Bennett Gastle
5 lawyers · Established 2005 · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 794 handling Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
About Bennett Gastle
Bennett Gastle is a small litigation firm in Toronto, established in 2005 by Elizabeth Bennett-Martin and Chuck Gastle after both began their careers at a larger downtown firm. Over the years the practice grew from a lawyer-only team into one that also includes law clerks and paralegals. Its lawyers, clerks, and paralegals have appeared before every level of court in Ontario, from Small Claims Court up through leave applications to the Supreme Court of Canada, and before tribunals such as the Licence Appeal Tribunal, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, and the Ontario Land Tribunal.
The firm's work centres on civil and commercial litigation, with a strong insurance defence practice covering group health, life, short and long term disability, accidental death and dismemberment, and travel and subrogated claims, plus personal injury and occupier's liability matters. It also handles employment law, breach of contract and creditor-debtor disputes, and international trade and arbitration work.
In 2023, Heather Gastle and Crystal Burns became co-owners of the firm, with Heather overseeing the lawyer side of the practice and Crystal overseeing the paralegal side. Bennett-Martin now runs a separate mediation practice and remains as an advisor to the firm. Gastle continues to practice with the firm, in commercial litigation, international trade law, and international arbitration.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Bennett Gastle was founded in 2005 by Elizabeth Bennett-Martin and Chuck Gastle.
- Chuck Gastle was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Palmes academiques by the Government of France in March 2004.
- Chuck Gastle served as an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School from 2002 to 2014 and received an adjunct faculty teaching award from the school in 2006.
- Chuck Gastle received the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council's Procurement Business Advocate of the Year Award in 2006.
- The Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Association gave Chuck Gastle its Gold Key Award in 2009.
- Elizabeth Bennett-Martin served as Vice Chair of the Ontario Licence Appeal Tribunal for eight years and was inducted into the Canadian Academy of Distinguished Neutrals.
- In 2023, Heather Gastle and Crystal Burns transitioned into co-ownership of the firm, continuing its litigation practice. Bennett-Martin stayed on as an advisor, and Gastle continued to practice with the firm.
In the community
- Elizabeth Bennett-Martin co-founded CLEW (Cambodian Legal Education for Women) in 2009, a registered Canadian charity that provides scholarships, housing, and support so young women from rural Cambodia can complete a law degree at the Royal University of Law and Economics in Cambodia.
- A lawyer at the firm has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada since 2006 and with One Spark, a charity supporting women escaping violence, since 2016, and has also supported CLEW since joining the firm in 2022.
- A lawyer at the firm mentors law students and junior lawyers, belongs to the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, and serves on Osgoode Hall Law School's alumni association board.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentLawyers 5
The neighbourhood
Bennett Gastle's office sits at the corner of Old Kingston Road and Orchard Park Drive in West Hill, a Scarborough neighbourhood in Toronto's east end. The building itself, known as the John Richardson House, dates to 1860, making it older than Confederation, and the City of Toronto designated it a heritage property in 1980 under the former City of Scarborough. It's named for John Richardson, who served as West Hill's postmaster from 1879 to 1917 and also worked as York County Clerk and township treasurer. The house once fronted the original road connecting Toronto to Kingston and Montreal, before a modern divided highway took over the Kingston Road name and left the older route to be called Old Kingston Road.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of legal work does Bennett Gastle handle?
- Bennett Gastle is a small litigation firm that focuses on civil and commercial litigation, with a strong insurance defence practice, along with personal injury, employment law, and creditor-debtor disputes.
- Does Bennett Gastle represent insurers or policyholders in insurance disputes?
- The firm's insurance work is on the defence side. It represents insurers in disputes over group health, life, short and long term disability, accidental death and dismemberment, and travel claims.
- Has Bennett Gastle handled cases at the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court of Canada?
- Yes. The firm lists reported decisions including Kumarasamy v Western Life Assurance Company at the Ontario Court of Appeal, where leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada was later refused, along with other Court of Appeal matters.
- Where is Bennett Gastle located?
- The firm's office is at 27 Old Kingston Road in the West Hill neighbourhood of Scarborough, Toronto, in a heritage building known as the John Richardson House that dates to 1860.
- Who owns Bennett Gastle today?
- Since 2023, Heather Gastle and Crystal Burns have been co-owners of the firm, with Heather overseeing the lawyer side of the practice and Crystal overseeing the paralegal side. Founder Elizabeth Bennett-Martin remains involved as an advisor, and founder Chuck Gastle continues to practice with the firm.
- Does Bennett Gastle handle employment law matters?
- Yes, employment law is one of the firm's practice areas, alongside its civil and commercial litigation and insurance defence work.
Where to find them
27 Old Kingston Road, Toronto, ON M1E 3J6 · 416-361-3319
Similar firms in City of Toronto
Danson Delavar LLP is a Toronto litigation boutique handling high-stakes commercial, employment, constitutional, and insurance disputes. Its two partners, Timothy Danson and Marjan Delavar, bring decades of trial and …
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Employment & Labour Law
Personal Injury
Administrative & Regulatory Law
Jordan Honickman Barristers is a civil litigation boutique based in downtown Toronto, practicing across Ontario. Michael Jordan and Asher Honickman formed the firm in 2021, and it represents both plaintiffs and defend…
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Insurance LawEmployment & Labour LawPersonal InjuryScher Law Professional Corporation is a Toronto firm dedicated to civil litigation, with a particular focus on employment, human rights, and disability insurance law. The firm, founded by Hugh Scher over 25 years ago,…
Employment & Labour LawCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionPersonal InjuryInsurance LawListing compiled from the firm’s public website in July 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