Tom Connolly
Areas of Practice
- Serious Personal Injury and Death Litigation
- Medical Malpractice Litigation
Education
- 1975 Called to Bar of Ontario
- 1973 LL.B. University of Ottawa
- 1970 B.A. Carleton University
Professional Affiliations
- Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (Past President and Director)
- Trial Lawyers for Veterans
- American Association for Justice
- Advocates Society
- County of Carleton Law Association
- Osgoode Society
- Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild of Ottawa
- Bertram Loeb Organ Donation Institute
Papers, Publications & Presentations
- September 15 and 22, 2022, Will Davidson – CLE Webinar – Marshalling the Evidence for Trial
- November 4, 2021, Gluckstein Lawyers – Medical Malpractice – Risky Business – A panel discussion on Electronic Trials
- December 2021, Investment Portfolio v Structure Annuity (Rountable OTLA)
- November 2021, Electronic Trials Panel Discussion (Gluckstein Conference)
- September 2021, The Advantages & Challenges of Conducting a Zoom Trial, panelist (Will Conference)
- May 2019, Dealing with Experts in Complicated Medical Negligence Claims, (OBA)
- May 2018, Examination in Chief of Accountant in Jury Trial (OBA)
- September 2016, Protecting Our Children in School from Dangerous Products (OBA)
- November 2015, Ethical and Legal Challenges in Representing Children (LSUC)
- October 2015, Complex Accounting Evidence with the Self-Employed Plaintiff
- October 2015, Key Case Update for 2015
- October 2015, Conference Co-Chair, Advocating for Damages (OTLA)
- July 2014, Conducting a Paperless Trial Examination in Hospital Using IPAD and Apple TV (AAJ)
- April 2013, Digging for Hidden Gold in Electronic Hospital Records
- Fall, 2012, Conference Co-Chair, Playbook for Trial, Rolling Out Winning Strategies
- Fall, 2011, Cases That Have Influenced the Way We Practice, co-author, The Litigator
- May, 2010 Refusal to Settle Within Limits by Insurers
- September, 2009 Infants and Contingency Agreements
- April, 2009 Osborne and Jury Trials
- November 2008: Contingency Fees – Access Road to Justice (panelist Montebello)
- May, 2008 Liability Across the Seasons: Boats, Snowmobiles, ATV’s, Go-Karts, and More
- April, 2008 How to Deal with Treating Doctors
- January, 2008 Interviewing the Absent Expert & Healthcare Confidentiality
- November, 2007 Pre-Trial Expert Issues (Advocates Society)
- November, 2007 Court Approval for Parties Under Disability (Panelist Montebello)
- October, 2007 Assault by a Doctor: Negligence or Intentional Act
- April, 2007 Defendant’s Testimony in Medical Malpractice Litigation
- March, 2007 Use of Demonstrative Aids & Working with Experts
- November, 2005 The Monetary Threshold Barrier and Fatal Accidents in Ontario
- May, 2005 Practical Strategies for Drafting Contingency Fee Agreements in Ontario
- April, 2005 Moon v. Sher – Fixing Costs and the Test of Reasonableness
- November, 2004 Bill 198 Amendments, the One Year Retrospective
- February, 2004 Don’t Cut Insurance Rates on backs of injured
- January, 2004 How to Get Co-operation from the Defence When Acting for the Plaintiff
- January, 2004 Premium pretence threatens victims’ access to courts
- January, 2004 Farmers and Phantom Automobile Insurance Coverage
- January, 2004 Bill 198 Insurance Act Amendments
- November, 2003 Bill 198 Insurance Act Amendments: The Next Mutation
- November, 2003 Assessment of Damages in Personal Injury (Panelist Montebello)
- September, 2003 Mrs. Snider and auto insurance premiums
- August, 2003 Accident Victims pay for new Ontario auto insurance plan
- August, 2003 Auto Insurance rates sustainable without taxing the innocent
- October, 2002 Family Protection Endorsement O.P.C.F. 44R Updated
- October, 2001 Accessing Background Information on Experts
- January, 2001 Mandatory Mediation as a Tool to Settle Personal Injury Claims
- January, 2000 Clearing the Fog that Hangs Over an Employer Derksen v. 539938 Ontario Ltd.
