Advocacy-Matters-Fall-2022

ADVOCACY MATTERS
The Advocates’ Society
Fall 2022

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CONTENTS
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07
12
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Chair Chat
Chloe Snider, Dentons Canada LLP
Mindful Moments: “Yes, you are in a very
difficult stage.”
Erin H. Durant, Durant Barristers
Word to the Wise: Ending the Dread of
Performance Reviews
Megan Keenberg, Van Kralingen & Keenberg LLP
The Wrong Stuff Revisited - Pronouns and
Non-Discriminatory Language
Tamara Ramsey, Dale & Lessmann LLP
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Editor: Tamara Ramsey, Dale & Lessmann LLP | tramsey@dalelessmann.com
Deputy Editor: Megan Keenberg, Van Kralingen & Keenberg LLP | mkeenberg@vklaw.ca
The opinions expressed by individual authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Advocates’ Society.
Advocacy Matters Editorial Team: Michelle Alton, Ministry of the Attorney General, Nadia Chiesa, WeirFoulds LLP, Erin Durant, Durant Barristers, and Joe Thorne,
Stewart McKelvey
4e Gala Annuel de La Société des Plaideurs
Daniel Baum, Langlois avocats, S.E.N.C.R.L.
Interview with 2022 Award Winner Neha Chugh
Nadia Chiesa, WeirFoulds LLP
2 3

CHAIR CHAT
Chair Chat
Chloe Snider, Dentons Canada LLP
Free
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Resource
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NEW CONTENT NOW AVAILABLE
www.advocates.ca
Welcome to the fall edition of Advocacy Matters.
The 10+ Standing Committee has hosted
two virtual events so far this year – an October
event on mentoring and a November
event on biz dev – two topics that I think are
near and dear to the hearts of mid-career
advocates. We also hosted our first in-person
event on November 23, 2022 – a Cinq
à Sept cocktail reception at Leña Restaurante.
Through these events, we look to foster
community and provide support to mid-career
advocates broadly speaking. Please
reach out with questions or feedback about
our work.
The articles in this quarter’s publication
provide inspiration and suggestions on practise
management (life management?!) and
mentoring topics. First, congratulations to
Neha Chugh on receiving the 2022 Catzman
Award for Professionalism and Civility. This is
the first time that the award has been granted
to a mid-career lawyer. Proof of the power
of younger lawyers to lead the charge on
civility and on changing the practice for the
better, all while juggling busy family commitments.
It’s inspiring to see those managing
busy practices and home lives being celebrated
by our profession. We are honoured
to interview Neha in this issue. If you are
looking for some pro tips on how to juggle
everything at this “very difficult stage” of our
careers – check out Erin Durant’s Mindful
Moments piece. Erin provides her thoughts on
how to handle the stress of a busy practice with
limited time and without burning out. Megan
Keenberg’s Word to the Wise covers the evergreen
topic of mentoring and performance reviews.
No need to dread performance reviews.
Read Megan’s article.
Finally, Tamara Ramsey covers how to use
pronouns in a non-discriminatory way in The
Wrong Stuff Revisited. While the topic (use of
pronouns in legal writing) might sound dry, the
article is not. It provides thoughtful suggestions
about using gender-neutral words and examples
of how to rephrase sentences to avoid using
gendered pronouns. This article provides
some helpful suggestions to avoid this.
Before I go, I want to share my own takeaway
from The Advocates’ Society’s Fall Forum - the
first in-person young advocates’ retreat since
2018 - where I had the privilege of serving as
a facilitator during the mentoring roundtable
discussion. The theme that emerged during our
discussions was the importance of vulnerability
and honesty – as a mentee, opening oneself up
to seek advice or input from a mentor, and as
a mentor, being honest in response. Many of
these young lawyers have only practiced during
the pandemic so they are keen to form connections
and receive candid mentorship. Mentoring
and connection are key priorities for The
Advocates’ Society in the coming year.
4 5

MENTAL HEALTH
Mindful Moments:
“Yes, you are in a very difficult stage.”
Erin H. Durant, Durant Barristers
I joined Advocacy Matters this term and am
pleased to have a regular outlet to discuss mental
health for litigators. I will contribute a “Mindful
Moment” to keep the discussion about mental
health in the profession top of mind. As the
recently retired Chief Justice of Ontario George
R. Strathy wrote in his article “The Litigator
and Mental Health”: “People have been talking
about mental health in an unprecedented way:
openly, compassionately, and practically.” We
hope to continue that trend in this space.
At our initial meeting of the 10+ Standing
Committee for the 2022-23 term, I spent some
time speaking with a small group of committee
members from across Canada about what it is
like to be a mid-career advocate. For many of
us the feeling could be described as follows: it
sucks.
A former colleague of mine put it slightly
more eloquently. Around the time that I was
struggling with my own mental health, a colleague
who was trying to help commented as
follows: “you are in a very difficult stage” and
that things do get better. At the time I found
the comment unhelpful. Maybe even a bit triggering.
When you are in the middle of a crisis,
having someone generalize your experience as
being part of some stage that everyone must go
through can be quite hurtful. Surely not everyone
takes weeks off work, gets medicated, and
considers upending their career?
At the time I saw the comment as a lack of
6 7

