Harvey Thomas Strosberg, (born September 1, 1944) is a Canadian lawyer. He is a senior partner at the law firm of Strosberg, Sasso, Sutts LLP.Sutts, Strosberg, LLP firm website
Early life Harvey Strosberg was born to Philip and Sylvia Strosberg. His mother Sylvia was born Ida Sylvia Meretsky, part of a large family that was among the first Jewish families to settle in Windsor, Ontario in the 1880s. Harvey was raised in Windsor, Ontario, and graduated from Kennedy Collegiate Institute. At Kennedy Collegiate Institute, he was an avid participant in team sports, including football, basketball and track and field. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Legal career Strosberg was an articling student for John Sopinka on Bay Street in Toronto, Ontario before Sopinka became a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.Ivor Shapiro, March 30, 1998, published in Maclean's
Strosberg was called to the bar in 1971 and became a Queen's Counsel in 1982.
Strosberg served as Commission Counsel to Mr. Justice Horace Krever in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Confidentiality of Health Records in Ontario (1977-1980).
Strosberg has been a bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada since 1987 and was its 55th Treasurer from 1997–1999.The Law Society of Upper Canada, List of Law Society Treasurers His portrait at the Law Society was painted by Curtis Hooper.Curtis Hooper's website
Strosberg was named a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 1991.
Strosberg has recovered more than $3.6 billion for his class action clients.Market wired, April 07, 2014 Mr. Strosberg was co-lead counsel in the Hepatitis C class action, co-lead counsel in the YBM Magnex securities class action, co-lead counsel in the Vitamins price fixing class action and lead counsel in the Money Mart class action.The Globe and Mail, Jeff Gray, April 12 2011 He has also acted or is acting as lead or co-lead counsel in class actions against, among others, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Merck & Co., Inc., Guidant Corporation, NovaGold Resources Inc., Ford, General Motors, VW in the Volkswagen emissions scandal and the Federal Government of Canada.Bio from the Canadian Bar AssociationCTVNews Windsor, February 1, 2013 A part of the VW case settled for $2.1 billion.
Strosberg was recognized by Lexpert as one of Canada's top 25 commercial litigation counsel. He was appointed by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice as Plaintiff's Counsel Representative to oversee the administration of a class action settlement relating to the Walkerton tragedy and as a member of the Joint Committee overseeing the administration of the Hepatitis C class action settlement.
Strosberg's and his partner David Robins represented wrongfully convicted persons including William Mullins-Johnson, Anthony Hanemaayer, Robert Baltovich and James Driskell in their civil lawsuits.
In 2010, Strosberg secured the largest cost award in Canadian history, $11 million to the plaintiff's lawyers.Cassano v. Toronto-Dominion Bank, 2009 CanLII 35732 (ON SC)
In October 2010, Mr. Strosberg suffered a debilitating stroke, which took away his ability to speak.A debilitating stroke, a remarkable recovery, Jeff Gray, January 3, 2012, the Globe and Mail His recovery has allowed him to return to the courtroom. In 2012 he was lead plaintiff's counsel in Mandeville et al. v. Manufacturers Life Insurance Company.CanLII published decision of the Superior Court
Strosberg has been partners with some of the most accomplished lawyers in Canada. Mr. Strosberg's former partners include Allan Rock and Patrick Ducharme.article from Ducharme Fox website.
Academic career Strosberg taught a course in class action law at the University of Windsor law school with his partner David Robins and until recently, lectured annually at the University of Ottawa.Bio from Businessweek
Public service In 1995, Strosberg served as the first Board chair of LPIC, the organization which eventually became LawPro. He led the investigation into and proposed the solution to the Law Society of Upper Canada's approximately $154 million insurance fund deficit.The Law Society of Upper Canada and Ontario's Lawyers, 1797-1997, Christopher Moore, p. 330
He served as a member of the Board of Directors for Legal Aid Ontario (1999–2002).
He has also been a panelist at the Ontario Bar Association Cross Border Litigation Program, the Metropolitan Toronto Law Association Class Action Update, the American Bar Association, the Canadian Council on International Law and the Superior Court of Ontario Seminar for Judges.
Awards and honours Strosberg's work as a civil litigator has been widely recognized in the form of honorary degrees and medals. In 2002 the Law Society of Upper Canada awarded him an Honorary LLD.The Law Society of Upper Canada, list of Honorary Doctors of Law He received a DCL from the University of Windsor in 2003. He also received an LLD from Assumption University (Windsor, Ontario) in 2004.
Strosberg was awarded the Law Society Medal in 2010.The Law Society of Upper Canada, List of Law Society Medal Recipients
Most recently, one year after he suffered the stroke, he was awarded the Ontario Bar Association Award of Excellence in Civil Litigation in 2011.Ontario Bar Association list of Award recipients in Civil Litigation His speech was delivered at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.Strosberg's speech on YouTubeStrosberg receives OBA civil litigation award, Financial Post, Legal Post, Drew Hasselback, October 26, 2011
Personal life Strosberg is married to Cathy Strosberg. His first marriage to Betty Strosberg ended in divorce. Strosberg had three children with Betty: Elaine, Sharon and Jay. They all went on to become lawyers as well.
He is the nephew of Olympian Irving Meretsky.Windsor Star, May 22, 2006
Strosberg was introduced to Eddie Greenspan by his first wife Betty Strosberg, who grew up with him in Niagara Falls, Ontario. They went on to become lifelong friends. Strosberg was also friends with Edward Ducharme of the Ontario Court of Appeal and Paul Stephen Andrew Lamek of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and delivered both of their eulogies.Obituary by Bill Gladstone, October 26, 2011
Bibliography The Class Action Struggle Continues: Challenges for Canadian Class Actions into the Millennium; Report to Convocation on Insurance (1996) Tort Actions Among Family Members (with Kathryn L. McKerlie) in The Law Society of Upper Canada's Special Lectures (1993) Family Law: Roles, Fairness and Equality Programme (1993).
Strosberg is currently the editor of the Canadian Class Action Review.Class Action Review Website
References