OTLA recognizes outstanding contributions and leadership within the membership through its annual awards program.
Members may nominate colleagues or be nominated for achievements in advocacy, legal scholarship and professional leadership.
H. Bruce T. Hillyer Award
The H. Bruce T. Hillyer Award is awarded to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of OTLA in fearlessly advancing the cause of individual rights by the effective use of trial advocacy.
2025 recipient:
Past recipients have included:
Gary Will (1996), Richard Shekter (1998), Guy Bertrand (1998), Paul Mann (2000), Paul Jewell, Q.C. (2002), Kristopher Knutsen, Q.C. (2003), Alfred Kwinter (2004), Paul Mann (2005), Carl Fleck, Q.C. (2006), Lorenzo Girones, Q.C. (2007), Tim Boland (2008), Ches Crosbie, Q.C. (2009), Nancy Ralph (2010), Barb Legate (2012), Jerome Morse (2013), Ray Wagner, Q.C. (2014), Kevin Doan (2015), Jim Vigmond (2017), Nigel Gilby (2018), Barbara MacFarlane (2021), Joseph Obagi (2023), Duncan Embury (2023), Ron Bohm (2024)
John A. McLeish AwardThe John A. McLeish Award shall be awarded to the person, association or group which has made an outstanding contribution to the goals of a fair trial and access to justice, as an advocate, in legal scholarship, continuing legal education, legal writing, journalism, politics or government.
2025 recipient:
Past recipients have included:
Martin Wunder, Q.C. (2000), Robert Munroe (2002), Roger Oatley (2003), Tom Connolly (2008), George Bonn (2009), Richard Halpern (2010), Steven Rastin (2016), Loretta Merritt, (2018), Ron Bohm, Paul Harte, Amy Hofstetter, Kevin Kemp, Jay Ralston, Tracy Romanowski (2020), Laura Hillyer (2021), Steven Muller (2023), Richard Shekter (2023), Peter Feilfel (2024)
Dean Edgell AwardThe Dean Edgell Award is awarded to a lawyer who has promoted the goals of OTLA through significant contribution and excellence in legal writing, continuing legal education, and leadership activities.
Past recipients have included:
David Lackman (2008), Andrew Murray (2009), Martin Wunder, Q.C. (2010) Darcy Merkur (2011), Adam Little (2013), Richard Bogoroch (2015), Maria Damiano (2018), Jennifer Bezaire (2021), Elizabeth Quigley (2024)
Martin Wunder, Q.C. Outstanding New Lawyer AwardThe Martin Wunder, Q.C. Outstanding New Lawyer Award is awarded to an OTLA member in recognition of exceptional commitment to and promotion of the advancement of OTLA’s Mission: To fearlessly champion through the pursuit of the highest standards of advocacy the cause of those who have suffered injury or injustice. Candidates must have practiced law for less than 10 years and be nominated by an OTLA Member in good standing. The successful recipient will have demonstrated participation in activities and programs to improve our legal system and its responsiveness to those for whom we advocate. The individual will have displayed professional proficiency, undertaken trials, service to the profession and service to the community.
2025 recipient:
Past recipients have included:
Alan Preyra (2006), Brian Cameron (2008), Catherine Wilde (2009), Elizabeth Quigley (2010), Maria Capulong (2011), Darcy Romaine (2012), Jason Singer (2013), Melissa Miller (2014), Peter Cho (2016), Michael Giordano (2017), Nicole Correiro (2018), Dan Lester (2019), Kaitlyn MacDonell (2021), Jaclyn Habas (2024)
Distinguished Service AwardThe Distinguished Service Award shall be awarded for long standing dedicated service to furthering the goals and ideals of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association.
2025 recipient:
Past recipients have included:
Ted Bergeron, Diana Edmonds, Paul Jewell, Q.C., John Johnson, Ava Hillier, David Lackman, Shirley Linton, Joan MacDonald, Paul Mann, Michael Shannon, and Jay State (2004), Stephen Abraham and Moi Vienneau (2005), Selma Colvin and Andrew Spurgeon (2006), Jim Vigmond, Brian Cameron and Adam Little (2009), Peter Kennedy (2010) , Patrick Brown and Allan Rouben (2011), Simona Jellinek, Greg Monforton and Claire Wilkinson (2012), Duncan Embury and Ted Masters (2013), Peter Feifel (2014), Paul Harte (2015), Laurie Tucker (2016), Charles Gluckstein (2017), Miles Obradovich, Michelle Jorge, Tina Radimisis, Jason Singer (2018), Stanley Paternak (2019), Amy Hofstetter & Tracy Romanowksi (2019), Siona Sullivan (2020), Melissa Miller (2021), Michael Giordano (2023), Jay Ralston (2023), Tania Harris (2024), Adam Wagman (2024), Steve Rastin (2024), Duncan Macgillivray (2024)
women's Caucus Award
The Women’s Caucus Award is awarded to a female lawyer in OTLA who has demonstrated leadership in OTLA, promoted the retention and advancement of women in law, mentored other women and supported other female lawyers in OTLA.
