Offices in Toronto, Huntsville and Bowmanville
"Trial Verdicts boldly proclaim “Its over!” Appeals whisper “Not quite”."
On December 12, 2024, the lawyers and staff of Davidson Cahill Morrison LLP celebrated the holiday season together with a family style lunch at Gusto 501.
Chris has an impressive 25-year career specializing in appeals and civil litigation. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada for his impressive work in personal injury litigation since 2023.
As an appellate lawyer Chris has argued multiple multi-million dollar civil appeals including the largest wrongful death award for general damages in Canadian history. His numerous appeals in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada have become part of the established Canadian Jurisprudence in the fields of tort liability and insurance and has over 60 reported decisions.
His experience in the realm of Insurance extends to general liability, cyber, environmental, builders risk, wrap up liability and professional negligence claims. Chris has an impressive list of national institutional and international clients as well as counsel work for other lawyers.
A trouble shooter by nature, Chris has been retained on a diverse range of files in the field of civil litigation including complex construction defect claims, products liability, class proceedings, and insurance coverage disputes. He has been recognized by such publications as Best Lawyers in Canada and under his joint stewardship of the defence practice the firm has been recognized as one of the Best Law Firms in Canada in the field of insurance by the Globe and Mail.
Under Chris’s leadership, the firm’s subrogation division has secured millions in recovery for insurers, employing innovative solutions to optimize client outcomes in complex claims.
Beyond his legal practice, Chris is a respected speaker within both the plaintiff and insurance bar circuits. He’s authored multiple papers on class proceedings, evidence, insurance law, and product liability, and has been an invited speaker to such institutions as the Canadian Institute, the Canadian Defence Lawyers Association, the American Association for Justice, the Ontario Bar Association as well as numerous private seminars for clients.
Greenwin Inc. v. St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, 2023 ONSC 5097 (CanLII) Successfully defended St. Paul Fire and Marine in a 19 Million dollar settlement dispute
Electek Power Services Inc. v. Greenfield Energy Centre Limited Partnership, 2022 ONSC 894 (CanLII) Successfully quashed an arbitration in a 14 Million dollar claim relating to a transformer fire.
Moore v. 7595611 Canada Corp., 2021 ONCA 459 (CanLII) Upheld the largest general damage claim for wrongful death in Canadian jurisprudence.
Woods v. Jackiewicz, 2020 ONCA 458 (CanLII) – Upheld a 11.5 million dollar verdict in a medical malpractice claim won at first instance by his partner Paul Cahill.
Metropolitan Toronto Condominium Corporation No. 1100 v. A. & G. Shanks Plumbing & Heating Limited, 2020 ONCA 67 (CanLII) Upheld the dismissal of a 10 Million dollar claim against a fire loss.
Metropolitan Toronto Condominium Corporation No. 1100 v. A. & G. Shanks Plumbing & Heating Limited, 2017 ONSC 7237 (CanLII) Successfully defended a 10 Million dollar claim against an Insured in a fire loss clam.
McKnight v. Ontario(Transportation), 2019 ONCA 28 (CanLII) Upheld one of the largest General Damage Awards in Canada for soft tissue / psychological injuries resulting form a motor vehicle accident.
Stilwell v. World Kitchen Inc., 2014 ONCA 770 (CanLII) – Upheld a multimillion dollar product liability verdict against Dow Corning
Demarco v. Dominion of Canada, 2012 ONSC 2076 (CanLII) Successfully upheld the exclusion of a multi million dollar pollution claim for The Dominion.
Horti-Pak Inc. v. Nikko Materials U.S.A. Inc. (Gould Electronics), 2009 CanLII 43188 (ON SC) Successfully defended defendant electrician in multi million dollar electrical fire.
W.H. v. H.C.A., 2006 CanLII 27865 (ON CA) – Successfully overturned a trial decision where the claim against a sexual abuser had been dismissed and one of the leading cases on abuse of process.
Young Estate v. Janssen-Ortho Inc., 2003 CanLII 16347 (ON CA) Successfully Quashed an appeal by Janssen-Ortho brought in a class proceeding relating to substitution of parties.
Boulanger v. Johnson & Johnson Corp., 2003 CanLII 52154 (ON CA) Successfully argued in support of a novel tort relating to regulatory non-compliance against a pharmaceutical manufacturer in a class proceeding.
Robb Estate v. Canadian Red Cross Society, 2002 CanLII 35822 (ON CA) Successfully overturned a trial decision which had found the Red Cross liable for distribution of Contaminated Blood.
Walker Estate v. York Finch General Hospital, 2001 SCC 23 (CanLII), [2001] 1 SCR 647 Argued one of the leading cases on causation in the Supreme Court of Canada.
Chippewas of Sarnia Band v. Canada (Attorney General), 1996 CanLII 8015 (ON SC) one of the team of lawyers that certified the first “reverse” class proceeding in Ontario.