The Biking Lawyer LLP
4 lawyers · City of Toronto, City of Hamilton
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 306 handling Personal Injury.
Free consultationFree consultationAbout The Biking Lawyer LLP
Clients rate this firm highly on Google.
The Biking Lawyer LLP is a personal injury and human rights law firm based in Toronto, with a second office in Hamilton. The Globe and Mail reported in January 2025 that the firm had opened five years earlier in a former bike shop on College Street in Toronto, and had since grown into a larger space in the building that also houses the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA) on Sterling Road. Founder David Shellnutt worked at a Bay Street litigation firm and alongside a disability and human rights lawyer before starting the practice.
About 70 percent of the firm's caseload involves cycling collisions, roughly half of those cyclists struck by drivers at intersections, according to the same Globe and Mail report. The team also takes on personal injury claims more broadly, sexual violence and assault cases, and anti-racism and human rights matters heard at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and in Superior Court. Cases are handled on contingency, so clients don't pay unless the firm wins, and initial consultations are free. In 2022 the firm partnered with the BC nonprofit BikeMaps.org to launch an online crash report tool that lets a cyclist document a collision and upload photos from the roadside.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- The firm opened in a former bike shop on College Street in Toronto and by early 2025 had grown into a larger Sterling Road space in the MOCA building, plus a Hamilton office (The Globe and Mail, January 2025).
- The Bike Brigade, a volunteer run food and supply delivery network, was founded in 2020 (thebikinglawyer.ca/biking-law).
- In 2022 the firm partnered with the BC nonprofit BikeMaps.org to build an online crash reporting tool for injured cyclists (Canadian Cycling Magazine, May 2022).
- Partner Joel Zanatta founded The Cycling Lawyer, bringing more than 20 years of personal injury experience with a cycling focus to the firm (thebikinglawyer.ca/meet-the-team).
In the community
- Proceeds from the firm's legal work help fund The Bike Brigade, which delivers food and supplies to communities across the GTA on a volunteer basis (thebikinglawyer.ca/biking-law).
- The Bike Brigade's food and supply deliveries drew coverage from outlets including CBC, CTV News Toronto, Global News and the Toronto Star (thebikinglawyer.ca/in-the-press).
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
LGBTQ+ friendly
By appointmentFees & payment
Contingency
Free consultationLawyers 4
Who handles what
Offices 2
The neighbourhood
The Toronto office is in the building on Sterling Road that also houses the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA), after the firm moved there from its original space in a former bike shop on College Street.
The Hamilton office is on James Street North, home to the city's monthly Art Crawl. On the second Friday of each month, the galleries, studios, shops and restaurants along the street stay open late for the event.
Frequently asked questions
- Does The Biking Lawyer LLP only handle bicycle accidents?
- No. Cycling collisions make up about 70 percent of the firm's caseload, but the lawyers also handle personal injury claims more broadly, sexual violence and assault cases, and anti-racism and human rights matters.
- I was hit by a car while riding an e-bike or e-scooter, can the firm help?
- Yes. The firm has a dedicated e-bike and e-scooter accident practice alongside its cycling injury work.
- What should I do right after a cycling collision?
- The firm built a free online crash report tool with the BC nonprofit BikeMaps.org, launched in 2022, that lets a cyclist document a collision and upload photos from the roadside, with a copy emailed instantly.
- Do you charge for a first meeting?
- Consultations are free and confidential, and cases are handled on contingency, so there's no legal fee unless the case succeeds.
- Can The Biking Lawyer LLP help with a police misconduct or racial profiling claim?
- Yes. The firm pursues police and state violence claims, including unlawful arrest, excessive force and racial profiling, through civil lawsuits and human rights complaints.
- I'm a survivor of sexual assault, does the firm handle civil claims?
- Yes. The firm's sexual violence and assault practice pursues civil claims against institutions as well as individuals, seeking compensation that can include pain and suffering, and counselling and other care costs.
Similar firms in City of Toronto
Lewis Litigation is a Toronto litigation boutique founded by Atrisha Lewis after 14 years on Bay Street, most recently as a partner at McCarthy Tetrault LLP. The firm handles commercial disputes, class actions, medica…
Administrative & Regulatory Law
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Class Actions
Personal Injury
Zeppieri & Associates is a full-service law firm in Toronto founded by barrister, solicitor, and notary Enio Zeppieri. The firm handles civil litigation, family law, real estate, wills and estates, corporate and comme…
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Family Law
Real Estate Law
Wills, Estates & Trusts
Lerners LLP is a full-service Ontario law firm founded in 1929 by Mayer Lerner. It has more than 140 lawyers across four offices in London, Toronto, the Waterloo Region, and Strathroy, handling everything from day-to-…
Personal InjuryFamily LawCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Insurance LawListing compiled from the firm’s public website in August 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