Personal Injury Litigation
James R. "Jim" Howie
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2006 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
"I chose, along with my founding partners, to create a law firm which would be dedicated to providing quality legal service to personal injury victims."
Jim’s practice is devoted to litigation, principally in the areas of personal injury litigation, insurance claims and medical malpractice, on behalf of victims.
Jim helps clients deal with disasters that have come into their lives. When it comes to making sure that they are properly compensated for their injuries and able to manage the quality of their lives moving forward, Jim takes a hard-nosed approach to his cases. He has tried these cases and appeared before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Divisional Court and the Ontario Court of Appeal, as well as various tribunals, including the Financial Services Commission of Ontario.
Jim has both chaired and lectured frequently for various personal injury programmes put on by a number of legal professional associations, of which he is a member, and has held leadership roles in several prominent lawyer and medical-legal organizations over the years. He has also presented and written for Canadian Defence Lawyers, Lexpert®, Insight and others, and has lectured frequently on auto insurance at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Jim has been recognized and qualified as an expert in personal injury law by the Ontario Superior Court. He has been, for many years, continually named to the list of “Best Lawyers in Canada,” “Lexpert® Directory of Legal Experts” and the National Post’s List of Best Lawyers in Canada.
Jim founded the St. Michael’s Hospital Head Injury Clinic annual Charity Golf Tournament, and has served numerous times as the tournament’s Chairman. Each year, it raises more than $100,000 to benefit the Clinic. He also served for two years on the non-profit Brain Injury Association of Toronto as a Director.
Practice Focus Representative Cases- Opoku, Sarpong v. Coseco Insurance Co., 49 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.) (Ontario Court of Appeal 2000)
- Meandro and Pilot Insurance Company, FSCO Appeal P-004433 (1997)
- Alfred and Allstate/State Farm, FSCO Appeal P96-00015 (1997)
- Cole and Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, FSCO A96-000394 (1997)
- Adabi Ghomi and Allstate Insurance Company of Canada and Wellington Insurance Company, FSCO Appeal P96-00065 (1997)
- $11.5 Million – Teen suffered severe head injury, rendered a quadriplegic in crash
- $10.32 Million – Teen severely injured in a car accident
- $5.6 Million – Child with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), struck by a car and suffered head injury
- $3.1 Million – Personal trainer suffered catastrophic injuries after being hit by car
- $2 Million – 15-year-old suffered spinal cord injury jumping in swimming pool
- $2 Million – Fast food owner/chef suffered brain injury after being struck by car
- $1.55 Million – 20-year-old passenger sustained brain injury in car accident
- Advocates’ Society, Former Director, Current Member, 1985 – Present
- Medico-Legal Society of Toronto, Council Member, 2000 – Present
- American Association for Justice, Current Member, 1984 – Present
- The Toronto Lawyer’s Association, (Past President, 2002), 2002 – Present
- Brain Injury Association of Toronto, Former Director, 1992 – 1994
- Ontario Bar Association
- Ontario Trial Lawyers Association
- Building Your Network and Professional Reputation Amongst Your Peers, Ontario Bar Association, November 13, 2013
- Top 10 Mistakes You Should Not Make in Your First Few Years of Practice, Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, September 25, 2013
- Why Does My Head Hurt? Acquired Brain Injury Litigation and Medicine, May 1, 2013
- Qualification of Family Doctor (in Chief / Direct Examination) by Plaintiff Lawyer, Co-presenter, Canadian Defence Lawyers, March 30, 2012
- Accessing Funding for Medical Rehabilitation, Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP Accident Benefits Seminar, March 29, 2012
- How an Injury May be Deemed to be Catastrophic, Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, September 27, 2011
- Recent Trends in Personal Injury, Ontario Trial Lawyers Conference, May 26, 2011
- Pet Peeves and Problem Areas, Professionally Speaking, Canadian Defence Lawyers 3rd Annual Accident Benefits Joint Plaintiff and Defence Seminar, April, 2011
- It’s Raining CATS and Dogs, Medico-Legal Society of Toronto, February 22, 2011
- Insurance Law Update: Changes in Motor Vehicle Law after September 1, 2010, Toronto Lawyers Association Nutshell Program, December 7, 2010
- Bring Us Your Problem Cases, Canadian Defence Lawyers, November 1, 2010
- Accident Benefits: How to Win Your AB Case from Start to Finish, Canadian Defence Lawyers, April 15, 2010
- Lecturer, Insurance Law to Law Students, Osgoode Hall Law School, 2004 – 2009
- Medical Expert Evidence – What’s Old, What’s New, The Lawyers Weekly, Vol. 17, No. 33, 1998
- Brain Injury Society of Toronto, Board of Directors
- The Advocates Society, Board of Directors
- Medico-Legal Society of Toronto, Member of Council
- Out of the Rough Golf Tournament in support of the St. Michael’s Head Injury Clinic, Chair, 2013
- Called to the Ontario Bar, 1980
- LLB, Queen’s University, Faculty of Law, 1978
- BA (Honors: Deans List) University of Western Ontario, 1975
- Certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation, by The Law Society of Upper Canada
- Qualified Expert on Personal Injury Law, Ontario Superior Court
- Listed in The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory as “Consistently Recommended” in Personal Injury law, 1997-2014
- National Post’s list of best personal injury lawyers in Canada every year since the list’s inception
- Annual List: The Best Lawyers in Canada, Personal Injury Category, 2007 – 2014
Overview
- English
- Queen’s University, LLB, graduated 1978
- Ontario, Law Society of Ontario, 1980
- Advocates Society - Former Director
- American Association for Justice - Member
- Brain Injury Association of Toronto - Former Director
- Law Society of Upper Canada - Member
- Medico-Legal Society of Toronto - Council Member
- Ontario Bar Association - Member
- Ontario Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- Toronto Lawyers Association - Past President
- English
- Ontario, Law Society of Ontario, 1980
- Advocates Society - Former Director
- American Association for Justice - Member
- Brain Injury Association of Toronto - Former Director
- Law Society of Upper Canada - Member
- Medico-Legal Society of Toronto - Council Member
- Ontario Bar Association - Member
- Ontario Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- Toronto Lawyers Association - Past President
- Queen’s University, LLB, graduated 1978
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada™ 2026 for work in:
- Personal Injury Litigation
Special Focus:
- Plaintiffs
News & Media
Insights
“Location, location, location”: Who has jurisdiction over cross border motor vehicle accidents?
Read the overview of relevant case law on cross-border motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) involving Canadian plaintiffs who were injured in the United States.
James R.
Howie
Injured while chasing the sun: Considering cross-border motor vehicle accident claims
Canadian snowbirds should carefully weigh how to proceed in order to obtain maximum benefits and/or compensation for damages. Consulting an experienced Canadian personal injury lawyer, on their own or as co-counsel with an American attorney, can make a real difference in accessing funds to assist in your recovery.
JH![Best Lawyers logo]()
James R.
Howie
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