September 28, 2020
Rogerson Law Group is expanding its renowned tax practice to include civil litigation cases centered on abuse and bullying by adding Brian F. P. Murphy,Q.C., a trial lawyer with considerable experience in that area, as Counsel to the firm.
Murphy appeared for Bullying Canada in the seminal Supreme Court of Canada case, A.B. v. Bragg Communications Inc., [2012] 2 SCR 567, which ruled that victims of cyberbullying who turn to the courts are entitled to remain anonymous in court applications. Murphy has represented clients abused by institutions from Mount Cashel in Newfoundland, Kingsclear in New Brunswick , Shelburne in Nova Scotia, the Roman Catholic Church in general, and many individual claims involving schools, police forces and jails and penitentiaries.
He was also Liberal Party of Canada Justice Critic and Vice-Chair of the Justice Committee while serving as Member of Parliament from 2006 to 2011 and took up the cause of Ashley Smith who was left to die in her cell due to abuse and neglect at the hands of the CSC operatives.
Murphy’s inclusion is timely, in that Havergal Girls School, a storied institution, is accused of permitting and abetting bullying of school children by the scions of Toronto’s “finest” families at the expense of the lesser entitled .
“As a Maritimer and an Irishman, I know about exclusion, snobbery and entitlement and have fought all my life against privilege and bullying,” Murphy said. “I am delighted to join such a distinguished Barrister as Andrew Rogerson in fighting this fight.”
Rogerson Law Group, on behalf of victims of bullying at Havergal College, has filed two independent lawsuits – Mother Doe and Jane Doe v. Havergal College, Seonaid Davis et al. and Andrew Rogerson and Grace Rogerson v. Havergal College, Catherine Misson and Kate White. These lawsuits allege bullying at Havergal College, including where one victim was pushed to the point of attempting suicide on two separate occasions.
Multiple individuals have come forward including several former students, each with detailed and disturbing reports – some reporting firsthand experiences, others as witnesses to bullying episodes. It is hoped that with the addition of Murphy, Rogerson Law Group will obtain justice.
Rogerson Law Group, with the assistance of Brian F. P. Murphy, Q.C., are committed to getting justice for those who have experienced bullying at Havergal College.
About Brian F. P. Murphy, LL.M, QC
His early legal career began in Moncton articling for both Mark Yeoman, Q.C. and J. Edward Murphy Q.C. in Moncton and then with Kenneth Howie Q.C at Thomson Rogers in Toronto. He then worked with Paul A. Lee, Q.C. ( a fellow Maritimer), Jack Fireman Q.C. and James Regan, Q.C. at Lee, Fireman, Regan in Toronto.
Returning to Moncton, he practised with Henry J. Murphy Q.C. and developed the leading injured and abused litigation practice in the region. Turning to politics in Moncton, he was a City Councillor and Mayor of Moncton and later Member of Parliament all in the period form 1998 to 2011. While in Ottawa he served as Liberal Party Justice Critic and Vice-Chair of the Commons Justice Committee, Chair of the Canada-Ireland Parliamentary Committee and first supporter of the Liberal Leadership Campaign of Bob Rae.
For his efforts aimed at linguistic harmony he was honored with the Prix Dialogue by the Province of New Brunswick and made a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Lettres et des Arts by the Republic of France. Recently it was announced that he will be awarded the Order of Moncton as well.
He has appeared at every level of Court in the Provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Ontario as well as the Federal Court Trial Division and Court of Appeal. He has been Counsel of Record twice at the Supreme Court of Canada . He was retained by Bullying Canada and appeared for them in the seminal Supreme Court of Canada case, A.B. v. Bragg Communications Inc. [2012] 2 SCR 567. Fully bilingual, he is a full member of the Ontario and New Brunswick Bars.
About Rogerson Law Group
In 2006, having been in practice since 1981, Andrew formed Rogerson Law Group (RLG), a law firm that specializes in asset protection and estates law. The law firm was awarded the 2020 Best Asset Protection Law Firm by Global Excellence Awards recognizing their expertise and work. Recently, Andrew was ranked in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide. Mr. Rogerson has also started a Victims of Private School Bullying practice and has brought forward two high-profile lawsuits against Havergal College, an all girls private school in Toronto. This emerging practice area, part of the broader sphere of education law at RLG, is built upon its desire to help children and their families stop the tragic and destructive bullying that is so prevalent in our schools, particularly at private and independent schools in the province.
For more information about the Victims of Private School Bullying Practice, visit the Rogerson Law Group’s Bullying & Litigation webpage.