Meet the Team | The Biking Lawyer

MEET THE TEAM

The Biking Lawyer LLP team is in part made up of 4 lawyers with several decades of experience in personal injury and human rights law. We are cyclists, advocates, and lawyers.

Our focus is top tier client service. Our lawyers are compassionate and caring, but we are also fierce, strategic and effective. We achieve great results for our clients, while ensuring their dignity is respected as well.

Getting you on the road to recovery and securing the compensation you deserve to live a full and meaningful life drives our every move. Our clients are our priority.

We take a progressive approach to litigation. We help individuals and aim to secure systemic changes. Our team is here for you.

DAVID
SHELLNUTT

Dave is a dedicated advocate for individuals who have suffered injuries and injustice. Dave has 13 years of personal injury and human rights law experience. Before founding the Biking Lawyer LLP, Dave worked at a premier Bay Street litigation and personal injury firm. He then worked with one of Canada’s leading disability and human rights lawyers.

Aside from being a passionate and accomplished lawyer, Dave is also a survivor of violence and a bike crash victim. He knows all too well what it means to personally go through recovery and navigate sometimes unforgiving systems. Dave is uniquely qualified to represent survivors of violence and other injured people as a result of this shared experience.

“I am blessed and thankful for my recovery. My experiences have made me determined to use what I have learned to help my clients.”

As a fierce litigator, Dave advocates on all fronts for his clients. In the courts, in the press, with insurers, treatment providers, and government, including the city and police, where necessary.

HISHAM
IMTIAZ

Hisham is a lawyer at the Biking Lawyer LLP. Prior to joining, Hisham worked at a prominent insurance defence firm in Toronto and acted as in-house counsel for one of the largest insurance companies in Canada.

Thanks to his past experience, Hisham has a keen understanding of how insurance companies evaluate risk and litigate claims. This unique insight allows Hisham to effectively advocate for his clients and ensure that a just result is obtained.

A relentless advocate, both in and outside of work, Hisham is committed to supporting the injured and the marginalized in any way he can.

Outside of work, Hisham can be found roaming the streets of Toronto with his camera in hand. Whether it be a protest or a bed of flowers, Hisham does his best to capture the essence of the city through his lens.

JOEL
ZANATTA

Joel Zanatta is a committed cycling enthusiast and experienced bike lawyer. He has been practicing personal injury law for over 20 years. Joel is the founder of The Cycling Lawyer and a partner of The Biking Lawyer LLP. His passion for cycling started at a young age. Since his youth, he has been riding on and off-road, enjoying the diverse variety of terrain that British Columbia has to offer. Joel is committed to the well-being of cyclists. He founded The Cycling Lawyer in the hope of improving cycling safety and safe streets advocacy.

AVA
WILLIAMS

Ava is a senior associate at the Biking Lawyer. She practices personal injury litigation with a specialized focus on sexual assault and police misconduct claims. Described as an “advocate both in and out of the courtroom”, Ava has an innate sense of and commitment to justice that brings empathy to her practice and results in success for her clients.

Notably, Ava’s interest in this specific type of advocacy is deeply personal. In 2017, Ava bravely shared her own story of sexual assault and the flawed police investigation that followed to the Globe and Mail in the groundbreaking article “Unfounded”. She was then approached and agreed to act as a named plaintiff (in conjunction with a Toronto gendered-violence legal clinic) in a lawsuit seeking to implement permanent change in how police investigate sexual violence.

Unsurprisingly, Ava’s legal practice has built off her unique experience and allows her to provide exceptional client care. She is trauma-informed and proactively works to minimize further retraumatization throughout the litigation process. Ava cares deeply, which is evident in the relentless and creative ways she fights for her clients.

Ava is also a seasoned litigator. Before joining the firm, she gained valuable experience at a top Bay Street personal injury and litigation firm, including at trial. Ava has represented injured clients at the Superior Court of Justice, the Divisional Court, the Licence Appeal Tribunal, and the Court of Appeal. She also notably assisted the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association in intervening at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Outside of work, Ava is always on the move. She loves staying active and exploring the city, either with her dog Matilda or by bike (a not-entirely-coincidental new hobby). She also enjoys volunteering in her neighbourhood and giving back to the legal community.

DAVID SHELLNUTT

HISHAM IMTIAZ

AVA WILLIAMS

JOEL ZANATTA