TORONTO – August marks the official transition of power at the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) with BLG Partner Carole Brown taking the helm as President. Toronto lawyer Lee Akazaki will be taking on the role of Vice-President.
“On behalf of the Ontario Bar Association, I would like to extend my congratulations and best wishes to Carole as she takes over the leadership of this organization,” said outgoing President Jamie Trimble. “Carole has been a leader in the bar and will be a valuable asset to the association and our members.”

Ms. Brown is a Partner in the Ottawa office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP where she is a member of the the Securities Litigation and Compliance Industry Group, Insurance and Tort Liability Practice Group, and the Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Industry Group. Carole was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1984 and is a graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.

“Ontario is as diverse as our country in terms of its economy, population, legal profession and the complexity, diversity and scope of the issues that we as lawyers encounter on a daily basis,” said Brown. “The OBA is diverse, not only in the nature of our legal practices, but also in the social and cultural composition of our membership that reflects Canadian society at large. We truly represent ‘the voice of the profession’ in its entirety – small and large firms, private and public sectors, the judiciary, students/young lawyers and experienced counsel, rural and urban and from all social, multicultural and linguistic backgrounds. We think big, think inclusive and are sensitive to the needs of the public and of all of our membership. The strength and diversity of that collective voice is recognized and respected by our governments and regulators.”

As President, Ms. Brown will bring a wealth of experience from her professional and volunteer work over the years, including:

• Officer, Executive Member and Council Member of the OBA
• OBA Governance Committee, OBA Membership Committee, OBA Awards Committee, OBA Civil Litigation Section (East Region), CBA Civil Litigation Section, CBA – Supreme Court of Canada Liaison Committee, CBA Resolutions Committee, and CBA Awards Committee
• Instructor, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law (ADR) and Bar Admission Course (Civil Litigation)
• Board of Directors of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation
• Board of Directors of the Odyssey Theatre Company
• Board of Directors of the Resource Educational Advocacy Centre for the Handicapped

Serving as OBA Vice-President will be Lee Akazaki. Mr. Akazaki was called to the Ontario Bar in 1990, having received his LL.B. from the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. He has practiced with Gilbertson Davis Emerson LLP as a trial and appellate counsel since 1998. In 2000, he was certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Civil Litigation.

“I look forward to working with Lee over the coming year,” said Brown. “His talents in both advocacy and education will enhance the OBA’s efforts for our members in these important areas.”

Others elected to the 2009-2010 OBA executive include:

Secretary (Executive & Council)
Douglas Richard Downey - Lewis Downey Tornosky Lassaline & Timpano Professional Corporation

Treasurer
Jonathan Christopher Yen - JCY Law

Immediate Past President
Jamie Kevin Trimble - Hughes Amys LLP

Chair of Professional Development
Roderic G. Ferguson, Q.C. - Ferguson Barristers LLP

Executive-At-Large
Mark L. Berlin - Department of Justice Canada
Sean Michael Kennedy, LL.M. - Canada Post Corporation
Kelly McDermott -McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Paul R. Sweeny - Evans Sweeny Bordin LLP
Robert Paul Tchegus - Cunningham Swan Carty Little & Bonham LLP

Chair of Young Lawyers' Division - Toronto
Patricia De Sario - Town of Caledon

Chair of the Membership Committee
Kathryn M. Gamble-Lerchner -Legal Aid Ontario - Halton SDC

Chair of Public Affairs
Julia E. Hanigsberg, BA, BCL, LLB, LLM - Ryerson University

Chair of Student Division
Emily Assini - Harrison Pensa LLP

The OBA is the voice of the legal profession in Ontario. As a branch of the Canadian Bar Association, the OBA represents 17,500 lawyers, judges, law professors and law students across the province.

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To download a high resolution photo of Carole Brown, please click on the below link:
http://www.oba.org/images/Carole_Brown_HighRES.jpg

For more information:
Jonathan Clancy
Office: 1-800-668-8900 ext. 348 Cell: 416-454-8932