Helen D.K. Friedman
Partner
Kitchener-Waterloo
519.593.3223
hfriedman@millerthomson.com
Profile
Helen D.K. Friedman is a Litigation lawyer and Partner in the Waterloo office of Miller Thomson. She is engaged in an insurance defence practice with an emphasis on first party claims.
In Statutory Accident Benefits disputes, Helen has developed expertise and appears regularly at the Financial Services Commission, private arbitrations, mediations and the courts. She provides representation and technical advice concerning first party benefit disputes, priority disputes, loss transfer, catastrophic claims, structured settlements, and contract and regulatory interpretation to property/casualty and disability insurers.
Helen provides seminars to clients and the insurance industry on several topics related to her practice area. She also writes commentary on topics of interest to the industry.
In addition to practising law, Helen is a Past Board Member of the Better Business Bureau of Mid-Western Ontario; Past Chair of the Board of Governors Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology; Past President and member of the Zonta Club of Kitchener-Waterloo, and Past Trustee of the Zonta Club Charitable Foundation.
Helen enjoys snowboarding, shopping, golfing, horseback riding, and spending her free time keeping up with her husband and two teenagers.Education
- LL.B., Queen's University, 1986
Professional Achievements
- Civil Law/Common Law Exchange Program, 1985
- Ontario Securities Course, 1990
Directorships
- Board, Canadian Defence Lawyers
- Grand River Hospital Foundation
Memberships
- Member, Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations
- Member, Law Society of Upper Canada
- Member, Waterloo Law Association
- Member, Hamilton Law Association
- Member, Chief Justice of Ontario Advisory Committee on Professionalism
- Member, Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario Insurance Adjusters Association
- Member, Grand River Hospital Foundation
- Member, CTT
- Member, Greater KW Chamber of Commerce
- Member, Communitech
- Member, Canadian Defence Lawyers
Speaking Engagements
- Presentation on "Vital Accident Benefits Updates" at The Advocates' Society Tricks of the Trade 2013: Staying Ahead of the Curve: Latest Updates, Critical Case Law and New Practical Tips Conference, January 2013
- Presentation on "Civil/Administrative Procedure in Accident Benefits" and "The Take aways from the Pastore decision" to Accident Benefit Unit Managers at a property and casualty insurance company in Waterloo Region, December 2012
Publications
- Drive-By Shootings - Use Or Operation Of An Automobile?, Insurance Law Newsletter, October 2009
- Survelliance: Letting the CAT out of the Bag, Miller Thomson LLP, 2009
- Drive By Shootings - Use Or Operation Of An Automobile?, Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario Insurance Adjusters Association, 2008
- Limits on Insurer's Remedies: Contesting a CAT DAC, Insurance Law Newsletter, March 2006
- Current Issues in Accident Benefits, Loss Transfer and Priorities, 2005
- Loss Transfer And The Rolling Limitation Period, Insurance Law Newsletter, May 2005
- Waterloo Insurance Company Awarded Punitive Damages, Insurance Law Newsletter, April 2004
- How the Bill 59 Schedule Responds to Infant Claims, Insurance Law Newsletter, July 2002
Industry Expertise
Key Practice Expertise
Areas of Focus
- Statutory Accident Benefits
- Life and Disability Claims
- Insurance Fraud
Year of Call
- Ontario Bar, 1988