The OBA Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation was created by the Executive of the Civil Litigation Section to recognize contributions and achievements by members of the Ontario Bar Association in the following areas:

• outstanding advocacy skills
• professionalism, integrity and civility
• teaching of civil litigation and practice
• the enhancement of the practice of civil litigation 
• leadership in the Civil Litigation Bar

Only one award shall be awarded annually.

NOMINATION FORM

Eligibility
All OBA members who are practising lawyers in Ontario but not including current members of the Executive of Civil Litigation Section or Board of Directors the OBA.

Nomination and Selection Committee
A committee consisting of:

• the Past Chair (or Co-Chairs) of the OBA Civil Litigation Section, who (or one of whom) will be the Chair(s) (the “Chair(s)”) of the Nomination and Selection Committee (hereinafter the “Committee”); 
• the Section Chair;
• the Section Vice Chair; and
• at least three other members as determined by the Chair, which shall include no more than three of the past Award recipients and as available, a Justice of the Ontario Court of Appeal and of the Superior Court of Justice;

shall be formed and shall perform the following functions:

(i) solicit nominations from Section and OBA members including members outside of Toronto;
(ii) solicit identification of potential nominees from the Judiciary through the Regional Senior Judges throughout Ontario;
(iii) obtain information about any candidate including letters of support and curriculum vitae, if required in the opinion of the Committee; and
(iv) otherwise coordinate matters relating to the award.
 

Nominations
Nominations shall be solicited:

(i) by a request for nominations published at least 30 days prior to the close of nominations in the Ontario Reports;
(ii) by a request to all Regional Senior Judges in Ontario for identification of potential nominees at least 30 days prior to the close of nominations;
(iii) by a request to all OBA Council Members for identification of potential nominees at least 30 days prior to the close of nominations;
(iv) through members of the Executive of the Civil Litigation Section; and
(v) through members of the Civil Litigation Bar throughout the Province of Ontario.

Any member of the Civil Litigation Section of OBA in good standing is eligible to nominate a candidate by submission in writing, together with a curriculum vita outlining the nominee’s qualifications (if required by the Committee).  Unless required by the Committee, the nominator is not required to advise (or obtain the consent of) the nominee of the nomination prior to the nomination deadline.

Nomination form and supporting material must be filed with Audrey Ramsay, Nomination and Selection Committee Chair, Civil Litigation Section, c/o Terrine Glover – Section Coordinator, Ontario Bar Association, 20 Toronto Street, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2B8 no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 11, 2011 or by facsimile: (416) 869-1390.

Decision
The Committee shall choose the recipient of the Award from the candidates submitted through the Nomination process.

Presentation
The award will be presented at an annual gala dinner hosted by the Civil Litigation Section at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel on Tuesday, October 25, 2011, or as determined by the Executive of the Civil Litigation Section.

Criteria for Selection
The award should recognize one or more of the following attributes:

(i) proven outstanding skills in oral and written advocacy;
(ii) contribution to legal education;
(iii)contribution to the community through pro bono work and other projects or initiatives;
(iv) leadership in the Civil Litigation Bar through sharing knowledge, experience, skill, commitment, by acting as a role model to the younger members of the profession as well as to his/her peers at the civil litigation bar;
(v) contributions to the development of civil litigation related policies, procedures, practice and legislation.