Randall Echlin Award for Excellence in Labour and Employment Law

To be eligible for the Randall Echlin Award for Excellence in Labour and Employment Law, an individual must be a member of the Ontario employment and labour bar, a member of the judiciary in Ontario, a Member of the Ontario Labour Relations Board or a labour Arbitrator and have made a significant contribution in at least one of the following areas:

• Leadership through mentorship of junior counsel in the employment and labour bar or judiciary;
• Guidance and teaching through the sharing of knowledge and experience;
• Enhancement of the practice of employment and labour law;
• Contribution to the development of employment and labour law and policy;
• Skill in advocacy or adjudication related to employment and labour law ;
• Commitment and contribution to the community; and
• Demonstrated commitment to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in the employment and labour bar and/or the broader community.

The committee specifically invites nominees to speak about diversity factors including but not limited to the ways in which the candidate has factors of diversity and/or how they have supported those from diverse backgrounds. The OBA as a diverse organization values diversity and is committed to a process that honours the entire profession. The committee thus encourages all applications from any and all equity seeking groups.

Nominees must meet the OBA 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 Labour and Employment Section Executive
• The award shall be given to one (1) recipient only each year

In addition, a nominee must not be a current member or a member of the previous years’ Award Selection Committee or the OBA Board of Directors and must not have been a past recipient of the Randall Echlin Mentorship Award.

Any member of the Employment and Labour Section of the Ontario Bar Association in good standing is eligible to nominate a candidate by submission in writing . An individual submitting a nominee for consideration must:

• Complete a nomination form
• Provide a brief summary of no more than three (3) typed pages explaining how the nominee meets the Award criteria above
• Provide no more than three (3) references (if desired)
• Provide a copy of the nominee’s current CV
• Confirm that the nominee has been advised of and consents to his or her nomination

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

The committee specifically invites nominators to speak about diversity factors including but not limited to the ways in which the candidate has factors of diversity and/or how they have supported those from diverse backgrounds. The OBA as a diverse organization values diversity and is committed to a process that honours the entire profession. The committee thus encourages all applications from any and all equity seeking groups.

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

• the Chair of the Labour and Employment Section;
• the Past Chair of the Labour and Employment Section;
• one other member of the Employment and Labour Law Section Executive (such member to be selected by the Employment and Labour Law Section Executive, with a vote to be taken if there is more than one candidate);
• one member of the judiciary; and
• the winner of the Award from the previous year.

The Chair of the Employment and Labour Law Section Executive for the year shall act as the Chair of the Award Selection Committee.

All Committee members are subject to the following requirements:

• Strict confidentiality of all selection process discussions and decisions
• May not nominate, provide a reference for or be a nominee for a period of two (2) years after the last year of being a Committee member

Following receipt of the Award, recipients will be invited to be a Committee member for the next year.

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

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

The award is presented at a Labour and Employment Law Section Dinner held in Toronto in March of the following year. The next award dinner will be on Thursday, March 6, 2025.