Ron Ellis Award for Excellence in Workers' Compensation Law

About the Award

All members in good standing of the Ontario Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section are invited to nominate candidates for the annual Ron Ellis Award. This Award was created to recognize exceptional contributions and/or achievements in the field of workers’ compensation law, including:

  • the development of workers’ compensation law, including teaching, scholarly writing and lobbying;
  • outstanding advocacy or adjudication;
  • leadership in the workers’ compensation bar, the government, the Law Society of Ontario and/or the Ontario Bar Association in relation to workers’ compensation issues, legislation, and administration;
  • leadership in the workers’ compensation bar through sharing knowledge, experience, skill and commitment with other new lawyers and the worker, employer and neutral communities;
  • the enhancement of the practice of  workers’ compensation law.

Eligibility

Any person meeting the criteria, excluding current members of the OBA Workers' Compensation Section Executive or OBA Executive, is eligible.

Presentation

The presentation of this award will be made virtually in the Fall 2023.

Nomination Procedure

Nominators are requested to send in a written nomination with a curriculum vitae outlining the candidate’s qualifications. The nominator must indicate that the candidate has been advised of the nomination prior to the nomination deadline and consents to the nomination.

All nominations will be reviewed by the Ron Ellis Award Nominations Committee. This Committee will make a recommendation for the successful candidate to the Executive of the Section.  The Nominations Committee is composed of equal     numbers of representatives from the employer, worker, and neutral members of the Section.

Deadline for Applications

Online Nomination Form

All nomination information must be submitted online no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 26, 2023

Selection Process

The Nominations Committee will review the nominations and recommend candidates to the Executive of the Workers’ Compensation Section.  The recipient shall be chosen from the candidates submitted by the Nominations Committee to the Executive of the Workers’ Compensation Section by a majority vote of the Executive. The number of awards to be presented annually will not normally exceed one.

The Selection Committee shall consider OBA policies, rules and guidelines on Diversity and Inclusion when selecting the winner of the Award.

Additional Information

 

Faryal Mehboob
Coordinator, OBA Workers' Compensation Section
Ontario Bar Association
300-20 Toronto Street
Toronto, ON M5C 2B8
(800) 668-8900 or (416) 869-1047 x 366
fmehboob@oba.org

Past Recipients

Past recipient winners of the OBA Ron Ellis Award include:

  • 2022- Brendan McCutchen
  • 2021 - Rosemarie McCutcheon
  • 2020 - Chris James
  • 2019 - John Bartolomeo
  • 2018- Carole Prest
  • 2017- Stephen Roberts and Michael Zacks
  • 2016- Dr. Michel Lacerte
  • 2015- David Wilken
  • 2014- Laura A. Russell
  • 2013- Eleanor Smith
  • 2012- Professor Terence Ison
  • 2011- Robert A. Boswell
  • 2010- Maureen Kenny
  • 2009- John Slinger
  • 2008- Stephen Mantis
  • 2007- Professor Paul Weiler
  • 2006- Ian Strachan
  • 2005- David Gorelle
  • 2004- Marion Endicott
  • 2003- Nick McCombie
  • 2002- Dan Revington
  • 2001- David Brady
  • 2000- Alec Farquhar
  • 1999- Dr. Robert Elgie, Gary Newhouse