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181 University Ave. Suite 816 Toronto Ontario M5H 2X7 Tel: 416-364-6211 Fax: 416-364-1697 After hours Fax: 416 640-5005 |
| Michael G. Cochrane is a Partner at Ricketts, Harris LLP and has
practiced law in both the public and the private sectors for 28
years. Michael solves problems. His focus is on personal service to individuals, investors, business owners and institutions. As some multi-party disputes may not be suited to resolution by the Courts, Michael is able to use facilitation, mediation, arbitration and other forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution to accelerate a reasonable outcome. Because of his wide legal knowledge and his ability to zero in on key problem determinates, Michael can guide clients and their lawyers smoothly through ADR to a solution. Michael maintains a broad and successful practice that encompasses civil litigation, high conflict family law, multi-party negotiations and mediations and public policy consulting to government, companies and institutions. He has also acted as a neutral fact finder. He has appeared before all levels of Court, including the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Divisional Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. The knowledge and technical skill Michael brings to bear in each of these areas is founded on a practical experience. As a former senior Crown Counsel with the Ontario Attorney General, a policy lawyer on the Ontario Family Law Act, Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee on Class Actions and Chair of the Task Force on the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights, he was instrumental in influencing the course of and drafting of important pieces of legislation. Michael has also been Ontario’s Representative to the Uniform Law Conference of Canada and was a member of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Family Law Policy for several years. Michael represented hundreds of deaf students in their claims against the Ontario Government for institutional physical and/or sexual abuse. Michael is also able to assist clients in sustaining a sense of balance in their lives and business during the intrusive impact of dispute resolution. One of his skills is his ability to put clients in a position of control of decision-making during proceedings through ongoing education. He translates complex rules, regulations and process into easy to understand concepts, asks the right questions and explains all the possible consequences and cost impacts. Over his career, Michael has also authored several books and recognized articles on subjects ranging from environmental law, class actions, social host liability, wills and estates, understanding the Canadian judicial system, family law and alternative dispute resolution. From 2001 – 2004, he was one of the founding editors of the Annual Review on Civil Litigation. He also hosts a long running live weekly television program called “Strictly Legal” on the Business News Network. Other Interests Golf (Member at Lookout Point, Markland Woods and Cedar Springs), tennis, writing, volunteer work with Community Outreach for Persons with Addictions (COPA), a Toronto organization that works with older persons struggling with addictions. Education Bachelor of Arts, Carleton University (Law and Political Science), 1975 Bachelor of Law, University of Ottawa (Common Law), 1978 Harvard Law School Program in Law, Negotiation and Advanced Negotiation, 1995 Fellowship, National Association of Attorneys General, Washington, D.C., 1990. |
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| mcochrane@rickettsharris.com |
| 416 364-6211 ext. 232 |
| Assistant: Lisa Henry ext. 220 lhenry@rickettsharris.com http://www.michaelcochrane.ca/ |