Our Team

Shalini Thomas

416.679.2781 x 214
sthomas@sbalawyers.ca

Clerk: Olivia Koziarska
416.679.2781 x 317
okoziarska@sbalawyers.ca

Assistant: Diane Drepaul
416.679.2781 x 236
ddrepaul@sbalawyers.ca

Having been raised as an “expat kid” in Alexandria, Egypt, Shal is no stranger to diversity. She maintains a varied defence practice involving occupiers’ liability and motor vehicle claims including accident benefits, coverage, priority and loss transfer disputes.

Her early unofficial training in the art of diplomacy allows Shal to bring a personable and balanced approach to her files. When coupled with her knack for analysis and sharp eye for detail, Shal provides her clients with thorough, pragmatic and dependable legal advice.

A former Spelling Bee champ and linguaphile, Shal pursued a legal career after realizing lawyers are one of the few breeds interested in debating the merits of the oxford comma. Shal’s skilled wordsmithing and advocacy have seen her argue the finer points of statutory interpretation before the Licence Appeal Tribunal all the way up to the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

Primary Practice Areas
  • Accident Benefits 
  • Bodily Injury 
  • Fraud and Misrepresentation 
  • Priority and Loss Transfer
Notable Matters
  • Najeebdeen v. Economical (2020), Ontario License Appeal Tribunal 
  • Tomec v. Economical, 2019 ONCA 882 (Ontario Court of Appeal) 
  • Tomec v. Economical, 2019 ONCA 839 (Ontario Court of Appeal) 
  • Tomec v. Economical, 2018 ONSC 5664 (Ontario Divisional Court) 
  • S.T. v. Economical (2017), Ontario License Appeal Tribunal 
  • Mayo v. Economical (2016), Financial Services Commission of Ontario 
  • Seitzema v. Economical (2014), Ontario Court of Appeal 
Thought Leadership

Publications

  • A Tale of Two Brothers & The Ceeps (SBA Blog, September 2018) 
  • Mind the Gap: Walk Backwards At Your Own Risk (SBA Blog, July 2018) 
  • Professional Negligence SJ Motions: When You Point a Finger, Three Point Back At You (SBA Blog, May 2018) 
  • A New Era of Reasonableness Dawns on Appeals from Private Arbitrations (K-W OIAA Bulletin, November 2016) 

Presentations

  • Speaker, “Damages for Mental Distress”, SBA LLP Webinar (January 27, 2022) 
  • Co-Chair, AB Fall Classic 2021, Canadian Defence Lawyers (November 18, 2021) 
  • Speaker, “Limitations since Tomec”, Osgoode PD: Accident Benefits 2021 (February 23, 2021) 
  • Speaker, “Cannabis Act: A History & Implications for Social and Commercial Hosts”, Canadian Defence Lawyers (April 18, 2019) 
  • Speaker, “Cannabis Act: An Overview & Liability Implications for Residential Insurance Policies”, Ontario Mutual Insurance Association (November 15, 2018 and April 4, 2019) 
  • Speaker, “Limitation Periods in AB Claims”, Canadian Defence Lawyers (Spring 2017 Symposium)
Professional Memberships
  • Member, Canadian Defence Lawyers Association
  • Member, A Call to Action Canada-Diversity in the Legal Profession
  • Member, South Asian Bar Association
Bar Admissions & Education
  • Inclusive Leader Series – Certificate of Completion, 2018 
  • Ontario Bar, 2013 
  • LL.B., Queens University, 2012