At the end of 2022, we issued a call to action in our year end blog. Well, we took that seriously and day in, day out, pushed for positive change in our communities. Below represents some of the highlights of 2023 for The Biking Lawyer LLP. It's just a snapshot and we'd be remiss not to shout out the incredible accomplishments of our friends They Cycle, Saddle Sisters of High Park, Ascent Cycling, Midweek Cycling, Ontario Cycling, and so many more. We can't wait to continue working with all of your in the year ahead.
Year in Review
In an effort to deepen our ties and commitment to the cycling communities of Hamilton and the greater GTHA, we opened an office overlooking the Hamilton harbour. This base of operations, allows us to continue and expand our ongoing support of Paris to Ancaster, Bike Share Hamilton, and the Program by Breakfast Cycling Club, and more!
Our team grew steadily, with lawyer Rebecca Murray and Amandeep Singh joining our Hamilton office. Our Toronto based team expanded too, with articling student Desiray Chavannes and senior law clerks Dalia and Mayuri. Through thoughtful expansion, we are able to offer more robust services for even more clients across Ontario.
We were retained by dozens of cyclists across Ontario. From Thunder Bay to Ottawa, cyclists injured by negligent motorists enlisted us to fight for them.
As new clients came in, we were also able to successfully resolve dozens of claims for injured cyclists including victims of doorings, right hooks, left hooks, negligent construction, road disrepair and more. From an elderly cyclist in the Niagara area who will never walk properly again, to a Toronto based youth worker with ongoing shoulder issues, we took hard lines with insurance companies achieved outstanding financial results for people on bikes.
We successfully litigated to substantial and meaningful resolution 3 major claims of state violence involving police and prisons. We stood shoulder to shoulder with clients who experienced extreme anti-Blackness and police brutality. From Devon to Hasani, we helped share the realities of police violence and the huge cost associated with it.
We helped rally cyclists in support of bike lanes and safe infrastructure. From Brampton to Hamilton, we rode in silence at far too many ghost bike memorials. We pro-bono pushed trials of cyclists unfairly targeted for “speeding” in High Park and had the charges dropped.
We rallied community to find hit and run drivers and pushed police to acknowledge that swerving into a cyclist, causing them to crash is still a collision.
Our commitment to the betterment of our community remained steadfast in 2023. From the Bike Brigade, to free bike lights and Know Your Rights Workshops, we spent every waking minute advancing not only the interests of our clients but the safety and rights of our community as well. Our goal, to always remain at the vanguard of cycling advocacy in Ontario working to eliminate the need of lawyers for injured cyclists.
There were valleys to the peaks, to be sure. Witnessing the trauma of our community firsthand day after day, and then hearing the cringy chorus of baseless, though dangerous, anti-cyclist rhetoric, was draining. A constant stream of hate mail and mayoral candidates stoking the flames of road violence against cyclists can be grating.
What marvelously drowned that all out, was you. The messages of support and encouragement, as well as the opportunities to ride handle bar to handle bar with people on bikes quickly steeled our resolve and commitment to victory in the battle for safe streets.
What’s in store for 2024? We cannot wait to show you.
Riding with you always,
The Biking Lawyer LLP Team
