Mr Robert W Traves Partner Borden Ladner Gervais LLP - Lawyer Biography - International Law Office

Background

Bob Traves is currently one of two Managing Partners in our Toronto office. Bob was called to the Ontario Bar in 1985.

Bob received his LLB conferred cum laude from the University of Ottawa law school. Prior to that he attended the University of Toronto in the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Arts program.

Areas of Practice

• Civil Litigation - municipal liability, insurance law, occupiers’ liability, property and casualty law.

Professional Experience

• Practised exclusively in the civil litigation field since 1985 primarily in the areas of municipal liability including the design and maintenance of roadways, building design and inspections, liability of taxation and finance departments, sewage drainage systems claims, police liability claims, property and casualty insurance, all automobile regimes, errors and omissions defence of life and disability agents, occupiers’ liability.
• Lead counsel at trials and interlocutory proceedings before the former District Court, Supreme Court General Division, the present Superior Court of Justice, Divisional Court, Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada
• Advises insurers on issues relating to property, casualty and automobile claims.
• Provides advice in the drafting of various policies offered by insurers.
• Significant experience handling serious personal injury claims including brain injury, spinal cord intrusion, fibromyalgia and chronic pain claims
• Extensive experience as lead counsel representing clients at both mandatory and private mediations in all types of claims involving serious personal injury, multiparty disputes, construction matters and police claims.
• In House Counsel at Confederation Life Insurance Company.

Professional and Community Activities

• Presentation: “Roadway Under Construction” at Osgoode Hall Professional Development Program, Complex Issues in Tort Litigation, October 22, 2004
• Presentation: "Mediation and Arbitration, Bill 164: A Defence Perspective."
• Presentation: “What’s New in the Field of Experts”, presented at the Advocates Society, Toronto, 1997.
• Speaker at municipal liability conferences and seminars for insurers on automobile legislation.
• Has prepared papers and presentations before a number of municipal groups and risk managers and adjusters on municipal liability issues.
• Panel Chair on issues relating to expert evidence on behalf of the Advocate Society.
• Member in good standing of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
• Member of the Canadian Bar Association.
• Member of Canadian Bar Association - Ontario Civil Litigation Section.
• Member of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Toronto.

Practice areas to which Robert W. Traves belongs:

• Appeal and Review
• Commercial Arbitration and Mediation
• General Property and Casualty Claims
• Insurance and Tort Liability
• Municipal Law
• Personal Injury and Accident
• Police and Municipal Government Liability