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Photo of young female attorney preparing notes at table in court with law books, laptop and scales of justice

Your First Appeal at the OCA: Tips from the gurus

  • June 13, 2022
  • Nancy Sarmento Barkhordari

Navigating appeals to the Court of Appeal for Ontario can be a challenge for any lawyer, but new lawyers navigating their first appeal are probably doubly stressed, particularly if they are working alone, and especially where the appeal is complicated by a motion to quash. Nancy Sarmento Barkhordari offers a fantastic ensemble of gems from the gurus of appellate advocacy.

Illustration of one male and one female superhero, both in capes, atop a mountain and looking into the sun

SPILL: Real and yet-to-be-realised heroic encounters

  • June 13, 2022

We asked members to tell us about a time they got to meet one of their heroes or about one they would most like to meet. Responses show the many forms role models take and the myriad ways a chance encounter can make a day or even change a career.

Photo of guests gathered around round tables at Crystal Ballroom for OBA Awards Gala

Ontario Bar Association Honours Legal Superstars at Annual Awards Gala

  • June 10, 2022
  • Michael Speers

The legal community came together on June 9 to celebrate outstanding members of the profession who have made exceptional contributions to the practice of law in Ontario and to the Ontario Bar Association. This was the first OBA Awards Gala in three years, after the popular event was sidelined due to public health measures brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Honourable Rosalie Abella and the Honourable Mahmud Jamal

Supreme Esteem: Twin tributes that really do justice

  • June 01, 2022
  • The Honourable Rosalie Abella and The Honourable Mahmud Jamal

The OBA’s Supreme Evening brought together admiring members of the bench and bar to pay tribute to The Honourable Rosalie Abella and The Honourable Mahmud Jamal and celebrate “a passing of a precious baton from safe, strong hands to safe, strong hands.” The gala’s highlight were the remarks from the guests of honour, whose praise for each other conveyed respect, kinship, humour, and genuine affection – excerpts from which they have kindly shared.

Illustration of father working on computer with baby in his lap

From Juris Doctor to Juris Daddy: Tips for new-father lawyers

  • May 31, 2022
  • Sherif Rizk

From establishing limits and availing yourself of resources, to building your back-up network and creating routines that capitalize on your capabilities and capacity, a sole practitioner shares his advice on balancing a busy practice with fatherhood.

Illustration of scales of justice against backdrop of diverse, multi-coloured faces

If Canada Is Diverse, Why Isn’t Its Highest Court?

  • May 31, 2022
  • Mariam Moktar

The Court, which has the final word on many issues affecting Canadians from all walks of life, should mirror the diversity of this country. Why? Because we know that a diverse bench only enhances the public’s confidence in our legal system, and diversity enhances the quality of decision-making on the bench.

Photo of Samantha Peters

The Future is Femme, Black Femme Legal!

  • May 31, 2022
  • Tamara J. Sylvester

Allow me to reintroduce you to Samantha Peters (she/her/they/them) – no stranger to the spotlight. Samantha, who proudly identifies as a Black queer femme, was called to the bars of Alberta and Ontario in 2020. In that short time, she has made a palpable impact on the legal profession because of her innovative and rebellious approach to the practice of law and the seemingly fearless way in which she navigates the margins that contemporary Canadian society imposes on her intersecting identities.

Three people sitting in circle in a support group

Restorative Justice: An alternative path in sexual assault cases?

  • February 26, 2022
  • Interview with Jeff Carolin by Allison Lee

In an interview with OBA Criminal Justice Section newsletter editor Allison Lee, Jeff Carolin, a criminal defence lawyer with a restorative-justice-informed practice, recounts his experience representing a sexual assault complainant in a restorative justice process in Toronto, the first of its kind.

Older professional man and younger professional man with speech bubbles above their heads - older man giving advice, younger man scratching his head

SPILL: The worst career advice you have ever received

  • February 26, 2022

We have all been on the receiving end of unsolicited, vaguely undermining, or completely cringeworthy career advice at some point in our professional progress. From the questionable to the objectionable, we asked members to share the worst advice they ever received – and, thankfully, disregarded!