The Ontario Bar Association Award for Distinguished Service recognizes exceptional career contributions and/or career achievements, by its members, to the legal profession in Ontario; to jurisprudence in Ontario or Canada; to the law or development of the law in Ontario; or to a significant law-related benefit to the residents of Ontario.
Orlando Da Silva
Starting the conversation about mental health in the legal profession
Shortly before his term as OBA president began in August 2014, Orlando Da Silva made one of the biggest decisions of his life: he opened up to his family, friends and colleagues about his life-long struggle with depression, a secret he had kept for years for fear of being stigmatized and perceived as ‘weak’.
Ever since, he has fought against that stigma by bringing issues of mental illness and mental health to the forefront of the legal profession. During his presidency, Orlando founded the OBA's "Opening Remarks" wellness campaign for lawyers, bringing education, support and understanding of mental health issues to the legal profession. Every time he tells his story, he is reminded of the lives he has changed.
After being called to the bar in 1995, Orlando joined Borden Ladner Gervais, practising corporate commercial litigation. He made the jump from private practice to Crown in 2005, joining the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Crown Law Office (Civil).
Orlando has been a member of the OBA since his second week of law school. In the 23 years that followed, he chaired the Civil Litigation Section and served as chair of the Advocacy, Government Relations, and Communications Committee, as well as holding the offices of Treasurer, Second Vice-President, and First Vice-President.
Orlando has left a tremendous and lasting mark on the OBA and the profession.
The OBA is proud to recognize his courage, his heart and his trailblazing leadership with the 2017 OBA Distinguished Service Award.
Craig R. Carter, CS
Developing and improving professional development for lawyers
Craig Carter is a big name not only in law practice, but as a leading champion for legal professional development. He has been extensively involved in developing and delivering continuing legal education to lawyers for many years, and has chaired many programs and written papers for the OBA, the Law Society and other CPD providers.
A partner with the Toronto law firm Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, (where he has practised for more than 30 years), Craig is a Certified Specialist in real estate law and is accepted by the Courts of Ontario as an expert on real estate issues. Considered one of the preeminent leaders in the real estate law field, Carter was the recipient of the OBA’s Award for Excellence in Real Estate in 2001.
Craig’s singular skill is taking the complex morass of the law and making it simple, intelligible and finding the core principles of justice; a skill that naturally translates to problem solving and teaching.
Christopher Bentley
A career dedicated to serving the public and the profession
Chris Bentley has always been an agent of change, determined to improve what he finds. While in government, Chris lead change initiatives such as Justice on Target, which reduced appearances and time to trial in criminal cases for the first time in 18 years; the 4 Pillars of Family Reform, Civil Justice Reform, the largest funding increase in Legal Aid’s history, and was part of a new approach to Aboriginal relations recognized by the United Nations.
Prior to retiring from politics in 2013, Chris Bentley served for almost 10 years as the Member of Provincial Parliament for London West. He held several cabinet posts, including Attorney General for Ontario. Chris practised criminal and labour law for over 20 years, taught part-time at Western’s Law School, was the first Chairperson of Neighbourhood Legal Services of London and Middlesex, and authored a practice manual for criminal law. He received his law degree from the University of Toronto, and a Master’s level Diploma in Legal Studies from Cambridge University.
After politics Chris joined Ryerson University to help establish the Law Practice Program, a modern approach to transition year training for lawyers. He recently helped establish the Legal Innovation Zone, Canada’s first, to help build an accessible 21st century justice system.
Chris has had a long-standing relationship with the OBA, working in consultation with the Association on various public policy and justice reform initiatives in his capacity as Attorney General, as a presenter and special guest at many OBA events, and through working with OBA members to develop a curriculum for the Law Practice Program.
The OBA is pleased to celebrate the many positive changes Chris Bentley has brought to the law and legal profession.
The remarkable achievements of these three legal stars will be honoured by their peers at the OBA Annual Awards Gala on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at Twenty Toronto Street Conferences and Events.