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Roderic G. Ferguson – RETIRED December 31, 2019, QC, LSM, CS, BA (Hons), LLB, LLM

Roderic G. Ferguson – RETIRED December 31, 2019

Rod was called to the Bar in 1970. In 1972, Rod joined a law firm in Ontario led by Gordon Teskey, Q.C. (later, Mr. Justice Teskey of the Tax Court of Canada). Mr. Teskey gave Rod free rein to develop a civil litigation law practice based in Midland but which grew to serve a very large geographic area in a score of small Ontario centres. Rod was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1982 and was certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1989. He completed his Master of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2002, in the Alternate Dispute Resolution concentration (recognizing that there must be better ways to resolve legal disputes that are less costly, less time consuming and less anxiety ridden).

In addition to his civil litigation experience and academic credentials, Rod has been recognized by his peers in the legal profession: he has been elected Bencher to the Law Society of Upper Canada, a director of the Advocates’ Society, and a longtime director and member of the Executive of The Ontario Bar Association and The Canadian Bar Association. In 1997 he was awarded the Law Society’s Bicentennial Award for meritorious contribution to public service. Rod has lectured frequently at continuing legal education programs under the auspices of the Bar Association and the Advocates’ Society and twice has lectured at the Law Society of Upper Canada Special Lectures on the issue of damages (Personal Injury 1988, Real Estate 2002). In 2010 Rod was elected Chair of the Rotary International Fellowship of Law, a worldwide organization of Rotarian Lawyers.

Rod was recognized in 2011 with a medal from the Law Society of Upper Canada for his contribution to making justice available in rural Ontario for 35 years.

He and the firm have achieved the highest rating of “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell, the North American legal evaluation and referral organization.

Reported Court Decisions

Waterworth (Litigation Guardian of) v. Freeman

A determination of the costs and prejudgment interest payable after a successfully concluded motor vehicle action. It was held that the client should receive costs on a solicitor and client basis and the full amount of prejudgment interest payable.

Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Hermiston, J.
October 19, 1999

Beausoleil v. Canadian General Insurance

Ontario High Court of Justice
MacFarland, J.
September 25, 1989

Thornborrow v. MacKinnon

Kane et al v. Murphy
An action arising out of a motor vehicle accident. The accident resulted in two fatalities and significant injuries to the surviving passengers. Judgment was rendered entirely against the defendants and a significant settlement as to the damages was reached.

Ontario High Court of Justice
Linden, J.
April 24, 1981

Morgan v. Dominion Insurance Company

This matter was an action for long-term disability benefits following the plaintiff’s injury in a motor vehicle accident. The defendant’s insurance company attempted to argue that the plaintiff’s claim was out of time since it was commenced some one and one half years after the limitation period had expired. The plaintiffs were successful in arguing that in a claim for disability benefits each monthly payment constituted a separate right of action and the missed limitation period only precluded recovery of benefits older than one year before the writ was issued.

Ontario High Court of Justice
Osler, J.
December 2, 1980