Rising Star Award for the OBA Information Technology and Intellectual Property Law Section

To be eligible for the Rising Star Award, an individual must be a member of the Ontario information technology and/or intellectual property bar(s) within their first ten years of practice, and have made a significant contribution in at least one of the following areas:

• developing and demonstrating leadership in their practice area(s);
• maintaining the highest standards of professional competence, including integrity and civility; and
• a commitment to promoting and advancing the interests of the bar(s) writ large.

The Committee invites nominators to address diversity in their submissions, including but not limited to (i) how the nominee candidate is a member of an equity-seeking group and/or (ii) how they may have supported members of the bar(s) from such backgrounds. The OBA, as a diverse organization, values diversity and is deeply committed to honouring the entire profession. We therefore welcome nominations of individuals from such groups.

Any member of the Information Technology/Intellectual Property Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association who is in good standing is eligible to nominate a candidate for the Rising Star Award by making a submission in writing. A nominator submitting a nominee for consideration must:

• Complete a nomination form;
• Provide a personally authored letter of recommendation of no more than two (2) typed pages, double-spaced, explaining the nominee’s qualifications, and contributions or achievements in the areas of information technology and/or intellectual property law, and any other relevant considerations, including those related to diversity;
• Provide a copy of the nominee’s current CV; and
• Confirm that the nominee has been advised of and consents to their nomination in advance of the nomination deadline.

If the above noted application requirements are not followed, the nominee will not be considered.

Nominees must meet the OBA’s Universal Minimum Criteria for Section Awards, which provide that:

• All eligible candidates must be OBA members;
• Eligible candidates cannot be members of the current OBA Information Techonology and Intellectual Property Law Section Executive; and
• The award may be given to one (1) recipient only each year.

In addition, a nominee cannot be a current member or a member of the previous years’ Award Selection Committee or the OBA Board of Directors, and cannot nominate another candidate for the Award (i.e., a nominee cannot also be a nominator).

A nominator can only nominate one candidate each year, but a nominee can be nominated by more than one nominator.

The selection of the Award will be made by the Committee.

The Award Selection Committee (the “Committee”) shall be comprised of:

• the Chair of the Information Technology/Intellectual Property Law Section;
• the Past Chair of the Information Technology/Intellectual Property Law Section;
• the Vice Chair of the Information Technology/Intellectual Property Law Section; and
• at least two, but no more than four, other members of the Information Technology/Intellectual Property Law Section Executive (such members to volunteer or be selected by the Information Technology/Intellectual Property Law Section Executive, with a vote to be taken if there are more than four candidates).

The Chair of the Information Technology/Intellectual Property Law Section Executive for the year shall act as the Chair of the Award Selection Committee.

All Committee members must keep strictly confidential all selection process discussions and decisions.

Nominations are now being accepted by the Committee for the 2026 Rising Star Award. The final day to submit a nomination will be Monday, January 5, 2026 at 5:00 pm.

The award will be presented in Spring at a reception followed by a CPD program.