MTL Barrister
3 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 202 handling Insurance Law.
About MTL Barrister
MTL Barrister is a Toronto insurance defence firm with an office at 372 Bay Street. Michael T. Lax founded the firm and has focused on defending insurance claims since 1990, after being called to the Ontario bar in 1987. What started as a traditional insurance defence practice has grown into one that handles a wider range of claims, including matters tied to the rental and fleet markets, transportation, sporting and amusement facilities, and property ownership and management. The firm also acts for municipalities and professionals, among them insurance brokers, managing general agents, engineers, and investment dealers, and it handles product liability, loss transfer, priority, and coverage disputes.
The team is small by design. MTL Barrister describes itself as a selective practice rather than a volume business, and its lawyers, called to the Ontario bar in 1987, 2011, and 2019, appear at all levels of court. The firm favours a collaborative approach with clients and tries to set an early strategy on a file so that the defence, not the claim, sets the direction of the litigation. Its clients tend to underwrite higher risk policies, a client base the firm says draws more claims than most.
Practice areas
Good to know
Wheelchair accessibleLawyers 3
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1987–2019 · median 15 years in practice 3 of 3 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
MTL Barrister's office is in the Sterling Tower at 372 Bay Street, an art deco building completed in 1928 at the corner of Bay and Richmond Streets. Designed by the firm Chapman and Oxley, the tower was briefly Toronto's tallest building until the Royal York Hotel opened the following year, and Toronto City Council designated it a heritage property in 1976.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of insurance claims does MTL Barrister defend?
- The firm defends claims tied to the rental and fleet markets, transportation, sporting and amusement facilities, and property ownership and management, along with product liability, loss transfer, priority, and coverage disputes.
- Does MTL Barrister represent policyholders or insurers?
- MTL Barrister is defence counsel. It acts for insurers and also for municipalities and professionals such as insurance brokers, managing general agents, engineers, and investment dealers, rather than for plaintiffs bringing claims.
- Is MTL Barrister a large firm?
- No. MTL Barrister describes itself as a selective practice rather than a volume business, with a small team of lawyers handling files directly.
- How long has MTL Barrister been practicing insurance defence?
- Founder Michael T. Lax was called to the Ontario bar in 1987 and has focused on defending insurance claims since 1990.
- Does MTL Barrister handle loss transfer and priority disputes?
- Yes. Alongside its rental, fleet, and transportation defence work, the firm handles product liability, loss transfer, priority, and coverage matters.
- Where is MTL Barrister located and how do I reach them?
- The firm's office is at 372 Bay Street, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario M5H 2W9. It can be reached by phone at (416) 408-3553 during business hours, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.
Where to find them
372 Bay Street, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario M5H 2W9 · 416-408-3553
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