About Us

THE SIZE & EXPERTISE TO MEET YOUR NEEDS

From the start, we hoped to succeed through hard work for our clients and with a practical approach to problem-solving. We think this approach strikes the Right Balance.

Over the years, we have followed this formula to success, as our Toronto law firm has grown from 11 to over 50 lawyers and we've opened four regional offices in Ottawa, Kitchener, Barrie and London enabling us to serve clients from across Canada, the United States and around the world. Our present size and level of experience provide these three major benefits to clients:

1. We have the "bench strength" and capability to deal with large files without compromising our tradition of personalized service.
    
2. Our senior lawyers are in their prime years of skill and productivity and will provide service continuity for many years to come.
    
3. We have many other lawyers at various stages of their careers, enabling us to match the experience level of each professional to the work requested of them.

Whether our clients hail from Toronto, Canada, the United States, or elsewhere in the world, our law firm can assist in the following ways:

Insurance Disputes - Much of our law firm's work concentrates on insurance law matters and litigation files sourced from insurers. These include insurance coverage disputes, property insurance litigation, personal injury, motor vehicle and accident benefits, health/life/disability insurance claims, professional and product liability, and all commercial and personal lines. We often act for the insurance industry in complex matters involving municipal, environmental, and other liabilities, as well as subrogation. We also act for insureds, brokers, and members of the reinsurance industry.

Business Disputes - We have a diverse business litigation practice. Banks, trust companies, and other financial institutions retain us on claims concerning their duties to, and rights against, customers and third parties. We act for corporations and their directors and officers in all forms of financial, transactional, and operational disputes. We are active in insolvency matters, including receiverships, enforcement of security, corporate restructuring, proposals, and bankruptcies.

Risk Management - We help you manage the risks you face, particularly in areas such as employment law, environmental law, construction law, privacy, and insurance coverage, including drafting policies and procedures.

Class Action Litigation - Ever since the Class Proceedings Act passed in the Province of Ontario in 1992, our firm has been at the forefront of the defence of class action litigation.

BEST RESULTS. SHORTEST TIME. LEAST EXPENSE

At McCague Borlack LLP, we are committed to providing our clients with high-quality legal services. Our mission is to achieve the best result in the shortest time.

When resolving disputes, we may determine alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods such as mediation and arbitration are the best choice of action. These methods are often faster and less costly than the court system because matters can be resolved within weeks or months rather than years.

However, in achieving the best result for you, it is sometimes necessary to take the matter through court processes, including trial and appeal. Here, too, we consider it important to achieve the best result as quickly as possible for the least cost.

WE HELP YOU SUCCEED WITH THE “RIGHT BALANCE”

This is what the "Right Balance" means to us:

• We balance the hard work we do for you with an enjoyable work environment. Our lawyers and professional staff are chosen because they are passionate about the law, sensitive to the needs of our clients, and committed to sharing the firm’s philosophy about achieving the right balance. This allows us to attract and retain the best in Canadian legal talent to help you meet your objectives.
   
• We balance the concepts of superior results against timely and cost-effective service.
   
• Diversity in our law firm’s members’ cultural and ethnic makeup is important – this allows us to offer service in many languages.
   
• We balance our fast-paced, productive workdays with good humour, enthusiasm for our work, and a genuine interest in your affairs.
   
• Experience in arbitration, mediation, and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques helps us balance efficiency with results. These alternative methods are complementary to our strong and well-deserved reputation as litigators ready to appear in court, at trial, and on appeal, as necessary.
   
• McCague Borlack LLP balances the advantages of specialization as a litigation boutique law firm with the breadth of experience and depth of talent to make a difference for you.

Does this philosophy work? Our clients confirm it.

OUR TECHNOLOGY HELPS TO KEEP YOU UPDATED

For many clients, it is essential to be able to work easily and smoothly with their lawyers. We have ensured that our law firm’s technology allows this.

Working with Clients - All firm members have access to secure videoconferencing and file-sharing platforms. This enables us to make regular contact and safely share information and documents with clients, counsel, witnesses, etc. to advance our client’s litigation matters in a timely manner.

