John McKiggan

My practice is devoted to providing peace of mind to persons who have suffered serious injuries; particularly those who have experienced childhood sexual abuse and medical malpractice.

In the course of my 20 years of practice I have been fortunate to have met and represented two individuals who changed the direction of my career.

For 15 years I represented Nora Bernard in the first class action filed against the federal government for compensation for loss of language and culture for survivors of Indian Residential Schools. I represent hundreds of former residents of Indian Residential Schools.

As a result, I became a member of the committee that negotiated the landmark national class action settlement on behalf of Indian Residential School Students. The largest class action settlement in Canadian history.

As a result, I regularly receive referrals from, and cooperate with, lawyers from across Canada in class action claims.

I represent Ronald Martin in a class action against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish on behalf of survivors of childhood abuse by priests. This claim was the first successful class action against the Roman Catholic Church.

As a result, I was asked to present to The Canadian Institute’s National Conference on Institutional Liability for Sexual Abuse.

I was selected to participate in the Ten Most Significant Class Action Decisions of the Past Year at Osgoode Hall’s 7th National Symposium on Class Actions.

The Antigonish class action was featured as a cover story in Canadian Lawyer magazine.

I regularly receive referrals from lawyers throughout Atlantic Canada for claims involving medical malpractice, and historical sexual abuse.

I am a frequent contributor and guest speaker at legal conferences throughout Atlantic Canada, Ontario and the rest of the world.

I have been a strong supporter of the Atlantic Province’s Trial Lawyers Association since it’s inception and I had the honour of being elected president of A.P.T.L.A. by my fellow trial lawyers.