Laura Hillyer

Laura Hillyer divides her practice between Personal Injury Litigation and Criminal Defence. She strives to help her clients with the challenges they face whether they are injured or disabled and are seeking fair compensation, or are charged with a criminal offence. Laura believes that practising in these two areas of law provides her with a wide breadth of experience and gives her a balanced approach in facing legal problems.

Show Me the Policy, Honey! Why is Uber keeping its insurance details a secret?

Uber maintains it has sufficient insurance to protect customers of the popular ride-sharing program, but refuses to produce the paperwork to prove it. On March 9, 2015, Uber asked an Ontario Superior Court Judge for an Order to seal its insurance policy, claiming it is necessary to do so for “competitive reasons”. The sufficiency of Uber’s insurance coverage is a hot button topic and Uber …

Be Uber Aware!

Uber is once again making the news due to concerns about proper insurance coverage – both for Uber operators AND Uber passengers. New facts uncovered by BuzzFeed focus on a California investigation, but may cause Ontario Uber users to question the company’s commitment to ensuring both its operators and passengers are adequately covered by insurance. In an effort to keep costs down, many Uber operators …

Bill 15: New Auto Insurance Legislation Inhibits Access to Justice, Requires Amendment

With Bill 15, introduced in July 2014, the government has brought forward amendments that were initially introduced earlier this year. OTLA welcomes the new legislation which would bring forward Justice Douglas Cunningham’s much-needed reforms to the auto insurance dispute resolution system. While we welcome the majority of the recommendations, there are two outstanding issues that we ask MPPs to address through amendments at committee: ensuring …

OTLA Proud to Support Proposed Legislation to Make Roads Safer

The Ontario government has announced plans to increase fines for distracted driving, a move that the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association welcomes. OTLA Director of Public Affairs, John Karapita, is pictured in a group above with Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca (center), MPPs Eleanor McMahon, Kathryn McGarry, Mike Colle and Han Dong, along with OSL President Brian Patterson and many more road safety partners, during the …

ROM exhibition raises awareness of fashion options available for those in wheelchairs

Couple sits in wheelchairs at cafe

“The world has many bodies and not all of them are standing.” The Royal Ontario Museum is hosting “Fashion Follows Form: Designs for Sitting”, an exhibit highlighting adaptive clothing designs for men and women who use wheelchairs.  The exhibit has been running since June 21, 2014 and will go until January 25, 2015. The exhibition showcases designs from Izzy Camilleri, a Canadian designer with an …

The Hidden Dangers of Swimming Pool Entrapment

Most parents are familiar with the usual dangers associated with swimming. However, little is known of the potentially very serious hazards associated with “swimming pool entrapment”. Children are particularly vulnerable to entrapment which occurs when swimmers become trapped at or against a pool or spa drain, due to pump suction. Hair, body parts, bathing suits and jewellery can lead to entrapment and the resulting injuries …