Effective Technology - We have introduced custom-built file and document management systems, allowing all firm members to operate in a paperless environment, and to track required limitation periods and other litigation tasks. This allows our legal team to make effective progress on client matters without restrictions or delay.

Security First - Our firm members receive formal cybersecurity training quarterly. This ensures we are at the forefront of maintaining the privacy of our client’s data. Our IT Department is also committed to keeping up to date with the latest cybersecurity to protect all firm and client data.

MB TAKES INNOVATIVE AND LEADING ROLES

Our clients count on us to take innovative and leading roles in our profession.

National Service - In the mid-1990s, we recognized that there was no national association of law firms dedicated to providing litigation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services to clients. Accordingly, we took the initiative to become a founding member of the Canadian Litigation Counsel (CLC). Now a nationwide association of independent law firms, CLC handles coordinated litigation and related services to the insurance industry and other public and private institutions. The group is specifically structured to serve and respond to our principals’ needs on a national and regional basis. CLC serves clients of member firms to ensure rapid, efficient, and consistent legal assistance across Canada. To help its members serve you better while controlling costs, CLC is at the forefront of e-mail reporting and computerized file management.

International Service - In the late 1990s, the Canadian Litigation Counsel (CLC) affiliated with a similar organization in the United States, The Harmonie Group. Like CLC, the Harmonie Group is an affiliation of independent law firms, all specializing in litigation and alternative dispute resolution. The Harmonie Group has 60 member firms with at least one firm qualified to practice law in every U.S. state. Canadian Litigation Counsel’s association with the Harmonie Group helps give you access to legal excellence in every jurisdiction in North America, the U.K., India and throughout Europe.

Regional Counsel - In 2020, McCague Borlack announced its exciting new relationship with Metcalfe Blainey and Burns LLP (“MBB”). McCague Borlack Lawyers will act as counsel to MBB forming a dynamic team that can provide creative dispute resolution services to MBB’s clients. Combining MBB’s knowledge of their client’s needs with the advocacy skills of the McCague Borlack team ensures that the clients obtain exceptional results when they find themselves in a potential legal dispute.

OUR ENVIRONMENT VALUES & EMBRACES DIVERSITY

Mission Statement - McCague Borlack values and respects the diverse backgrounds, cultures, orientations and traditions of all firm members, potential candidates and the clientele we serve. We are dedicated to providing excellence through our people, our work, and our relationships. To achieve these goals, we maintain our core value of diversity by recruiting the best people with the strongest legal skills to work in an environment free of discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, we foster a workplace that welcomes the acceptance and inclusion of our national mosaic in the recruitment, retention, development and promotion of our lawyers and staff.

We believe there is no greater strength than that which we achieve when we embrace the differences in all of us.

Objective - To promote our mission, we have established a firm Diversity Committee. This committee provides leadership to allow our firm to accomplish the following:

• Provide a workplace free of discrimination on the grounds of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, gender, orientation, age, marital status, family status, same-sex partnership status or disability.
• Create an environment in which every member of the firm can realize his or her potential for excellence.
• Create an environment that respects people’s dignity, ideas and beliefs, thereby ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion in employment.
• Identify barriers that might prevent each office from complying with the mission.
• Once barriers are identified, establish policies and procedures to eliminate these barriers.
• Provide opportunities for and encourage diversity and inclusion education and training.
• Promote equal opportunity for all legal and non-legal staff and those seeking employment at our firm in a workplace free of discrimination.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact a member of our Diversity Committee:

• Theresa Hartley - Co-Chair
• Howard Borlack - Co-Chair
• Martin Smith - Ottawa
• Michael Kennedy - Kitchener

BRIBES AND CORRUPTION ARE NOT TOLERATED

McCague Borlack LLP (the "Firm") is committed to best practices and maintaining the highest standards of honesty and integrity. As part of that commitment, the Firm, its lawyers, law clerks and employees (collectively “Firm Members”) will not engage in bribery or corruption in any form and will act in compliance with Canada’s Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act and other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws.

This full policy appears on our intranet and applies to all Firm Members concerning both Firm activities and all services undertaken for clients.

For any clients requiring a copy, please contact our Chair of Professional Development, Theresa Hartley, Partner.