OUR TEAM
GILLIAN HNATIW
Gillian is an accomplished litigator whose diverse practice encompasses health law, administrative law, professional regulation and liability, employment disputes, general commercial litigation, and appeals. In particular, Gillian is known for being one of Canada’s foremost practitioners in the areas of sexual assault, harassment and violence.
Gillian appears regularly before all levels of court, including repeat appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada. She has been involved in countless administrative proceedings before a variety of tribunals and served as independent legal counsel. Most notably, Gillian acted as counsel at the Coroner’s Inquests into the deaths of Ashley Smith (2014) and Katelynn Sampson (2016).
ANNA MATAS
Anna is an experienced litigator who has practiced extensively in the areas of personal injury and professional liability since her call to the Bar in 2008. Her practice focuses on the representation of survivors of sexual violence and other misconduct, in both civil and administrative proceedings. Anna defends regulated health care providers against allegations of medical negligence, professional misconduct and other complaints, and provides advice on a wide range of privacy issues, including in the College Discipline context. She also represents individuals before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board, and other administrative tribunals. Anna has been recognized by Best Lawyers Canada for her work in health care law.
MOLLY WARWICK
Molly provides efficient and cost-effective legal support to our clients at every stage of the litigation process. She does this by independently managing and navigating all law clerking duties in connection with intake and pre-litigation, the preservation and collection of documents, examinations for discovery, mediation and trial. Molly is committed to advancing our clients’ best interests with creativity, efficiency, compassion and hard work.
Prior to joining Gillian Hnatiw & Co. as a dedicated litigation law clerk, Molly worked in the field for over 5 years at boutique litigation firms. Molly’s previous experience includes extensive work in the area of tort litigation specializing in plaintiff civil sexual assault. Molly also has advanced knowledge of a variety of parallel proceedings, such as the Social Justice Tribunals Ontario, criminal investigations and proceedings, as well as various regulatory bodies and related professional disciplinary proceedings.
KELSEY GORDON
Kelsey is a strong feminist litigator. She is meticulous and thoughtful in her approach to her cases and always keeps her clients’ needs in focus. She understands that litigation can be intimidating and stressful for clients, and helps her clients to navigate complex processes with dignity.
Kelsey maintains a broad civil litigation practice with two core divisions of practice: cases involving gender-based violence, assault and abuse; and general civil litigation cases that have a gendered aspect to them, including contract disputes, property disputes and employment disputes. Kelsey is passionate about breaking down the systemic and cultural biases in the legal process.
SAMANTHA EISEN
Samantha is a fierce advocate for her clients and uses her background in psychology and prior experience as a family lawyer to help clients navigate difficult legal processes with a focused, balanced and trauma-informed approach. Clients appreciate Samantha’s ability to help them understand what is happening and what to expect, while working creatively and tirelessly to obtain a successful result. Samantha is committed to her clients and works to help them reach their goals in a supportive and respectful environment.
TAYLOR BAIN
Taylor is committed to a trauma-informed practice that focuses on client needs. Her written and oral advocacy effectively showcases client stories and focuses on what is important.
Taylor earned her law degree from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, where she specialized in Dispute Resolution and Professionalism. She has also been a member of and mentor for the University of Ottawa’s Legal Writing Academy since 2020, where she consults others on how to make their writing more accessible and improve their interpersonal skills. She was also selected to coach the University of Ottawa’s Walsh Family Law Moot team, which produced top-scoring advocates.
KELLY ADAMS
Kelly is a litigation law clerk who is passionate about her work and eager to get involved in every aspect of the litigation process, from initial client intake through to trial or settlement. Kelly provides assistance with drafting court materials and pleadings, the collection and review of documents, examinations for discovery, costs outlines, bills of costs, mediation and trial. Her hard work, dedication, compassion and empathetic attitude demonstrates her strong commitment to providing our clients with valuable support throughout the entire litigation process.
KATHERINE DOERING
Katherine takes great pride aiding in the advocacy of our clients while providing trauma-informed support every step of the way. While studying the various fields of law in Seneca College’s Law Clerk program, she was immediately drawn to litigation and the academic discourse surrounding access to justice.
With a diligent work ethic and an inquiring mind, her duties at Gillian Hnatiw & Co. include initial client intake, drafting court documents and managing the collection and organization of our records.
