Founder & Managing Lawyer
When I was ten years old, I saw my grandfather lose an unloseable lawsuit against a large multimillion-dollar corporation.
He was an owner-operator fisherman in Southwestern Nova Scotia. While anchored and fishing a few kilometres offshore, his boat was run over by a large commercial vessel. My grandfather suffered from PTSD and never worked again.
The large corporation hired some of the best lawyers from the largest law firm in Atlantic Canada at the time. My grandfather’s lawyer was outmatched. He ultimately lost for technical reasons, including a lack of evidence and ineffective presentation of his case.
I still remember the burning anger I felt at the injustice of the entire situation. The truth of the situation was clear. However, I learned some important lessons:
1) The legal system favours those with vast financial resources (ie large corporations);
2) The truth is not enough – you can lose a winnable case; and
3) The best story wins — so make sure you tell the best story.
I have devoted my career to becoming the lawyer my grandfather needed. I don’t want you, or your family, to experience what happened to my family. My grandfather was too trusting and didn’t understand how the system worked. This is why I have mandated that Resolute Legal use an education-first approach in our marketing and services. We want to empower you to make better decisions, which we believe is the key to maximizing your chances of success.
For the past fifteen years I have developed and refined a process I call The Story Alignment Method™. This is the system my law firm uses to win disability claims by telling our clients’ best story. Your best story is one that fits (or aligns) with the decision-maker’s beliefs, expectations and incentives. In hindsight, the failure to have story alignment was the reason my grandfather lost his unloseable case.
I am now fortunate to have an entire team of people who share my desire to make sure no Canadian is wrongfully denied disability benefits because of legal technicalities.
I look forward to helping you win your case — whether that be through one of my books, our free information, or having my team represent you.
— David Brannen
More About David
Born in Brampton, Ontario, David grew up on Cape Sable Island in Southwestern Nova Scotia. He now lives in New Brunswick with his wife and children. David practices nationwide, but primarily in Ontario.
When not working, David spends most of his time as a competitive player of Magic, the Gathering (officially the world’s most complicated game according to a Cornell University Study and the MIT Technology Review.)
David is a former lecturer at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Health Professions and is the author of The Beginner’s Guide to CPP Disability, The CPP Application Workbook, and A Beginner’s Guide to Disability Insurance Claims in Canada.
Media
David appears each week on The CPP Disability Channel and Resolute Legal’s YouTube Channel. He also hosts the Weekly Insider Q&A each Thursday at 3:00 pm Eastern. This is a live online educational program for members of Resolute Legal’s Insider Newsletter & Community.
Areas of Practice
- Short-term Disability
- Long-term Disability
- CPP Disability
- Worker’s Compensation
- Disability Tax Credit
Education
- JD, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, 2004
- Certificate in Health Law and Policy, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, 2004
- M.Sc.(Occupational Therapy), Dalhousie University, 2001
- B.Sc. (Occupational Therapy), Dalhousie University, 1997