MICHAEL D.R. O'BRIEN, Q.C.

Michael was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1969, having obtained his B. A. in 1964 and LL.B. in 1967 (University of Ottawa). He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1982. He is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario and Canadian Bar Associations, The Osgoode Society, and The Advocates Society.

Michael is the Current Chair of the Board of Directors and the Honourary Solicitor for the Canadian Paraplegic Association Ontario and a director of the Ontario Paraplegic Foundation, Canadian Paraplegic Association, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and the A.T. Jousse Foundation.

For 30 years, Michael has practiced civil litigation with Phelan, O'Brien, Rutherford, Lawer and Shannon and then with Aylesworth LLP. His litigation practice is concentrated on insurance, personal injury, medical malpractice and employment/labor matters. Michael has acted for plaintiffs, defendants and insurers. In the past several years, in addition to a large plaintiff practice in personal injury and medical malpractice, he was lead counsel for the liquidators of Maplex Insurance Company advising and defending under the provisions of general liability, homeowner, and motor vehicle insurance policies.

In 1998, Michael suffered a spinal cord injury in a ski accident which resulted in quadriplegia. He resumed practice in July 2000. In July 2001 Michael initiated, along with his partner Michael Miller, Aylesworth Mediation Services, providing private and mandatory mediation primarily in personal injury, insurance, employment and commercial matters.