Ava N. Williams

Ava Williams started with Thomson Rogers in 2018 as an articling student and joined the firm as an associate in 2019. Prior to joining Thomson Rogers, Ava spent some time working at a boutique insurance defence firm. Currently, her practice focuses on plaintiffs’ personal injury litigation, civil litigation of sexual assault and police accountability, and plaintiff-side class actions. She has experience with trial advocacy as well as assisting with an intervention at the Supreme Court of Canada. Ava’s practice is informed by her first-hand experience as a plaintiff. After she was featured in the award-winning investigative series ‘Unfounded’ published by the Globe and Mail, Ava commenced a claim against a municipal police service alleging systemic discrimination in its handling of reports of sexual assault. She appreciates the ‘ins and outs’ of civil litigation from the perspective of both a lawyer and a plaintiff. Ava graduated from Western Law (Class of 2018) where she worked at the Community Legal Services Clinic. As a student, Ava was actively involved in several equality-based initiatives, both within the school and the broader legal community. She also volunteered with a local sexual assault crisis and support line and acted as a consultant on federal policy regarding gender-based violence. While at Western Law, Ava served as a student ambassador and received the Diana Majury-Cheryl Waldrum Award. Prior to law school, Ava graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She also completed a certification in Public Relations at Humber College and interned at a legal public relations firm. In 2018, Ava received the Aird & Berlis LLP Equality Award from the Women’s Law Association of Ontario in recognition of her advocacy work. In 2020, she co-organized a campaign to financially support marginalized law students. Ava frequently guest lectures to undergraduate and law school classes across the country regarding police accountability and sexual assault. In her spare time, Ava enjoys staying active, going to concerts with friends and family, and trying new restaurants in Toronto. She is committed to advocacy both in and out of the courtroom.

PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS

• Member of FAIR (Fair Association of Victims for Accident Insurance Reform)
• Member of the Law Society of Ontario
• Member of Ontario Trial Lawyers Association
• Member of the Toronto Lawyers Association
• Member of the Ontario Bar Association

PRACTICE AREAS

• Personal Injury
• Class Action