- November, 1999 Ways to Level the Playing Field with the No-Fault Insurer
- October, 1996 Does Your Claim Cross the Threshold – A Road Map to AIRS Bill 59
For further information, regarding these publications and papers, please contact Thomas Connolly at tom.connolly@connollyobagi.com.
Government Submissions and Consultations
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor on Submission to the Ontario Government and the Financial Services Commission on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association called “Ontario Auto Insurance Five-Year Review: Access to Justice and a Balanced System dated July 14, 2008”.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submission to the Ontario Government on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association in reference to the Government’s Proposed Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices Regulation Consultation, January 28, 2005.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor on Submission to the Ontario Government on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association in reference to the Government’s Proposed Elimination of Designated Assessment Centres, January 6, 2005.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submissions to the Ontario Civil Rules Committee on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association dated October 7, 2004, regarding the Cost Grid.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submissions to the Ontario Civil Rules Committee on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association dated October 1, 2004, on Discovery Reform and Confidentiality of Mandatory Mediation.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor on Submission to the Ontario Government on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association in reference to the Government’s Proposed Customized Auto Insurance Policy, September 25, 2004.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submissions to Attorney General for Ontario on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association dated September 24, 2004, on Taxation and Payment of Personal Injury Damage Awards.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submissions to Attorney General for Ontario on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association dated April 22, 2004, on New Proposed Regulation under the Solicitors Act on Contingency Fees.
- Tom Connolly, Financial Services Commission of Ontario, Insurance Stakeholder’s Meeting, Co-representative on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyer’s Association, North York , Ontario , April 6, 2004.
- Tom Connolly, Contributor of Submission to the Ontario Government on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association in reference to the Government’s Proposed Expert Assessor Network March 31, 2004.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submissions to the Ontario Civil Rules Committee on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association dated September 26, 2003 in response to Request for Comments on the Cost Grid proposal.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submissions to the Ontario Civil Rules Committee on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association dated September 25, 2003 in response to Request for Comments on proposed amendments to Rule 49 “Offers to Settle”.
- Tom Connolly, Submissions to the Liberal Auto Insurance Reform Committee on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association on July 10, 2003 at Queen’s Park, Consultations on White Paper “Lower Rates for a Change; the Liberal Plan for Auto Insurance”.
- Tom Connolly, Submissions to Ontario Minister of Finance Janet Ecker on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association on July 10, 2003, Queen’s Park, regarding the Government’s White Paper “Automobile Insurance Affordability Plan for Ontario, Next Steps”.
- Tom Connolly, Lead Contributor of Submission on behalf of Ontario Trial Lawyer’s Association to The Honourable Mr. Justice Colin Campbell, Task Force on the Discovery Process in Ontario, for the Attorney General and the Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Ontario, January 24, 2003.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submissions to the Ontario Civil Rules Committee on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association dated January 15, 2003, in response to Request of Associate Chief Justice O”Connor for comments on the Cost Grid.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor, Response of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) dated March 13, 2003 to the Government’s Proposed Regulations to Accompany “The Promise for a Strong Economy Act Budget Measures, 2002” which received Royal Ascent on December 9, 2002.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submissions to Attorney General for Ontario on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association dated October 30, 2002, on Courts of Justice Act Amendments Restricting Jury Trials.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submission to the Ontario Government on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association called “Maintaining Integrity in the Ontario Auto Insurance System” dated October 7, 2002 in reference to the Government’s Proposed Auto Insurance Legislative Changes dated September 25, 2002.
- Tom Connolly, Co-Contributor of Submissions to the Ontario Civil Rules Committee on behalf of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association dated January 21,2001 on Consultation regarding the Cost Grid.
