Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP

09/03/2026

Nine Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP lawyers are recognized in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada, across insurance law, medical negligence, and personal injury litigation.

Partner Jim Davidson has also been named the 2027 Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation in Toronto, a designation that goes to a single lawyer in each practice area and region based on the highest peer feedback for the year.

Best Lawyers recognition is decided entirely by confidential peer review. The lawyers who evaluate us are the ones we work with and against in mediations and courtrooms across Ontario. There is no fee to be considered and no way to buy a listing.

Recognized this year: David Morin, Jim Davidson, Paul Cahill, Chris Morrison, Ron Strike, and Joel Cormier in The Best Lawyers in Canada, and Hudson Chalmers, Kathleen Lefebvre, and Tiffany Usher in Ones to Watch.

Congratulations to Jim, and to Kathleen on her first Best Lawyers recognition.

Read the full announcement and lawyer profiles:

Jim Davidson is named a 2027 Personal Injury Litigation Lawyer of the Year in Toronto, one of nine DCM lawyers recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada.

07/14/2026

An extraordinary storm does not automatically let a negligent builder off the hook.

That is the question thousands of Ottawa homeowners are now facing. After the Canada Day storm flooded basements across the city, many are left wondering how the water got in, and whether poor construction, not just the rain, is the reason.

In a new piece, our partner Peter Reinitzer explains why a home that floods while its neighbours stay dry may point to hidden construction deficiencies, negligent design, or substandard workmanship, and what homeowners should do about it.

He also flags a trap that catches people off guard: in Ontario, the two-year limitation clock can start running well before the flood itself. Waiting until the insurance dust settles can quietly bar a claim.

If your home was affected, or you advise people whose homes were, it is worth a read.

Basement flooding after the 2026 Ottawa storm may point to construction defects. How homeowners can investigate liability before limitation periods run.

07/13/2026

On Saturday, our lawyers and staff traded the office for Woodbine Beach to play in the 32nd annual Heatwave for SickKids beach volleyball tournament.

Heatwave has been a Toronto summer tradition since 1995, and every team on the sand plays in support of SickKids Foundation and The Hospital for Sick Children. Over the years, the tournament has raised roughly $5 million for SickKids.

We had a great day on the court, and we're proud to support a hospital that means so much to children and families across Ontario.

Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP joined the 2026 Heatwave for SickKids beach volleyball tournament at Woodbine Beach, supporting Toronto's children's hospital.

06/19/2026

A win for our clients. In Slatkovsky v Machado, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice awarded $150,318 after a century home's structural renovations turned out to be unpermitted and undisclosed, holding both the vendors and the dual-agent realtor liable.

Our lawyers David Morin and Peter Reinitzer acted for the successful plaintiffs. Read our case comment:

An Ontario court held vendors and a double-ending realtor liable for an undisclosed unpermitted renovation and a misleading well report, awarding $150,318.

03/18/2026

On March 3, 2026, associate Hudson Chalmers acted as a trial judge for the medical malpractice moot organized by Legate Injury Lawyers and Western Health Law Association. This was Hudson’s third year in a row participating as a trial judge for this competition.

Well done, Hudson!

On March 3, 2026, Hudson Chalmers, an associate at Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP, acted as a trial judge for the medical malpractice moot organized by Legate Injury Lawyers and Western Health Law Association. This was Hudson’s third year in a row participating as a trial judge for this competition....

03/06/2026

In our latest blog post, partner Peter Reinitzer provides an analysis of the significant Ontario case, Austin v. MacFarlane, which addresses latent defects and vendor liability in residential real estate transactions.

The court ruled that the sellers were liable for not disclosing serious hidden defects, leading to damages exceeding $119,000 for the buyer. This decision underscores the legal risks vendors face when they misrepresent a property's condition or neglect to disclose known latent defects.

For further insights, you can read more about the case here:

In the recent decision of Austin v. MacFarlane, 2026 ONSC 463, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice addressed the ongoing tension between a vendor's silence and the active concealment of property defects. For litigation counsel and homeowners facing foundation issues, the case serves as a focused r...

01/20/2026

In the landscape of Ontario real estate litigation, the principle of caveat emptor (buyer beware) has long served as a formidable defense for vendors. However, as the recent decision in Oliva v Dickson, 2025 ONSC 6666 makes clear, this shield is not impenetrable. When a homeowner steps into the shoes of a builder or substantial renovator, they take on legal obligations that cannot be easily signed away in a standard form contract.

In the landscape of Ontario real estate litigation, the principle of caveat emptor (buyer beware) has long served as a formidable defense for vendors. However, as the recent decision in Oliva v Dickson, 2025 ONSC 6666 makes clear, this shield is not impenetrable. When a homeowner steps into the shoe...

12/16/2025

I was retained by Merton Thompson ("Merton") in 2016. His young wife Elisha Shaw ("Elisha"), mother to his 4 children, had died after being discharged from the emergency department. Merton came to me looking for answers and accountability. A Statement of Claim was issued in 2017 alleging negligence....

12/11/2025

The staff and lawyers of Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP enjoyed our annual holiday lunch today in Toronto.

Wishing our friends, clients and colleagues all the best over the holiday season.

12/01/2025

Thank-you Hudson Chalmers for lending your expertise this weekend by volunteer judging a medical malpractice mock trial for students at the University of Toronto. Well done to all the participants!

On November 29, 2025, medical malpractice lawyer Hudson Chalmers, of Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP, volunteered as a trial judge at the 8th Annual University of Toronto Mock Trial Cup.The hypothetical case involved a 13-year-old boy who attended an emergency department with a history of headaches and...