Toronto Sexual Abuse Lawyer

I’m
ELIZABETH
GRACE

PARTNER

Demanding accountability from sexual offenders and the institutions that gave them power and authority over vulnerable persons is one of the most courageous things a survivor of abuse can do. Giving a legal voice to that demand is a privilege for a lawyer, requiring sensitivity and skill.
Elizabeth Grace - Toronto Personal Injury Lawyer

MY WORK & EXPERIENCE

My work in personal injury law focuses on claims arising out of sexual assault and sexual abuse, as well as physical abuse.

My experience extends to discrimination and harassment claims, professional negligence, health and employment-related matters, and commercial disputes.

Let's Talk

THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR SKILL, TIME, TENACITY, UNDERSTANDING, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND DIRECTION. THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS MADE ME FEEL AS THOUGH I’M WALKING AROUND WITHOUT ANY SKIN ON SOME DAYS. THANK YOU FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB AND GETTING ME THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE.

Anonymous

Insights

Featured
Elizabeth Grace Quoted In CBC News Article

Elizabeth Grace was interviewed for an article in CBC News about a Manitoba court that ordered that two sisters must pay $50,000 each as security for costs to proceed with their civil lawsuit against a former church youth leader accused of sexually assaulting them between 1974-1979.

Risk Of Re-Traumatization In Sexual Assault Cases May Result In Variation Of A Party's Inherent Rights In A Civil Action

Lauren Malatesta says that while parties to an action have an inherent right to be present during the examination for discovery of other parties, the court may exercise its discretion to exclude a party when it is satisfied, on a balance of probabilities, that there is cause to justify the exclusion.

Ontario Court Rejects Stereotypical Myths And Confirms Single Sexual Assault Against Adult Warrants High Damages

A critical case for adult survivors of sexual assault claiming damages, the court in BE v. OR debunks harmful myths and awards meaningful damages intended both to compensate and punish. Elizabeth Grace highlights the importance of the court’s decision.

In the Media

Featured
Elizabeth Grace Quoted In CBC News Article

Elizabeth Grace was interviewed for an article in CBC News about a Manitoba court that ordered that two sisters must pay $50,000 each as security for costs to proceed with their civil lawsuit against a former church youth leader accused of sexually assaulting them between 1974-1979.

Elizabeth Grace Mentioned In The Catholic Register Column

Elizabeth Grace was recently interviewed for a column in The Catholic Register, where she touched on alternative ways to come to binding agreements in cases of alleged sexual abuse.

Elizabeth Grace Mentioned in The Catholic Register Column

Elizabeth Grace was recently interviewed for a column in The Catholic Register, where she touched on the difference a genuine apology can make in sexual abuse claims within faith communities.

    • Selected by her peers for inclusion in Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for Medical Negligence (2021-2022)

    • Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada for Personal Injury Litigation, Health Care Law, Medical Negligence, Administrative and Public Law and Professional Malpractice Law

    • Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers for her commitment to advocating on behalf of victims of sexual abuse, Canadian Lawyer Magazine, 2014

    • Recipient of the Women’s Law Association of Ontario President’s Award, June 2014

    • Recipient of Lexpert Zenith Award for Leading Women Lawyers, 2013

    • Frequently consulted by news media, including CBC News (Radio, Television and online), Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, Toronto Sun, Hamilton’s CHCH Television News, The Motts radio show, Maclean’s Magazine, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN)

    • Frequently consulted by law media, including Law Times, The Lawyers Weekly, The Lawyer's Daily, Canadian Lawyer Magazine

    • Interviewed for Chatelaine Magazine article “Judgment call”, October 1998

    • While studying for her Bachelor of Laws degree at Osgoode Hall Law School, Elizabeth received numerous academic awards, including in 1993 the Bronze Medal and the J.S.D. Tory Research and Writing Award. Before attending law school, she was awarded the Commonwealth Scholarship to complete post-graduate work in Development Studies in the United Kingdom (1987-1989), as well as numerous other scholarships and prizes through her undergraduate and graduate studies.

