Hassell Trial Counsel
1 lawyer · City of Toronto, Simcoe County
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 794 handling Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Virtual appointments
Virtual appointmentsAbout Hassell Trial Counsel
Hassell Trial Counsel is a small civil litigation firm based in Toronto, with a second office in Collingwood, Ontario. The firm was founded by Mick Hassell, and its work is limited to a single focus: preparing for and running civil trials and private arbitrations. It's most often retained as co-counsel or trial consultant, stepping in on the trial stage of a case that another lawyer or law firm is already running for a client. The firm also accepts a limited number of trial and arbitration retainers directly, taking on matters it describes as meaningful because of the amount in dispute, a point of principle, client hardship, or the potential for legal precedent.
Hassell holds a B.Com. from McGill University, an M.Phil. from the University of Glasgow, and an LL.B. from Western Law, along with a Canadian Securities Institute CIM designation, and is a member of the Law Society of Ontario as a barrister-at-law. The firm organizes its approach to a claim under a self-developed framework it calls the VAST Claims Methodology (Value, Assemble, Settle, Trial), used to move a case from early valuation through to a settlement or a trial. Practice areas span real estate, estates, personal injury, contract, employment, construction, defamation, fraud, and general civil and commercial litigation, argued before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice or in private arbitration.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Founder Mick Hassell has authored four trial resource publications, the Ontario Civil Trial Handbook, the Ontario Civil Trial Manual, Civil Litigation D.I.Y., and the Ontario Civil Trial Checklist.
- Hassell presented on trial advocacy and cross examination to the Ontario Paralegal Association in January 2017, in a session accredited by the Law Society of Upper Canada for professionalism and substantive content.
- Hassell appeared as a panelist on a joint CBA and OBA program on solicitors' liens in March 2016, addressing the effect of withdrawal or discharge on liens and charging orders.
In the community
- The firm publishes a library of free and paid trial resources, including a trial manual, trial and pre-trial conference checklists, and a Trial Lawyer Blog covering dozens of civil litigation topics, aimed at lawyers, litigants, and self-represented parties working through the Ontario court system.
- Hassell hosts two podcasts: On the Record, which interviews trial lawyers about trial practice, and the Business of Law Podcast, which interviews legal professionals about how they built their practices and about innovation in legal service delivery.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
Virtual appointments
By appointment
In-person servicesWho handles what
Offices 2
The neighbourhood
The firm's Toronto office is on St. Clair Avenue West, in the stretch of west end neighbourhoods that includes Corso Italia, an area long known for its Italian owned retail and dining and one that's added new condominium development in recent years. It's a short ride from the 512 St. Clair streetcar line.
The Collingwood office sits in a town on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County. Collingwood grew up around shipbuilding and grain shipping before turning toward tourism, particularly skiing at nearby Blue Mountain and the limestone caves along the Niagara Escarpment, giving the firm a foothold outside Toronto for clients and referring lawyers in the Georgian Bay area.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Hassell Trial Counsel handle a case from start to finish, or just the trial?
- Most often the firm is retained as co-counsel or trial consultant, brought in by another lawyer to help prepare for or handle a trial or arbitration. It also accepts a limited number of trial and arbitration retainers directly.
- Can Hassell Trial Counsel help if I'm representing myself in a civil case?
- Yes. The firm offers litigation and trial consulting to self-represented litigants, alongside a library of free and paid trial resources covering topics such as pleadings, examinations, and trial preparation.
- What kind of civil matters does the firm work on?
- The firm's practice covers real estate, estates, personal injury, contract, employment, construction, defamation, fraud, and general civil and commercial litigation, argued before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice or in private arbitration.
- Where is Hassell Trial Counsel located?
- The firm is based in Toronto at 1158 St. Clair Avenue West, with a second office in Collingwood, Ontario at 10 Schoolhouse Lane.
- How does a litigation or trial consultation work?
- Consultations follow the same three steps: the firm reviews the relevant documents or pleadings, discusses the case by phone, video, or in person, and then gives written advice on case value, settlement strategy, and trial readiness.
- What is the VAST Claims Methodology?
- It's the framework the firm uses to work a civil claim through four stages, Value, Assemble, Settle, and Trial, from early case valuation through to a negotiated settlement or a trial verdict.
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