Richard Hayles - Counsel
Richard Hayles has more than 30 years of experience in insurance and commercial litigation. As Counsel at Billington Barristers, Richard leads the employment and insurance law practice for the firm. Richard provides comprehensive employment law services for employers and is regularly consulted by individuals needing severance and wrongful dismissal advice and representation. His insurance practice includes life and disability claims, property insurance, liability insurance, and personal injury. Richard also handles shareholder disputes, injunctions, corporate fraud, oil and gas cases, and insolvency.
Richard is the author of the legal textbook “Disability Insurance: Canadian Law and Business Practice”, as well as numerous articles and seminar presentations on a variety of insurance law issues.
Prior to his move to Calgary in 2012, Richard practiced law in Ontario. Richard was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1983 and has appeared before all levels of Court including the Supreme Court of Ontario and the Ontario Court of Appeal. His is also experienced in mediation and arbitration.
Associations & Memberships
Professional Blog
Richard maintains the blog Calgary Lawyer, which can be found by clicking here.
Areas of Practice
- Corporate and Commercial Lititgation
- Employment and Wrongful Dismissal
- Life and Disability Insurance
- Property and Liability Insurance
- Arbitration and Mediation
Publications and Presentations to Professional and Industry Seminars
- 2011 Long Term Disability - from Intake to Judgment, Ontario Trial Lawyers Association Annual Long Term Disability Conference, January 28, 2011 (Presentation and panel discussion)
- 2010 Defending Chronic Pain and Chronic Fatigue Claims, Canadian Institute Conference, “Managing and Litigating Disability Insurance Claims”, October 21 and 22, 2010
- 2006 Privacy Legislation, Limitation Periods, and Bad Faith Claims, Insurance Company Claims Workshop, June 20, 2006
- 2005 Good Faith, Bad Faith: Aggravated and Punitive Damages in Disability Insurance Litigation, Canadian Institute Conference, “Litigating Disability Insurance Claims”, November 2 and 3, 2005 (with Lee Akazaki)
- 2005 Punitive Damages for Insurance Fraud, (co-authored with Yasmin Visram) Canadian Journal of Insurance Law, Volume 23, Number 2
- 2003 New Limitations Act Will Affect Life, Disability Claims, The Lawyers Weekly, Personal Injury Focus Section, Volume 23, Number 28
- 2002 Current Topics in Life and Disability Insurance Law: Punitive Damages, Pre-existing conditions, Recurrent Disability, and Privacy Legislation, Insurance Company Claims Workshop, April 8, 2002
- 2000 Insurance Claims Seminar: Definition of “Disability,” Causation Issues in Accident Insurance, and Notice and Proof of Loss Requirements, Insurance Company Claims Workshop, June 22, 2000
- 2000 Employers May Pay for Group Plan Errors, The Lawyers Weekly, Insurance Law Focus Section, Volume 19, Number 46
- 1999 Disability Insurance: Canadian Law and Business Practice, Carswell Co., Toronto, 341 pgs.