Practice Areas

Maritime & Admiralty Law

Maritime and Admiralty Law concerns the international shipment of goods by sea and all other facets of maritime transportation from shipbuilding and supply to cargo damage and accidents that occur on the high seas or on Canada's inland waterways.

Our firm is most well-known for its expertise in Maritime and Admiralty Law. George Strathy, the firm's founder, is widely recognized as one of Canada's best maritime lawyers. Mr. Strathy has received Lexpert's highest rating and is a "Most Frequently Recommended" lawyer in this area. In March 2006, Canadian Lawyer Magazine named Isaacs & Co. as one of Canada's leading boutique law firms in the area of Admiralty and Transportation Law.

The complex area of Marine Insurance is a matter that Isaacs & Co. is especially adept in handling. George Strathy recently published Canada's leading text on the subject, The Law and Practice of Marine Insurance in Canada.

Our primary focus is litigation and dispute resolution of marine conflicts. We offer sound, timely and cost-effective solutions. When it has been necessary to go to trial, we have had great success.

We also have a significant practice in providing practical advice in the commercial setting for our shipping industry clients. This ranges from day-to-day business advice to the negotiation and completion of major corporate transactions affecting a shipping business.

Isaacs & Co. is regularly involved in all aspects of Maritime and Admiralty Law including matters involving:

• Cargo damage claims
• Arrest of vessels and enforcement of maritime liens
• Maritime Collisions
• Recreational and pleasure craft incidents
• Maritime personal injury
• Salvage claims
• General Average claims
• Tugs & Towage
• Marine Insurance disputes
• Shipping company bankruptcies
• Oil or Noxious substances pollution incidents
• Defence of environmental claims including charges by governmental authorities or civil liability claims
• Maritime regulatory issues including government investigations
• Ship sale agreements
• Shipbuilding & repair contracts
• Ship supply contracts and related disputes
• Organization and finance of shipping companies
• Chartering of vessels and related matters
• Contracts of Affreightment

We also provide an emergency response for collision, casualty, fire, explosion, oil spill or other incidents requiring an experienced maritime lawyer to be on the scene right away. Emergency Response information.

Transportation Law

As part of our active Maritime practice we regularly become involved in other aspects of transportation litigation including Trucking, Rail and Air cargo transportation.

We handle cargo damage and loss cases on behalf of cargo insurers, trucking companies, freight forwarders and others involved in the transportation of goods. We frequently accept subrogation recovery cases from Cargo insurers and recovery agencies on a "no-cure, no-pay" basis which minimizes the risk and cost of litigation to our clients.

Environmental Law

Environmental law advice and litigation forms a significant part of our practice. Our maritime practice regularly calls for our involvement in oil or hazardous substance pollution incidents such as spills of hazardous cargoes, fueling mishaps or the other discharge of pollutants into the environment. For many years we have acted for a large petro-chemical company dealing with issues and litigation over hydro-carbon based substance leaks and remediation efforts. We also advise clients on the legal issues surrounding the transportation of hazardous substances including oil, chemicals and radioactive materials.

Insurance Law

Isaacs & Co. has a vibrant and varied practice representing a number of different insurers. Apart from the marine insurers for whom we regularly act, we also work for commercial insurers in advancing subrogated claims, defence of property and premises claims, product liability claims, professional errors and omissions claims, environmental claims and other claims connected to insurance policies.

Our insurance practice and expertise is not restricted to defence work. We also provide coverage opinions and policy coverage defence litigation.

Personal Injury Litigation

The lawyers at Isaacs & Co. regularly handle personal injury cases of all types, from marine and boating incidents to motor vehicle accidents to medical malpractice. We accept cases on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants. Isaacs & Co. routinely acts on behalf of one of Canada's largest personal lines insurers in the defence of motor vehicle accident and general liability claims. We also routinely act for shipowners and their insurers or Protection & Indemnity clubs in the defence of injury claims arising from incidents occurring in the Toronto Harbour, Lake Ontario and other recreational lakes in Canada.

Commercial & General Civil Litigation

Our depth of experience goes beyond marine matters. We handle a variety of litigation outside the transportation and insurance fields including complex commercial litigation relating to business enterprises, breach of contract, employment, personal injury and other disputes. Our lawyers have been involved in lawsuits of all kinds – from debt collection cases, contract disputes, construction litigation and more.

To learn more about our practice areas please contact us.

11 King Street West, Suite 1200, Toronto, Ontario Canada, M5H 4C7  T: (416) 601-1348 F: (416) 601-1190