I’m Antony Singleton, a workers’ compensation lawyer serving clients in Toronto and the GTA.
In November 2015, I opened my law office to help workers with their WSIB claims and appeals, and their related legal issues (such as human rights and employment law claims).
I decided to start my own firm because, in my eight previous years working as a lawyer in other organizations, I became convinced of two things:
There’s a tremendous, unmet need for high-quality legal representation for injured workers, at both the WSIB and the WSIAT, and
It should be possible to do good work for fees that most working people can afford.
My vision is to provide workers who get injured or sick from their work with:
High-quality, personal service
That responds to all of the workplace issues arising from the work injury
For fees that working people can afford.
(i) High-quality, personal service
My commitment to every client is that all of the legal work on their WSIB claim or appeal is done by me. I like doing meticulous and inventive legal work.
I do use the services of an assistant to administer my practice efficiently and thereby keep the cost of my services reasonable (about which, more below). But all of the legal work is done by me personally.
(ii) Advice and assistance with all of the workplace issues arising from your injury
In many cases, a work injury results in several legal problems: in addition to dealing with the WSIB, you may find yourself in a dispute with your employer, being harassed by a co-worker or supervisor, or not getting the support you need from your union.
As a lawyer with experience in labour, employment, and human rights law, I can give you legal advice about all of the workplace issues arising from your injury, and assist you in trying to resolve them with the people concerned.
If it becomes necessary to commence another legal proceeding, such as a human rights application or a wrongful dismissal lawsuit, I can assist you with that too. When it comes to litigation in forums other than the WSIB and WSIAT, I work in association with another lawyer who shares my philosophy on representing workers, Ron Franklin, to ensure we have the resources to effectively pursue your case.
(iii) Affordable fees
Many workers fall into the “access to justice” gap that has opened up between people who qualify for legal aid services (which are effectively limited to people living in poverty), and people who can afford to hire a private-bar lawyer who charges fees in the traditional way.
I’m determined to find ways to work for people who fall into that gap. I’ll work with each client to find a pricing model that meets their needs, whether it be flat fees paid in installments, regular hourly billing, quoted billing caps, contingent fees, or “unbundled” legal services.