Stephen Birman, a partner at Thomson Rogers, specializes in helping victims of car accidents, institutional negligence, and long-term disability claims, while also leading class action matters. Notably, he served as lead counsel in Baker v. Blue Cross (upheld in 2023 by the Ontario Court of Appeal) securing the largest punitive damages award of $1.5 million against a disability insurance company in Canada. Stephen regularly litigates claims in Superior Court and the License Appeals Tribunal, where he also obtained the first "special award" for bad faith imposed by the Tribunal. As part of his class action practice, Stephen is currently leading class actions against private for-profit nursing home operators in respect of COVID-19 as well as against a major insurer for its denial of business interruption insurance stemming from the pandemic. Having dedicated years to assisting Residential School survivors in advancing compensation claims under Canada's largest class action settlement, Stephen prioritizes helping clients understand and navigate the litigation process. As a Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation, he holds the prestigious AV Preeminent rating in Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting his top-tier legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards.
