TORONTO - The Ontario Bar Association will honour Benjamin Zarnett with the 2009 OBA Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation at a Gala Dinner to be held in Toronto on October 5, 2009 with Navigant Consulting returning for the third year in a row as the Premiere Sponsor.

The OBA Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation is awarded each year to a lawyer who has made exceptional contributions and achievements in one or more of the following areas:

1. Proven outstanding advocacy skills
2. Highest levels of professionalism, integrity and civility
3. Teaching of civil litigation and practice
4. The enhancement of the practice of civil litigation

“Ben has contributed to the legal profession as a litigator, an educator and a leader,” said Audrey Ramsay, chair of the OBA Civil Litigation Section.  “He has been lead counsel in some of the highest profile commercial cases that have come before our courts. He has also served in numerous volunteer roles within the profession, including as president of The Advocates’ Society.”

 Zarnett is a partner in the Litigation Group at Goodmans LLP. His practice focuses on civil litigation with a special emphasis on commercial cases involving public and private companies, financial institutions, and governments. He has practised before the Supreme Court of Canada, Federal Court of Appeal, Federal Court Trial Division, and all levels of courts in Ontario as well as various administrative tribunals, in particular the Ontario Securities Commission. 
Zarnett has been counsel in some of the most important commercial cases to be decided by Canadian courts, including the Asset-Backed Commercial Paper restructuring case, the litigation concerning the acquisition of BCE Inc., the Danier Leather securities class action, the Bre-X Minerals litigation, the Canadian Red Cross restructuring litigation, and the Confederation Life Insurance Company insolvency proceedings.
“While we received and considered a number of nominations for many outstanding candidates, because of Ben’s exceptional contributions and accomplishments, in each of the four areas of achievement, he stood out from his peers. He was a unanimous choice.” said Kathleen Kelly, Co-Chair of the Civil Litigation Award Nomination and Selection Committee. “We look forward to celebrating his contributions to the Bar and the legal profession at our October 5th dinner.”
This is not the first time that Zarnett has been honoured by the Bar.  In 2006 he was awarded the Law Society Medal and in 2007 he received the Award of Distinction by the Toronto Lawyers Association.
For ticket information to the October 5th awards dinner, please call 1-800-668-8900 or visit www.oba.org/civilaward

The OBA is the voice of the legal profession in Ontario. As a branch of the Canadian Bar Association, the OBA represents more than 17,000 lawyers, judges, law professors and law students across the province.  The Civil Law Section of the OBA is comprised of approximately 1500 members.

– 30 –