Michael Kennedy

About Michael Kennedy

When a grocery store shopper was allegedly struck by ice falling from a canopy, the property owner who got sued turned to Michael Kennedy, and the case went on to test a hold harmless clause with the winter maintenance contractor. Negligence claims like that are the core of Kennedy's insurance defence work, whether the injuries come from a motor vehicle collision, a hazard on someone's premises or a product that's alleged to be faulty. Another matter saw Kennedy act for an auto insurer against a travel insurer in a dispute over which policy had to cover out-of-province medical bills.

Kennedy puts real weight on professionalism and civility, and works in a practical way: reaching a fair settlement when that's the sensible route, and fighting hard for the client when the file needs a trial or a hearing. Kennedy serves on the board of the Guelph Youth Music Centre, a nonprofit that helps young people learn music, and loves time with family.

Insurance defence litigation is the only kind of law Kennedy has ever practised since the 2009 call to the Ontario bar, and the trial lawyer is now a partner in McCague Borlack LLP's Kitchener office. Accident benefits disputes take Kennedy to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (and earlier to FSCO), with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal another venue. In court, Kennedy has appeared at every level in Ontario, acted as lead counsel in jury and non-jury trials in the Superior Court of Justice, and argued appeals at the Court of Appeal for Ontario.