Gilbertson Davis LLP
7 lawyers · Established 1982 · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 202 handling Insurance Law.
Free consultation
Free consultationAbout Gilbertson Davis LLP
Gilbertson Davis LLP is a small litigation firm in downtown Toronto, founded in 1982 and now working out of Suite 800 in the Lumsden Building at 6 Adelaide Street East. It's a team of seven lawyers focused on commercial and business litigation, insurance and reinsurance defence, real estate and property litigation, and cross-border and international disputes, along with construction, franchise, and contract litigation. The firm also runs its own Gilbertson Davis Arbitration and Mediation Chambers, where lawyers at the firm take on appointments as arbitrators and mediators in commercial, insurance, real estate, and marine disputes across Canada.
One of the firm's senior counsel has practiced commercial and civil litigation for more than 40 years, called to the bar in Ontario in 1982 and later qualified to practice in England and Wales, Bermuda, and New York State, appearing before courts up to the Supreme Court of Canada. The firm also keeps a blog on commercial and insurance litigation topics that was named the 2012 Canadian Law Blog of the Year, and it has more recently started writing about how artificial intelligence intersects with litigation practice, including privilege questions that come up when lawyers use AI tools.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- The firm has practiced in downtown Toronto since it was founded in 1982, more than 40 years in the city's core.
- The firm's blog was named the 2012 Canadian Law Blog of the Year.
- One of the firm's longtime partners was appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in December 2024, after about 25 years at the firm.
- The firm operates its own Arbitration and Mediation Chambers, with lawyers at the firm accepting appointments as arbitrators and mediators in commercial, insurance, real estate, construction, and marine disputes across Canada.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessibleFees & payment
Free consultationLawyers 7
David Alderson
Senior Counsel, Commercial Litigation
Civil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionReal Estate Law
David Street
Business Counsel
Business & Corporate LawWills, Estates & Trusts
John L. Davis
Managing Partner
Insurance LawCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Krystin Wilson
Litigation Associate
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Nick P. Poon
Associate
Insurance LawCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Sabrina Saltmarsh
Litigation Associate
Civil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionReal Estate Law
William Muir
Associate Lawyer, Commercial Litigation
Civil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionTechnology & Startups
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1977–2023 · median 15 years in practice 6 of 7 lawyers
- Law schools
- University of Toronto (3), University of Western Ontario (2), Osgoode Hall Law School, University of Kent 7 of 7 lawyers
- Languages on the roster
- Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
Gilbertson Davis works out of the Lumsden Building at 6 Adelaide Street East, on the northeast corner of Yonge and Adelaide in Toronto's Financial District. The building went up in 1909 and 1910 and was, when it was finished, the largest concrete faced building in the world, an unusual choice at a time when most steel framed office buildings nearby were finished in brick or terracotta. It's still counted among the more historic buildings on this stretch of the city's main street.
The Financial District around it is described as the heart of Canada's finance industry, home to major bank towers, corporate head offices, and other law and accounting firms alongside insurance companies and stockbrokers. That puts a firm built around commercial and insurance litigation close to a lot of the business it works with.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of legal work does Gilbertson Davis LLP handle?
- The firm is a small litigation firm. It focuses on commercial and business litigation, insurance and reinsurance defence, real estate and property litigation, and cross-border and international disputes, along with construction, franchise, and contract litigation.
- Does Gilbertson Davis only act as counsel, or can the firm act as an arbitrator or mediator?
- Both. Through the firm's own Gilbertson Davis Arbitration and Mediation Chambers, lawyers at the firm also take appointments as arbitrators and mediators in commercial, insurance, real estate, construction, and marine disputes across Canada.
- Can Gilbertson Davis represent me in a cross-border or international dispute?
- Yes. The firm handles cross-border litigation and international arbitration, and its senior counsel has been admitted to practice in Ontario, England and Wales, Bermuda, and New York State.
- I'm a contractor or property owner in a construction dispute, can the firm help?
- Construction litigation is one of the firm's listed practice areas, alongside related property and commercial leasing disputes.
- I'm dealing with an insurance claim dispute, does Gilbertson Davis handle that?
- Yes. Insurance and reinsurance defence is one of the firm's core practice areas, and lawyers at the firm also sit as arbitrators in insurance and reinsurance disputes.
- Where is Gilbertson Davis located and how do I reach the firm?
- The firm's office is in the Lumsden Building at 6 Adelaide Street East, Suite 800, in downtown Toronto's Financial District. It can be reached at (416) 979-2020 or info@gilbertsondavis.com.
Where to find them
The Lumsden Building, 6 Adelaide Street East, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario Canada M5C 1H6 · 416-979-2020
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Class ActionsListing compiled from the firm’s public website in August 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