An interview with lawyer Jeremy Diamond

Few other law firms in the country have seen the heights of success that Diamond & Diamond has, nor do they have as much history.

The major law firm has been around for roughly 40 years – but it really began to shine about 10 years ago in 2013.

That’s when Jeremy Diamond, his wife Sandra Zisckind, and his brother-in-law Isaac Zisckind became part owners of the firm, elevating it to new heights through successful branding, digital marketing, and top-notch service.

On the year of his 10^th anniversary of leading the firm, Jeremy Diamond spoke about Diamond & Diamond’s humble beginnings, how the firm has changed over the years, and the big plans he has for the firm’s future.

2023 marks 10 years since you took part ownership of Diamond & Diamond. What has changed the most in those 10 years? 

Jeremy: It has been an incredible journey and I must credit my team. They work round the clock getting our clients the justice they deserve. If you want to get the compensation you deserve, you must engage with a lawyer that is willing to stand firm on your behalf.

The other thing I have noticed is a rise in the number of personal injury firms investing in advertising, especially in the out-of-home space. I like to think that we were at the forefront of this, and we welcome healthy competition.

What were the most important milestones in the law firm’s past decade?

Jeremy: Going full service was a big gamble for us since we have such strong top-of-mind awareness in the area of Personal Injury. What drove us towards that decision was listening to our clients who were starved for customer service excellence.

Another big milestone has been our large class action cases which have garnered a great deal of media attention. For example, our actions against Mind Geek, COVID long-term care homes, and even the Cadets. We are inundated with calls daily which led to the birth of our class action division. We expect it to grow substantially over the next decade.

What was it like to transition from a law firm primarily focused on personal injury to a full-service law enterprise?

Jeremy: It was a lot easier than we imagined, simply because we had a solid foundation of values and infrastructure to work from. Many of our injury clients sought out our services years later when they, for example, purchased a home. The common thread is always customer service. Our team is highly responsive and we have trained our staff to be incredibly proactive.

What are the firm’s most notable class action lawsuits from the past decade?

Jeremy: Our class action suits claim damages in the billions. One of the most memorable was our class action against several long-term care home providers for neglect. We partnered with two other firms to enact change. We always want to feel like we are driving policy change in a positive direction.

Much of Diamond & Diamond’s success is attributed to its unique marketing – can you elaborate on the marketing process and how it helped Diamond & Diamond?

Jeremy: Sure. The backbone of our various marketing avenues is messaging. In the beginning, we spent hours trying to decide our unique value proposition, and it was simply that we believe in tough advocacy. This is how our slogan “Nothing is tougher than a Diamond” came about.

Without giving too much away, we also place a large emphasis on content creation and treat our website as an information hub so that plaintiffs feel empowered.

How does the firm plan to continue expanding in the US?

Jeremy: We expanded to the US in June of 2021, opening an office in south Florida. It will take time to build brand awareness and trust with the public in the state, but we’re confident our brand will translate. American advertising can differ in that it can be more bombastic than what we’re used to in Canada. Our success lies in continued market research.

What does Diamond & Diamond provide for clients that other law firms don’t?

Jeremy: Our personal cell phone numbers, for one. Secondly, we pride ourselves on being a firm that is constantly investing in new technology and IT systems. When you have an injured plaintiff that has lost everything, they don’t have the luxury of waiting. We want to be able to move our clients toward a reasonable settlement as quickly as possible.

What was most interesting or surprising to you regarding the firm’s major success?

Jeremy: To be frank, I think the media coverage of our firm hasn’t always been fair. Context is important and while Diamond and Diamond was a referral firm decades ago, it has been under new ownership for a decade. This is a common misconception that has stuck with us. We refer very few of our files out – in fact, it is more advantageous for us to keep them in house. In the instance that we do send a file to another firm, we only do it when we feel we aren’t the best fit for that client, and of course with their consent.

Based on the number of lawyers we have, we are Canada’s largest injury firm. This speaks to the sheer volume of cases we handle in house, often much more than our competitors. Overall, my strategy has been to quiet the noise in the media and let our work speak for itself.

What are you most looking forward to in the next 10 years?

Jeremy: I’d like to continue our rapid expansion geographically and in terms of our class action and civil division. There is an incredible amount of injustice that takes place on a daily basis and I stand by our legal system in Canada. It’s certainly not perfect but I believe in building a firm for the people so that they are able to take on powerful interests. It’s incredibly rewarding to feel like you wake up every day fighting for the little guy or girl.

After 10 years of leadership under Jeremy Diamond, it’ll be interesting to see how Diamond & Diamond continues to develop during the next 10 years and beyond – this is one law firm that’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Diamond & Diamond specializes in personal injury, real estate, corporate law, and class action litigation. To see what they can do for you, call 1-800-567-4878 for a free consultation.

For more information and the latest updates, visit their website, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages.