Switzer Litigation

About Switzer Litigation

Switzer Litigation is a small civil litigation firm based in Ottawa, focused mainly on personal injury and insurance disputes such as car, tractor-trailer, and other vehicle accidents, slip and falls, and disputes over life, disability, and travel insurance coverage. The firm was founded by Michael Switzer, who earned a law degree from the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law in 2001 and articled at a Toronto litigation firm before returning to Ottawa to build a litigation department at an established local firm. Switzer went on to reach what was, at the time, the largest settlement under Ontario's Bill 198 automobile insurance regime, a case that led insurance companies to also seek out that litigation experience.

The Ottawa office's paralegal team traces back to that earlier firm as well. James Horan and Jessica Hennessey, who hold degrees from Carleton University and Queen's University plus paralegal training from Algonquin College, now prepare cases and manage documents for trial. Horan started out with the firm's predecessor, while Hennessey worked on class action litigation before being recruited to join that predecessor firm. Switzer's family history in Ontario goes back to United Empire Loyalist settlers in the 18th century, and after taking on an early aviation matter, Switzer earned a private pilot licence to better understand that part of the practice. The office is on Somerset Street West in Ottawa's Centretown West neighbourhood.