Called to the Bar in 1975, Dave Hill maintains a practice that encompasses virtually all aspects of civil litigation, including corporate/commercial litigation, arbitrations and mediation. His expertise in trial and appellate advocacy is reflected in a number of leading cases in many different areas of law, including recent cases involving economic torts, environmental claims and significant contractual disputes. As one of the leading civil litigation lawyers in Manitoba, he has appeared in trial courts of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, the Federal Court, as well as the Tax Court of Canada. He has also been lead counsel on four occasions before the Supreme Court of Canada together with numerous appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada when leave applications were in person.
He has appeared as lead counsel before the Manitoba Court of Appeal in over 180 appeals and as lead counsel in over 200 trials before the Manitoba trial courts.
Dave started his own litigation boutique in 1988, now known as Hill Sokalski Walsh, which has been selected as one of the 10 Top Litigation Boutiques in Canada.
Since 2011 he has been chosen six times as the Litigator of the Year – Manitoba by Benchmark.
In 2020, he was one of four Canadian civil litigators to be selected by Benchmark for its Hall of Fame Award.
He is ranked in Lexpert in the areas of Commercial Insurance, Litigation and Corporate/Commercial. He was the first Manitoba litigator to be chosen as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honorary society.
In 2020 and 2021, he was selected Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in Manitoba for civil litigation and mediation.
He has received the Martindale Hubbell 2018 Judicial Edition ranking as “AV Preeminent” representing the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards reflecting the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and judiciary.
In the last 12 months, Dave has successfully achieved a $1 M judgment against an insurance broker, $5 M award for public misfeasance against the City of Winnipeg and a successful defence of a claim against an officer of a company to pierce the corporate veil in the amount of $3.4 M
Updated April 2024