    • Law Commission of Ontario, Board of Governors, Member-at-large and Project Committee Member, June 2018 to May 2023 (2 appointment terms)

    • Member of Advisory Committee to CCLISAR (Canadian Centre for Legal Innovation in Sexual Assault Response) – non-profit, non-partisan organization devoted to improving understanding and responses to sexualized violence, January 2020 to present

    • Invited panellist for #AfterMeToo Civil Roundtable, filmed at Globe and Mail Toronto head office, December 5, 2017

    • Invited member of working group that drafted the Guide for the Provision of Legal Services in Cases Involving Claims of Sexual Abuse. This Guide was approved by the Equity and Aboriginal Issues Committee of the Law Society of Upper Canada and then formally adopted by Convocation on January 26, 2012, and is available on the Law Society’s website.

    • Ontario Bar Association’s Working Group on McMurtry Victim Compensation Review, representing OBA’s Feminist Legal Analysis (FLAC) Section, 2008

    • The Advocates' Society

    • Ontario Bar Association’s Health Law, Aboriginal Law and Feminist Legal Analysis Sections

    • National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL), including Board of Directors (1995 to 2000)

    • Admitted to Ontario Bar (1995)

    • Bachelor of Laws, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University (1993)

    • Master of Philosophy, University of Sussex, England (1989)

    • Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Queen’s University (1987)

    • Speaker on panel, “Unpacking Causes of Actions and Defences”, OBA Insurance Law Section’s “Fundamentals of Civil Sexual Assault Claims”. November 18, 2024, Toronto

    • Speaker, “General Damages in Sexual Abuse Cases: A Panel Discussion from Plaintiff, Defence and Mediation Perspectives”, OTLA 2024 Fall Conference, November 8, 2024, Toronto

    • Speaker, “Ways to Prove Income Loss for Sexual Abuse”, OsgoodePD’s The 2024 Guide to Civil Sexual Assault, April 1, 2024 (virtual)

    • Speaker, “New Tort of Family Violence,” The Six-Minute Law Lawyer 2022, Law Society of Ontario Continuing Legal Education, November 28, 2022

    • Speaker “What’s New and Happening Back East” and Q & A Panellist, “Sexual Violence (Civil) Conference 2022, British Columbia Continuing Legal Education, March 30, 2022

    • Speaker on panel “Institutional Liability: Where We Are and What’s Ahead” at Civil Sexual Assault: Critical and Emerging Issues, Osgoode Professional Development Program, February 25, 2021 (virtual)

    • Speaker, “Civil Sexual Assault Claims – Developing a Robust, Efficient and Fair Claims Process,” 25th Annual Provincial/Municipal Government Liability Conference, The Canadian Institute, April 2, 2019

    • Co-Chair of Current and Emerging Issues in Civil Sexual Assault, Osgoode Professional Development Program, February 26, 2018

    • “Criminal v. Civil: How the Criminal Process Can Impact a Parallel Civil Process”, For the Defence, Criminal Lawyers Association Newsletter, Vol. 38, No. 2 – July 2017, 18-24

    • Speaker on “Civil Liability for Sexual Abuse: A Means of Achieving Accountability in the Campus Context?” National Conference on Campus Sexual Assault for Higher Education Administrators, Ryley Conferences Group, Toronto, December 8, 2017

    • “Judging Cause and Effect: Challenges and Trends in Assessing Damages in Sexual Abuse Cases”, in Law Society of Upper Canada Special Lectures 2005: The Modern Law of Damages (Irwin Law, 2006)

    • Co-author, Civil Liability for Sexual Abuse and Violence in Canada (Butterworths, 2000) (this book has been quoted by courts across the country, including Ontario’s Court of Appeal)

    • C.O. v. Williamson and Trillium Lakelands District School Board, 2020 ONSC 3874 (CanLII) – historical sexual abuse trial on behalf of plaintiff against school board based on its high school music teacher’s sexual assaults and its inadequate post-assault response to disclosure

    • Rosenthal v. Rosenthal, 2014 ONSC 317 – historical sexual abuse trial, served as amicus curiae (ie. “friend of the court”)