Joseph J. Masterson

Practical, pragmatic, and to the point is how Joe Masterson describes himself. A partner in our London office, Joe is a trial lawyer with experience as solo or lead counsel in jury and judge-alone trials, as well as in mediations and arbitrations. He has a record of success in individual and multi-party litigation, personal injury disputes, and coverage issues. Joe also practises in the Health Law Group.

In defending insured people in tort bodily injury claims, a significant focus of his practice, Joe achieves favourable settlements in court and through alternative dispute resolution processes.

“I provide immediate attention,” he says. “I answer every phone call or e-mail within 24 hours, and my clients can expect an unabridged version of their legal options. In other words, I deliver timely, straightforward advice.”

Joe envisions the endgame to determine where the client needs to be to achieve their goals — and the best way to get them there. “I just don't look at it step-by-step; I try to manage client expectations based on the big picture,” he explains.

“I always wanted to be a litigator,” he recalls. “I guess at heart I'm a bit of a fighter. When I started my legal education, I wanted to be a criminal lawyer. It wasn't until 1990 when I was articling at Lerners that I changed course — no doubt influenced by the example set by the senior litigators at the firm.”

To this day, advice he received as a young lawyer guides Joe’s legal philosophy. “When I was called to the bar in 1992, the Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Appeal spoke at the ceremony. I’ve always remembered one thing he said, ‘When people come to see you, it’s because they have real problems. These problems might not always seem big to you, but they’re big to them.’”

In his spare time, Joe enjoys reading, cycling and travel.