Brenda is a skilled civil litigation defence lawyer with extensive experience guiding insurers, institutions, and corporate clients through complex, multi-party disputes. She takes a strategic, pragmatic approach that aligns litigation strategy with business objectives, emphasizing early case assessment, disciplined discovery, and targeted motion practice to control cost and risk while driving efficient, favorable outcomes. Known for strong advocacy and sound judgment, she is adept at coordinating joint defence efforts, managing layered insurance issues, and negotiating durable resolutions across concurrent proceedings.
Brenda has successfully defended a broad range of claims, with particular depth in sexual abuse defence and product liability. Her sexual abuse practice includes historical and contemporary allegations involving institutional liability, governance and supervision issues, limitation defences, and trauma‑informed discovery, with careful attention to privacy, privilege, and reputation management. In product liability, she represents manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in design, manufacturing, and failure‑to‑warn claims, partnering with technical experts to dismantle causation theories, challenge expert admissibility, and present clear, science‑driven narratives.
She has appeared at all levels of Ontario courts and has represented clients in jury and non‑jury trials, pre‑trial conferences, mediations, and administrative proceedings. Beyond litigation, Brenda leads client training and seminars on risk management, complex case coordination, emerging trends in sexual abuse litigation, product risk mitigation, and the effective use of experts—equipping clients to anticipate issues, reduce exposure, and resolve disputes on optimal terms.