The South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario executive director is first racialized woman in position
The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) has announced its governing board’s election of Shalini Konanur as treasurer for the 2026–27 term, effective as of the June 25 Convocation.
The LSO’s news release noted that Konanur is the first racialized woman elected in this role. Konanur said this milestone shows progress and the need for inclusion and representation within the organization.
“I’m proud to step into this role, and I’m committed to leading in a way that opens doors for others,” she said.
Serving her first term as an elected bencher, Konanur expressed gratitude to her fellow benchers. Alongside colleagues Bob Adourian, Pam Hrick, and Mitchell Kitagawa, she intends to keep advancing efforts to ensure professional integrity and the protection of the public.
“As Treasurer, I look forward to working with Convocation to advance the Law Society’s public interest mandate, strengthen its governance and support clear, effective and forward-looking regulation for Ontario’s lawyers and paralegals,” Konanur said in the LSO’s news release.
She highlighted access to justice and the elimination of barriers faced by the public and the professions as priorities in the regulator’s work moving forward.
The Federation of Ontario Law Associations (FOLA) congratulated Konanur on her election.
“Her experience will help our county and district law associations succeed in serving the public,” said Jennifer S. Rooke, FOLA chair. “We congratulate her on this historic achievement and look forward to working together.”
FOLA thanked Peter Wardle, the LSO’s outgoing treasurer, who held the role for two terms.
“He guided the LSO through turbulent times including appointing a new CEO and significant changes in corporate governance,” stated FOLA’s news release. “Importantly, he continued to foster and nourish Ontario’s county and district law library system, taking steps toward bringing lawyers and paralegals to under-served communities.”
At the LSO, Konanur co-chairs the Equity and Indigenous Affairs Committee and serves as a hearing adjudicator at the Law Society Tribunal.
She also belongs to the Audit and Finance Committee, the Law Foundation Ontario Board, the Paralegal Future Vision Working Group, the Alliance for Sustainable Legal Aid, and the Strategic Planning and Advisory Committee.
Beyond the LSO, Konanur is executive director and a senior lawyer at the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario.
She has dedicated her whole legal career to the provincial legal aid clinic system. Across rural and urban settings with diverse populations, she has handled matters involving immigration, family, human rights, employment, income maintenance, housing, and gender-based violence.
“I admire her dedication to diverse populations and service in various practice areas in urban and rural settings together with her extensive experience in Ontario’s legal aid system,” Rooke said. “There are certainly parallels between her work and the work of our members.”
Konanur has appeared at all court levels, including the Supreme Court of Canada. She has helped multiple levels of government, civil society organizations, the private sector, and the United Nations navigate issues such as racism, discrimination, and gender-based violence.
Konanur joined the Ontario bar in 2000 after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1998.
