Peter J.E. Cronyn

Peter Cronyn is a partner with Nelligan O'Brien Payne LLP. Peter practices in Insurance Defence, Litigation, Intellectual Property and Personal Injury and Wrongful Death. He has been practising advocacy exclusively since 1979 and has appeared at all levels of the Court system.

Throughout his career, he has represented individuals, insurers and corporate clients on a broad range of matters, including personal injury, wrongful death, product liability, occupier’s liability, property and damage loss, business interruption, fire loss, arson, fraud, and bad faith. In addition, he has extensive experience in the professional liability field, representing plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases and providing defences for architects, engineers, and members of the dental professions.

Peter also has broad experience in representing clients in commercial disputes, including contract disputes, directors’ and officers’ liability, breach of fiduciary duty, and securities litigation. He has also represented clients in intellectual property and technology-related disputes and litigation.

Peter was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers as a Fellow in 2009. He was the President of The Advocates’ Society in 2008-09, and was also the President of the County of Carleton Law Association in 1994-5.

Peter was selected to be included in the 2008 to 2019 editions of the Best Lawyers in Canada, in the areas of Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation, and Insurance Law. He was selected as Best Lawyers’ Ottawa “Lawyer of the Year” in 2010 for Corporate and Commercial Litigation, in 2015 for Insurance Law and again in 2017 for Personal Injury Litigation. In addition, he was recognized by Benchmark Canada as one of the preeminent litigation practitioners in Ontario in both the 3rd and 4th editions, as well as recognized as one of the leading practitioners in the 2013-2018 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in the areas of Commercial Insurance Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation.

Peter has delivered numerous papers at conferences convened by the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association, The Advocates’ Society, the County of Carleton Law Association, and the University of Ottawa. He is a co-author of the text Personal Injury Actions and author of Product Liability Update: Current and Emerging Trends in the 1998 Law Society of Upper Canada Special Lectures.

Peter enjoys the intellectual challenge of law, and the opportunity to help people, especially those who need a voice. He finds it most rewarding solving a client’s problem as quickly and effectively as possible. Peter is efficient and strategic, but also sympathetic to his clients’ needs.

Outside of work, Peter tries to remain active and healthy. In summer, that involves golf, horseback-riding, tennis, and kayaking, while in winter he skis, skates, and snow-shoes. He has also travelled extensively—including Europe, the United States and the Caribbean—and loves exploring new places. Peter’s family is his number one priority in life, but he is also passionate about sports, film, art, food, and wine.