Law Society of Ontario
Monday, June 27, 2022
The Law Society of Ontario honored several distinguished individuals with a degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (LLD) at the Call to the Bar ceremonies held earlier this month. An LLD is awarded in recognition of outstanding achievements in the legal profession, the rule of law or the cause of justice.
Professor Elaine Craig, an advocate for the improved treatment of survivors of sexualized violence in society, in particular by legal systems and its actors. The Supreme Court of Canada has identified eliminating myths, stereotypes and sexual violence against women as one of the more pressing challenges we face as a society and Professor Craig is at the forefront of remedying this challenge.
As a Professor of Law at Dalhousie University, Dr. Craig teaches and researches in the areas of constitutional law, evidence law, law and sexuality, feminist legal theory and queer legal theory. She has researched and published extensively on sexual assault law in Canada and she was named one of Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential in 2019. Read more.
The Honourable Michelle K. Fuerst, a continuing legal education visionary, who as a lawyer exemplified superior advocacy skills and profound professional ethics. Justice Fuerst was appointed to the Superior Court of Justice for Ontario in 2002 and assigned to the Central East Region, where she presides primarily over criminal law cases.
Prior to her appointment to the Bench, Justice Fuerst was a partner in the Toronto law firm of Gold & Fuerst, where her practice was restricted to criminal and quasi-criminal trials and appeals. As counsel, she was described by her peers as a formidable advocate, impressing both judges and her professional colleagues of the Crown and defence bars with her consummate command of the law, her dedication to her clients, her fearless courtroom advocacy, and her unwavering civility. Read more.
Dean Ian Holloway, a leader in legal education and naval veteran. Mr. Holloway has been Dean of Law at the University of Calgary since 2011. Prior to this, he served as the Dean of Law at the University of Western Ontario (2000-11), and as Associate Dean at the Australian National University. He is currently the longest-serving law dean in Canada and the second longest-serving law dean in North America.
Over the years, he has held appointments at Cambridge and the National University of Singapore. He is a graduate of Dalhousie University, the University of California at Berkeley and the Australian National University. He is widely-published, both in Canada and around the world. Read more.
The Honourable Andromache Karakatsanis, a long-time public servant, author of leading decisions in all areas of law, and champion of constitutional rights and access to justice. Justice Karakatsanis was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in October 2011. She had been appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario in March 2010 and a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in December 2002.
Following her call to the Bar in 1982, Ms. Karakatsanis served as a law clerk to the Ontario Court of Appeal. In private practice, she practiced criminal, civil and family litigation in Toronto for several years. She then served in the Ontario Public Service for 15 years in a number of senior positions. Read more.
Audrey Loeb, one of the first advocates of condominium law reform. Ms. Loeb is a partner at Shibley Righton LLP in Toronto and co-leader of its Condominium Practice Group, which acts as legal counsel to both condominium corporations and condominium developers in Ontario.
Respectfully dubbed "the Condo Queen," Ms. Loeb is a lawyer, educator, author and consumer advocate. She is passionately committed to improving the experience of those buying and living in condominiums in Ontario. Read more.
David C. Nahwegahbow, an advocate for the rights of First Nations peoples who has litigated or negotiated some of the most important Aboriginal law cases in Canada. Mr. Nahwegahbow is one of Canada's leading Indigenous lawyers and he has made it his focus to address systemic disadvantage and barriers facing Indigenous Peoples in Canada. He has represented First Nations in land claims, Treaty and Aboriginal rights, title cases and has appeared in courts at every level on a wide range of Indigenous legal matters, including at the Supreme Court of Canada in landmark Aboriginal law cases such as Tsilhqot'in.
Mr. Nahwegahbow has been active as an advocate — most recently in proceedings before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal on discrimination against First Nations children in childcare. Read more.
The Honourable Paul S. Rouleau, a leader in the francophone legal community and advocate for the continuing legal education of those in the justice sector and legal professions. Mr. Rouleau was appointed as a Justice of the Superior Court of Ontario in 2002, and to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2005. He was also appointed as a Deputy Judge of the Supreme Court of Yukon in 2014, and of the Nunavut Court of Justice and the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories in 2017.
Since his appointments, Justice Rouleau has been actively involved in the continuing legal education of judges, both domestically and internationally and of members of the Bar. He was a founding member of the Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario (AJEFO) – a francophone legal community and center of expertise in the province – and was its President from 1985 to 1987. Read more.
The Honourable Michael H. Tulloch, a true legal pioneer who has advanced justice and equality rights not only through his work as a lawyer and judge, but also through his personal journey shattering systemic barriers. Justice Tulloch has a long and distinguished career of service as a member of the Canadian judiciary, a Crown prosecutor, a lawyer in private practice and a renowned writer, speaker and professor.
He has led systemic reviews of the justice system at various levels, provided leadership on legal and judicial committees, designed and delivered international justice sector reform programs and contributed to a myriad of civic, charitable and community development initiatives. Read more.
The Law Society regulates lawyers and paralegals in Ontario in the public interest. The Law Society has a mandate to protect the public interest, to maintain and advance the cause of justice and the rule of law, to facilitate access to justice for the people of Ontario and to act in a timely, open and efficient manner.
