PROVINCE APPOINTS NEW JUDGES
Five new judges were appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice effective Wednesday, including three in the Toronto region.
Justice Leslie Chapin was deputy director of Crown operations in the Toronto region, providing advice to four different Crown offices. She was also counsel to the regional director of Crown operations and acting director of the Special Investigations Unit.
Justice Neil Kozloff, meanwhile, recently led a team of lawyers representing the Ontario Provincial Police at the Cornwall inquiry.
The third new Toronto judge, Justice Diane Oleskiw, was previously a criminal lawyer who was active in legal initiatives at children’s centres, women’s centres, rape crisis centres, and new immigration programs.
In the northwest region, the province appointed Justice Joyce Susan Elder to preside in Thunder Bay. Elder was a sole practitioner and panel member for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer as well as a settlement conference facilitator for Legal Aid Ontario.
And in the central west region, Justice Steve Anthony Coroza will preside in St. Catharines. Coroza previously worked as a staff duty counsel for legal aid, was senior counsel to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, and supervised more than 100 federal Crown agents in the province.
WORKSHOP ON SETTING UP A NEW PRACTICE
A new workshop taking place this month aims to give would-be entrepreneurs step-by-step directions on how to set up a new consulting or professional services firm.
Mills & Mills LLP has teamed up with Oomph Group Inc., a specialist in conducting workshops for professionals, to offer guidance on how to navigate the intricacies of setting up a practice.
The full-day event will be held at 401 Bay St. in Toronto on Dec. 9 and will provide expertise on establishing a practice structure and legal framework, risk management systems, financial and management structures, marketing and business development, and client and case management.
For more information, visit oomphgroup.com/startingyourownfirm.
CBA AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The Canadian Bar Association announced a slate of recipients for its 2009 awards last week.
Gail Asper is the winner of the CBA’s President’s Award for her contribution to public life in Canada.
Roy McMurtry, formerly the province’s chief justice and attorney general, won the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Law for his overall contribution to the field.
As attorney general, McMurtry is credited with the country’s first major family law reform, the creation of a bilingual court system, and the foundation of a network of legal aid clinics.
McMurtry was also awarded the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conference Ally Award for his promotion of equality and contribution to the legalization of same-sex marriage.
The Hero Award was given to Kathleen Lahey, a Queen’s University law professor who served as counsel in some key same-sex marriage matters.
Kim Pate of Ottawa won the Touchstone Award for promoting equality in the legal community.
Tricia Kuhl is the winner of the Young Lawyers Pro Bono Award for community-oriented legal services. Kuhl, an associate with Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP in Montreal, provides legal assistance to programs aimed at tackling drug dependencies.
And Scott Jolliffe is the recipient of the Louis St-Laurent Award of Excellence for distinguished and exceptional service to the CBA.
