Shawn graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a Bachelor of Arts in 1986, achieving the university's Dean's List in his graduate year, and from Queen's University Law School in 1990. Shawn was admitted to The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1992, and has been a continuous member in good standing since that time. He is a current member of The Advocates' Society, The Canadian Bar Association, The Toronto Lawyers Association and the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador. Shawn spent the first 12 years of his legal career practicing almost exclusively in the area of insurance defence litigation. He spent his summer after first year of law school working for the 150 lawyer firm (then) Smith Lyons. He completed his articles and Bar Admission Course while at Smith Lyons, and then went on to practice there as an associate lawyer for 7 years. Shawn has represented and advised numerous insurers while in private practice, in addition to defending their policyholders in negligence actions. Shawn then worked for 4 years as in-house defence counsel for a major North American insurer, gaining critical knowledge and experience which he now effectively utilizes in representing individual claimants. Shawn has appeared regularly before all levels of Court and various tribunals, including the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), Workers Compensation Appeals Tribunal (WCAT), Social Benefits Tribunal (Ontario). He has published many articles on the subject of statutory accidents benefits and personal injury, and conducted numerous in-house seminars for insurance clients over the years. His extensive experience includes motor vehicle liability claims, occupiers and homeowners liability claims, car accident benefits, punitive damages, corporate commercial litigation, in addition to various criminal proceeding. Shawn has represented insurers as well as individual complainants in innumerable private mediations and arbitrations over the years. Shawn has been a volunteer with the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT). In 2003, Shawn opened his own practice, currently with an expanding, dedicated and experienced staff of 10 paralegals and an associate lawyer. Shawn is a Notary Public, and his practice is centered on civil litigation with particular emphasis on personal injury litigation, professional negligence litigation and all matters involving insurance. Shawn is also a member of the Ontario Brain Injury Association (OBIA), the Brain Injury Society of Toronto (BIST) and the Canadian Paraplegic Association of Ontario (CPA).