The OBA’s inaugural Thomas G. Heintzman Member Recognition Dinner brought together leading members of the bench and bar to toast spectacular careers in transition and pay tribute to the lawyers in attendance who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the profession through 50 or more consecutive years of membership in the OBA.

When I began my super-sized presidential term in March last year, I said that my hope was that by August 2024, every member who needs support when life shows up, will turn to the OBA and find exactly what they need to endure, adapt and thrive. And, now, as I reach that finish line, I feel confident that’s the case.

From her favourite events and her hidden talents, her best advice for students and her hopes for continued court modernization, her early heroes and her upcoming mandate to create space for lawyers to come together to discuss difficult issues in a safe, constructive, respectful way, find all about Incoming President Kathryn Manning.

I’ve been fortunate in my role as OBA president to meet people who are true trailblazers – and it’s fair to say I’ve been more than impressed, I’ve been awestruck.

After suffering a brutal attack at the hands of her then husband that left her blind, Rumana Monzur not only went on to complete her master’s degree, graduate from law school and work as a litigator for the Department of Justice in Vancouver, she became an advocate for the rights of women and persons living with disabilities.

As I reach the one-year milestone of my super-sized presidency, I marvel at the progress made in a mandate so meaningful to me and at the overwhelming encouragement from an OBA community of lawyers, students, staff and other legal professionals and partners who have ensured the thoughtful delivery and perpetual proliferation of our new and enhanced networks of peer support.

Accepting the 2023 OBA Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation in front of a Ritz-Carlton dining room filled with friends, family and leaders of the bench and civil litigation bar, Linda Plumpton spoke of the alchemy of compelling advocacy, the ability of lawyers to change lives, and the responsibility to use gifts of persuasion to guard hard-fought victories in the fight for a fair and equitable society.

I am honoured to lead an Association of lawyers who are making the law more accessible; who are paving the way for new lawyers; who come together to learn and laugh; and who always show up for each other to commiserate and motivate, to support and celebrate.

Legal leaders on the rise reveal how the OBA Career Accelerator Program, an innovative initiative designed to advance the participation of Black, Indigenous and racialized early- and mid-career lawyers in emerging areas of law, has provided them with the specialized training and unparalleled support to forge new paths and ascend to roles of impact on the cutting edge of the profession.

In the face of mounting challenges exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the OBA continues to demonstrate its commitment to improve justice and work to ensure more accessible legal proceedings for Ontarians. Lawyers from across the province have united under the leadership of the OBA, exploring innovative solutions to address the short-term backlog in the courts and spearheading efforts for meaningful long-term civil justice reform.