- Tom Connolly, Submissions to Ontario Government Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on Auto Insurance Reform, Ottawa Hearing, called “One Voice for Innocent Victims”, February 28, 1996
Reported Judicial Decisions
- Jiwa v. Cox Estate, 2022 ONSC 6991
- Rekowski v. Corporation of the County of Renfrew, 2021 ONSC 6805
- Rekowski v. Renfrew (County), 2021 ONSC 4879
- McGrimmon v. Hanniman et al., 2021 ONSC 4034
- Gagnon v. Sivasamboo, 2021 ONSC 3853
- Boone v. O’Kelly, 2021 ONSC 2308
- Boone v. O’Kelly, 2020 ONSC 6932
- Paul Boone v. Dr. Kevin O’Kelly et al, 2020 ONSC 5813
- Paul Boone v. Dr. Kevin O’Kelly et al, 2020 ONSC 5192
- Boone v. Kyeremanteng, 2020 ONSC 198
- Patterson v. Peladeau, 2020 ONCA 137
- Rekowski v. Renfrew (County), 2019 ONSC 2852
- Connolly and Connolly Obagi LLP, 2019 ONSC 1693
- Connolly and Connolly Obagi LLP, 2018 ONSC 4696
- Patterson v. Peladeau, 2018 ONSC 2625
- Groia v. Law Society of Upper Canada, [2018] 1 S.C.R. 772
- Awada v Glaeser, 2017 ONSC 1094
- Lyons Estate v Dr. Freeman et al., 2017 ONSC 676
- Lyons Estate v Dr. Freeman et al., 2017 ONSC 534
- Lyons Estate v Dr. Freeman et al., 2017 ONSC 533
- Groia v. Law Society of Upper Canada, [2016] S.C.C.A. No. 310
- Groia v Law Society of Upper Canada, [2016] O.J. No. 3094
- McClatchie v Rideau Lake (Township), 2015 ONSC 3302
- Azza Mahmoud v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, 2015 ONFSCDRS 159
- Foster v Prince, 2015 ONSC 265
- McClatchie v Rideau Lakes (Township), 2014 ONSC 811
- Heasley v. Labelle, 2013 ONSC 7606
- Dube v. Shooman, 2013 ONSC 6641
- Heasley v. Labelle, 2013 ONSC 4526
- Dube v. Shooman, 2013 ONSC 4348
- Heasley v. Labelle, 2013 ONSC 2601
- McClatchie v. Rideau Lakes (Township), 2013 ONSC 1884
- McClatchie v. Rideau Lakes (Township), 2012 ONSC 6540
- Desormeaux v. Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, 2012 ONSC 3199
- Foster v. Prince, 2012 ONSC 205
- McClatchie et al v. The Corporation of the Township of Rideau Lakes et al, 2011 ONSC 6088
- Outaouais Synergest Incorporated and Keenan, 2011 ONSC 637
- Noonan v. Alpha-Vico, 2010 ONSC 2720
- McGrimmon v. The Personal Insurance Company, 2010 ONCA 655
- McGrimmon and Sholea v. Personal, 2010 ONSC 108
- Poplawski v. McGrimmon, 2009 CanLII 14796 (ON SC)
- Montreal & Canadian Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church v Protection of the Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church, [2003] O.J. No. 209
- Jenkyns v. Kassam, 2002 CanLII 42889 (ON SC)
- Sernoskie Bros. Ltd. v. Colautti Construction Ltd., 2002 CanLII 14330 (ON SC)
- Whiten v. Pilot Insurance Co., 2002 SCC 18 (CanLII), [2002] 1 SCR 595
- Tracey v. Tracey, 1998 CanLII 14893 (ON SC)
- Johnson v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada, 1994 CanLII 7365 (ON SC)
- McNeil v. Village Locksmith Ltd., 1981 CanLII 1798 (ON SC)
Tom Connolly’s Awards
Recipient of the John McLeish Award on May, 22, 2008
This Award is granted by the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association. For outstanding contribution and a leading role in furthering excellence in advocacy skills for trial lawyers.
Recipient of the OTLA Distinguish Trial Lawyer Award on November 17, 2023.
This Award was presented at the Celebration of the Personal Injury gala dinner in Toronto
Tom is a power house lawyer who is professional and knows his stuff which resulted in a successful lawsuit outcome for me and my family.
Deena Addis • Read More Testimonials