The Randall Echlin Mentorship Award ceremony was held on October 3, 2019 with the recipient being James (“Jim”) McDonald from Goldblatt Partners LLP. The event was a tremendous success, selling out all 155 seats.
Jim is the first recipient of the award who practiced primarily unionized labour law, although his significant contributions go much further. Jim has extensive experience in employment civil litigation, with particular expertise in class actions.
Jim generally represents both private and public sector unions in grievance arbitrations before arbitrators and the Grievance Settlement Board. His references spoke of him as a tireless mentor, seeking to pass on his knowledge and assist his colleagues.
He was selected for the award by a committee comprised of co-chairs Adrian Ishak and Andrew Monkhouse, joined by past winners Douglas MacLeod and Melanie Reist, and judicial member Justice Pollak.
The event represented the first time that the OBA moved the event to the fall, having historically been held in June. The move paid off with such a great turnout including nine members of the bench and a number of family members of the late Justice Echlin.
Nominations for the 2020 award are expected to open in mid-January and be open until mid-March 2020 with the ceremony expected in the fall of 2020. Justice Pollak will return as the judicial member of the committee. Any questions can be sent to co-chair Andrew Monkhouse.