Stuart Blake admitted to American College of Trial Lawyers

Stuart Blake has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America.

Stuart is a partner of Fillmore Riley LLP and practises primarily in the areas of civil litigation, professional regulation and insurance law, with an emphasis on commercial liability insurance, large loss construction claims, general insurance defence matters, aviation law, professional errors and omissions insurance, life and disability claims, product liability, fire claims, and complex coverage disputes. He is also the Chair of the Insurance Law practice group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

The induction ceremony, at which Stuart became a Fellow, took place online during the recent Induction Ceremony at the 2021 Spring Meeting of the College. The meeting had a total attendance of 633.

Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds, who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship.

Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are currently approximately 5,800 members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction) and Honorary Fellows.

The College maintains and seeks to improve the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice through education and public statements on independence of the judiciary, trial by jury, respect for the rule of law, access to justice, and fair and just representation of all parties to legal proceedings. The College is thus able to speak with a balanced voice on important issues affecting the legal profession and the administration of justice.