawyer’s list 13 times, say longevity comes from flexibility. The Toronto-based boutique, which has represented multinational insurers and legacy clients for decades, now integrates cyber risk, ESG awareness, and litigation technology into its practice.
“We’re very cautious with how we use technology,” Lipetz said. “We’re evaluating where it can advance our clients’ objectives — not just using tools for the sake of it.”
That calculated approach extends to internal culture. Nearly 90 percent of the firm’s partners started there as articling students. “We’re committed to developing people,” Lipetz added. “Talent isn’t just about skill. It’s about alignment with how we treat clients and colleagues.”
For Stieber Berlach LLP, another frequent name on the Top 10 list, personal relationships and technical rigour remain twin pillars. “We’re known for doing complex work on high-profile files,” said Elizabeth Bowker, a seasoned trial and appellate lawyer with the firm. “But our reputation also stems from how closely we work with clients.”
Bowker described a litigation landscape where insurers are more informed, more global, and less patient. “They know the value of a case. They have internal teams. So we must deliver top-tier service and outcomes — not just advice.”
Her firm, which handles high-stakes class actions and regulatory disputes, uses tools like Relativity and iManage to keep pace with growing data complexity but maintains a preference for direct, human contact.
“There’s still no substitute for picking up the phone,” she said.
Zarek Taylor Grossman Hanrahan LLP, a perennial honouree on the Top 10 list, exemplifies another model: lean structure, deep trust, and high responsiveness. Founded in 1997, the Toronto firm has grown to nearly 50 lawyers by aligning with major insurers and tailoring its services to their evolving needs.
“We don’t tell clients what they want to hear,” said partner Eric Grossman. “We tell them what they need to know — clearly and promptly.”
Grossman sees the firm’s reputation rooted not in flamboyant wins but in dependable execution. “We’re proactive. We close files efficiently. And we act like an extension of our clients’ brands.”
Cybersecurity has become central to that trust. “Our insurer clients have rigorous standards,” he said. “Meeting them is costly — but essential.”
While these firms differ in scale and style, they share a common trait: they do not wait to be told how the industry is changing. They study the terrain, anticipate shifts, and invest accordingly — in technology, in talent, and in trust.
The survey's methodology required that qualifying firms derive the majority of their practice from insurance defence work. Final rankings reflected a points system combining peer and client feedback, voting volume, and Lexpert insights.
In a field where certainty is rare and pressure is constant, Canada’s leading insurance defence boutiques have managed to stay ahead — not just in courtrooms, but in boardrooms, and in the confidence of those they serve.
“It all comes back to doing great work, listening to our clients, and delivering results that meet their goals,” said Bowker. “That’s what we’re here to do.”