2025 recipient:
Past recipients have included:
Pascale Daigneault (2010), Judith Hull (2011), Maia Bent (2012), Laurie Tucker (2013), Barbara MacFarlane (2015), Tina Radimisis (2016), Daniela Pacheco (2017), Michelle Jorge (2020).
distinguished Law Clerk Award
The Distinguished Law Clerk Award shall be awarded to a senior law clerk, with at least 5 years membership in the OTLA Law Clerks Section, who has consistently exemplified the mission of the organization.
2025 recipient:
Kevin Heffernan, Gluckstein Personal Injury Lawyers
Past recipients have included:
Josie Skelly (2007), Tracy Romanowski (2008), Sharon Smiley (2009), Barbi Andrews (2015), Charlene Lewin (2016), Paula Dadd (2017), Stacy Bailey (2018), Kerry Parsons (2019), Cathy Smith & Lee-Ann Fournier (2020), Franca Recchia (2021), Susan Lepine (2023), Donna Moscattini (2024)
outstanding Law Clerk Award
The Outstanding Law Clerk Award will be awarded to the OTLA law clerk who has demonstrated exceptional commitment and proficiency to the OTLA Law Clerk Section, or contributed in a significant way to cases over the past year. The successful candidate will have displayed generosity with their time and contributions in their assistance to their fellow law clerks, and/or to their law offices, and has shown a dedication to those for whom we advocate.
2025 recipient:
Past recipients have included:
Tracy Romanowski (2007), Jose Emiliani (2008), Fiona Korolenchuk (2009), Jennifer Baic (2010), Jessica MacInnes (2011), Misty Lucas (2012), Amy Hofstetter (2013), Wanda Huitema (2014), Laurie Taft (2014), Christopher Jackson (2015), Roger Shoreman (2015), Cesar Carranza (2017), Tania Harris (2019), Marc Neckles (2021), Janet Lebeau (2023), Tiffany Lawand-Fraser (2024)
otla distinguished trial lawyer award
The Ontario Trial Lawyers Association recognizes leaders of the plaintiff and defence personal injury bar at its Celebration of the Personal Injury Bar. Recipients have included:
2025
2024
Robert Munroe, Heather Kawaguchi
2023
Tom Connolly, Maria Scarfo
2022
Gary Will, Tom Curry
2019
Greg Monforton, Todd J. McCarthy
2018
Alan Rachlin, James Howie
2017
Paul Harte, Jack F. Fitch
2016
James Vigmond, Paul Tushinski
2015
David Smye, Q.C., James Regan, Q.C.
2014
Timothy P Boland, Sheldon A Gilbert, Q.C.
2013
James Scarfone, Peter Boeckle
2012
Kristopher Knutsen, Q.C., Barry Percival, Q.C.
2011
Jack Fireman, Q.C., Brian Brock, Q.C.
2010
Bruce Hillyer, Joseph Dillon, Q.C.
2009
Barbara Legate, Cameron Godden
2008
Alfred M. Kwinter, Philippa G. Samworth
2007
Carl Fleck, Q.C. Jesse Glass, Q.C., Bernard Gluckstein, Q.C. and Michael Royce
2006
Paul Mann, Tom McGrenere, Q.C. John McLeish and Alexander Szalkai, Q.C.
2005
Geoff Adair, Q.C., Graham Dutton, Q.C., Lawrence Mandel, Q.C. and Roger Oatley
2002
Earl Cherniak, Q.C., Kenneth E. Howie, Q.C. and Martin Wunder, Q.C.
The Honourable John D. Bowlby, Q.C. , Edson Haines, Q.C., The Honourable R.E. Holland, Q.C., The Honourable Frank J. Hughes, Q.C., Douglas Laidlaw, Q.C., The Honourable Mayer Lerner, Q.C., Isadore Levinter, Q.C.
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