35 Years, 35 Voices: Meet Duncan Embury
35 Years, 35 Voices highlights the members who have contributed to the Ontario Trial Lawyers Associations (OTLA) growth, strengthened access to justice and supported a collaborative plaintiff-side community across Ontario over the past 35 years.
Meet Duncan Embury, member since 2002.
Duncan is also one of this year’s distinguished honourees at OTLA’s 2026 Celebration of the Personal Injury Bar, taking place on Friday, November 20, at The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto.
Member Profile
Name: Duncan Embury
Firm: Neinstein LLP
Year called to the bar: 1996
Joined OTLA: 2002
We asked Duncan to reflect on his time with OTLA, the role the Association has played in his career and what being part of the OTLA community means to him.
What motivated you to join?
I was in the process of shifting my practice from primarily commercial litigation to plaintiff side medical negligence and realized that I needed the support and expertise that would only come from collaboration with other more experienced medical negligence lawyers.
If you’ve been a member for more than five years, what has inspired you to renew your membership?
There are many things I love about OTLA, but the role it plays in interventions and the depth and strength of the CLE programs stand out for me. Having chaired the Interventions Committee for a number of years, I know first-hand the rigour that is applied to determining whether leave to intervene should be sought in any given case and the role OTLA has played in shaping important legal precedents through this work.
Do you have a memorable OTLA moment or story you’d like to share?
Arguing the issue of post judgment interest in Aubin as counsel for the Intervenor (OTLA) was one of my most memorable moments. I recall walking down to the Court of Appeal feeling a strange additional pressure of knowing I was representing the interests of this esteemed organization, its members and the constituents they serve.
What is something you learned at an OTLA event that you still use in your practice today?
There are so many. Even after all these years, I still try to attend as many conferences as possible because I never leave without gaining a new practice tip or useful insight.
Have you made any meaningful professional connections through OTLA? If so, who or in what way?
I have worked with several members as co-counsel and have formed lasting bonds with many through the giving and receiving of practice advice. I think this is yet another massive benefit of OTLA in terms of the knowledge that you can always pick up the phone and call a friend for guidance and advice.
What advice would you give to new OTLA members or lawyers just starting out?
Go to conferences. Seek out ways to get involved and never be afraid to reach out for advice whether through the Listserve or directly.
What does being part of the OTLA community mean to you?
We collectively represent the interests of injured Ontarians. That is a big deal and it takes all of us acting together to make that a reality.