Executive Summary
Kim’s practice includes a specialty in transportation law focusing primarily in marine and trucking including freight forwarding and logistics, cargo losses, products liability, casualty, loss transfer and transportation-related personal injury litigation and mediation. She also has years of experience in litigation, mediation and adjustment of property casualty matters. Kim regularly provides detailed complex insurance coverage advice including for bespoke transportation policies. Kim has acted as Excess Counsel and for Underinsured entities in various matters.
Kim has conducted trials in both the Ontario Superior Court and the Federal Court of Canada. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1988 and received her law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto.
Kim is an active mediator across Canada specializing in transportation cases but is available for all litigated matters. She holds her Certificate in ADR and Advanced ADR from the University of Windsor and also from Pepperdine University, California, regarding its STAR program (Systematic Approach to Mediation Strategies). She is a member of the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society. Her Q. Arb designation is pending, having completed the TCAS Gold Standard Course.
Kim is very active in the transportation industry and is a Past President of the Canadian Transport Lawyers Association (2012). She is the President of the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (Canada) (2024-2025) having been the National Vice President (2023-2024) and Vice President - Central Region (2017-2023).
Representative Work
Transportation – international, domestic, and cross-border
- defended vessel owners and operators, ports, marinas against complex personal injury claims and property damage claims;
- defended shippers, consignees, road carriers and freight forwarders/ load brokers/ warehousers/ insurers in respect of cargo claims including cargo damage, theft of trailers, warehouse flooding and goods claims
- defended truckers/ insurers/ leasing companies against personal injury claims for motor vehicle accidents and loss transfer proceedings
- defended marina owners/ boat repairers regarding fire, water, winterization and storage damage claims and occupier’s liability claims
Products liability
- defended international supplier/insurer of vessel engine parts regarding explosion damage defended manufacturers of numerous allegedly defective products including contaminated food due to infestation, garden tools, vacuum sealed flasks, hammocks, coolers, microwaves, elevators, automatic doors, HVAC units, toilet supply lines and components.
Insurance Coverage
- provided legal opinions on complex coverage issues for insurers and insureds
- defended insurers involving coverage claims both in transportation and non-transportation matters
- provided opinions to and acted for insurance brokers liability claims
- acted as excess insurance counsel for underinsured entities including individuals and corporations for motor vehicle claims and fire claims
Expertise
- Transportation and Logistics
- Litigation and Dispute Resolution
- Insurance and Coverage
Articles and Presentations
Kim regularly organizes and speaks at conferences, conducts seminars and writes articles in the areas of her expertise, including The Transportation Lawyer and Truck News. She has been Chair of or Contributor to various CLE planning committees of industry conferences including the Marine & Energy Symposium of the Americas (MESA 2018). Kim is the current President of the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (Canada). When Kim was the VP of WISTA Canada’s Central Region, she developed a successful lecture series: Women in Leadership: A Personal Conversation, featuring prominent women in the transportation industry. Kim has co-chaired the membership committee of the Canadian Transport Lawyers Association 2022-2024 and spoken at the 2022 CTLA Conference on “Maritime Law Updates” and in 2023 on “Nuclear Verdicts”. Kim is presently chairing the membership committee of the Canadian Maritime Law Association (2024-2025) and spoke at the AGM and Annual Conference in June 2024 on “Limitation of Liability for Small Craft- Two Countries, Two Approaches – Recent Legislative Changes.” and at the Fleet Executive Summit in November 2024 on “Fraud, Theft and False Documents in the Trucking Industry”.
My Blog
Recognition
- Listed in Best Lawyers (2016-to date) for Maritime Law
- Listed in Best Lawyers (2016-to date) for Transportation Law
- Listed in Lexpert (2016-to date) as Consistently Recommended for Transportation (Rail and Road)
- Listed in Listed in Lexpert (2016-to date) as Repeatedly Recommended for Shipping & Maritime Law
- Listed in Lexpert Special Edition Infrastructure
- Listed in Lexology Canada as Recommended: Transport, Shipping (2017-to date)
- Gardiner Roberts LLP’s Transportation Group was named in the Globe & Mail list of Canada’s Best Law Firms 2025
- Named in Post City Magazines Top Toronto Lawyer’s list (2024) for Insurance
- Listed in Chambers Global Guide 2019-2020 as a recognized practitioner in Transportation: Shipping
- Listed in Chambers Global Guide 2018-2019 as a leading lawyer in Transportation: Rail & Road
- Listed in Doyles Guide: Leading Transport Lawyers Canada: Leading Lawyer (2020)
Professional Involvement
Kim is a member of the Canadian Transport Lawyers Association (President 2012) , The Transportation Lawyers Association, Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (President 2024 – the present), Canadian Maritime Law Association, the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, The Canadian Board of Marine Underwriters, Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association, Canadian Defence Lawyers, The Organization of Women in International Trade – Toronto, The Marine club, the Advocates Society and the Defence Research Institute.