Toronto Personal Injury Lawyer Patrick Brown Named One of Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada for 2026

Recognition highlights Brown's impact on road safety legislation and advocacy for cyclists, pedestrians and vulnerable road users across Ontario

TORONTO, Sept. 2, 2026 /CNW/ -- Patrick Brown, Toronto personal injury lawyer and principal partner at McLeish Orlando LLP, has been named one of Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada for 2026, recognizing his impact on road safety advocacy, legislative change and protections for cyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in Ontario.

Patrick Brown

The annual Canadian Lawyer Top 25 Most Influential list recognizes lawyers whose work has significantly shaped the Canadian legal system. Brown's recognition reflects advocacy that has extended beyond individual cases and the courtroom to influence public policy, legislation and road safety initiatives in Ontario and across Canada.

Patrick Brown's Road Safety Advocacy and Impact

Brown initiated the Ontario Chief Coroner's Review of Cycling Deaths and served for a year as its pro bono counsel. The review examined cycling fatalities across Ontario and produced 14 recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths and improving cyclist safety.

The review and its recommendations helped inform significant road safety initiatives, including Ontario's one-metre passing law under the Highway Traffic Act, updates to Ministry of Transportation driver's handbooks, Ontario's cycling strategy and municipal complete streets guidelines. British Columbia and Quebec subsequently introduced their own one-metre passing laws.

"That is what influence should mean: work that keeps protecting people long after the file is closed," Brown said.

About Patrick Brown

Patrick Brown is a Toronto personal injury lawyer, principal partner and owner at McLeish Orlando LLP.  The firm established in 1999 by John McLeish and Dale Orlando, with Brown joining in the year 2001. Called to the Ontario Bar in 1993, Brown represents individuals and families affected by catastrophic injury, wrongful death, brain injury and spinal cord injury, with a particular focus on cases involving cycling injuries, pedestrians and vulnerable road users.

Brown served as president of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association from 2008 to 2009 and has chaired the Ontario Bar Association's Insurance Law Section. He is the founder of the Vulnerable Road User Coalition of Ontario, founder and director of Bike Law Canada/Bike Law Ontario, and a founding member of Friends and Families for Safe Streets. For more than a decade, he has also served as the civil law subject matter expert for the Law Practice Program.

Throughout his career, Brown has represented plaintiffs in significant personal injury cases and has been involved in matters that contributed to changes beyond the individual case, including Ontario childcare legislation, ski hill safety protocols and compensation limits under maritime law.

His contributions to personal injury law and road safety advocacy have been recognized by legal and community organizations across Canada. Brown was named the Ontario Safety League's 2018 Road Safety Advocate of the Year and the Ontario Brain Injury Association's 2018 Professional of the Year. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada™ since 2013 and by Lexpert® as a Most Frequently Recommended lawyer since 2014.

Learn more about Patrick Brown's personal injury practice and advocacy at McLeish Orlando LLP.

Read Patrick Brown's Canadian Lawyer Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers profile. 

About Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada

Now in its 17th year, Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada recognizes 25 lawyers who have made a significant impact on the Canadian legal system, profession and broader society.

For the 2026 list, 121 nominations generated 17,862 reader votes. A shortlist was then reviewed by Canadian Lawyer's Editorial Board, which selected a maximum of five recipients in each category. Selection was based on demonstrated influence over the preceding 18 months, including litigation outcomes, policy and legislative change, institutional leadership, mentorship and public advocacy, rather than reputation or seniority alone.

The 2026 report is sponsored by Thomson Reuters.

SOURCE McLeish Orlando LLP

Media Contact: Colleen Doyle, McLeish Orlando LLP, 151 Yonge Street, Suite 1800, Toronto, ON M5C 2W7, Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]; Website: mcleishorlando.com