understanding of my situation. Now, many months removed from the situation, I do wonder if
there is a lot of truth to it.
Mid-career advocates are in a difficult stage. Our practices are growing after years of marketing
and networking efforts. We are becoming the go-to person for clients. We are responsible for
mentoring younger lawyers, students and new staff. We often do not have the same dedicated
firm resources or influence as the senior partners. Many of us have young children plus aging
parents, and have to manage the associated time constraints and burdens those realities have on
a person. We may be new partners in a law firm, or still grinding away chasing partnership or the
next level within a partnership. None of this is easy. And it can happen all at once. So, what can
mid-career advocates do to navigate this challenging stage? I have some thoughts:
Delegate, delegate, delegate.
You do not have to do everything,
and probably shouldn’t.
One thing that even the largest firms are bad at teaching lawyers is how to delegate. As a result,
many of us hang on to too many small tasks that could easily be handled by someone else. My
quality of life has improved significantly since founding Durant Barristers and I attribute much
of it to having hired support staff and lawyers who I trust and who I delegate to relentlessly. I
now have the time, and space, to focus on the files that I most enjoy and to focus on building the
practice that I want. You cannot get to that space if you are doing everything yourself.
Many of us grew up as lawyers in a “never say no” culture. Every new file was a chance to learn and to
grow. Eventually, and likely sooner than later, you need to know when to turn away work and other
non-billable commitments. I am terrible at this skill and so are most others in my firm. One way to combat
this has been to create an incentive program. Every time we say no to a potential new mandate, a
committee or a speaking appearance we get a stamp on a card towards free ice cream. It takes 5 “no’s”
to get an ice cream. It may be silly (especially since I pay for the ice cream), but it works for me.
Advocate for yourself.
Put your own oxygen mask on first.
It can be very hard to find time to care for yourself. As advocates, we give so much of ourselves to others.
As parents, caring friends and family members, the mid-level advocate is often the fortress that protects
everyone from the ills of the world. That may be the case in your life but know that if you do not do standard
maintenance to your walls, even you will crumble. You cannot and do not give the best service to
others if you are not well. Build in time for relaxation, vacation, therapy, and to do what you need to do
to relax.
As good an advocate as I am for others, I was a terrible advocate for myself in a large firm environment.
I was not good at the politics or how to explain my deteriorating mental health to
others. Perhaps I did not want them to know. If I were to go through my situation again, the
number one thing I would have changed was to carefully make a plan when asking for additional
resources to assist with my practice. I would have assembled the statistics about my value to the
firm and volume of new work and I would have better communicated the impact that the work
was having on me. Instead of just communicating that “I have too much work” and “I cannot keep
up”, I would have added that “I am not getting any sleep at night”, “I am too anxious to focus” and
“I am crying frequently.” If I had the courage to utter those additional descriptors, I am certain
that a lot of decisions would have been made differently.
8 9

Get Help!
The best thing that occurred to me as a
result of my difficult situation was my decision
to start therapy. I utilized the resources
available to all Ontario lawyers
and law students through the Members
Assistance Program (similar programs
exist in all Canadian jurisdictions). I met
with a therapist who had extensive experience
working with high-performing,
overachieving, type ‘A’ lawyers. He understood
me almost immediately. Making
time for therapy allowed me the time
to consider what I liked about my career,
what I hated, and how best to build a
long and healthy career around those
goal posts. I recently spoke with a lawyer
who has seen a therapist for many years.
She is not in any sort of ongoing crisis.
She considers those appointments as
necessary as getting her hair cut or going
to the dentist. It is a time, once every
month, to check in on herself. I am adopting
the same practice.
I hope to use this regular column to
focus on mid-career advocates and our
mental health. I will be inviting guest columnists
to join in the discussion and allow
space to really focus on how we can
keep ourselves well. If you are interested
in contributing a column, feel free to
reach out to me. We can all get through
this “difficult stage” together.
Now Live! Friends Who Argue - TAS podcast is jointly hosted by
our Young Advocates and 10+ Standing Committees. Segments
feature dialogue with the people who get what you do, as we
delve into both the serious and lighthearted aspects of life as
an advocate in Canada. Know a TAS member we should talk
to? Contact Christopher Horkins at chorkins@cassels.com and
Karen Bernofsky at KarenB@stockwoods.ca
Friends Who Argue is sponsored by
10 11

Be kind, not “nice”
Telling people what they want to hear is “nice” but it’s not terribly instructive. It is “nice” to give associates
A+ reviews lightly side-stepping any discussion of their shortcomings. It’s not so nice when those
associates are lulled into a false sense of security for their partnership bids and blindsided when they
are passed over. Telling people what they need to know is kind. Have frank discussions with associates
about their realistic prospects for partnership, areas for improvement, and any interpersonal baggage
that may be weighing them down. Straight talk goes a long way, especially if it is delivered calmly and
respectfully, and if it is rooted in good intentions. Candour is an act of care.
MENTORING
Word to the Wise: Ending
the Dread of Performance
Reviews
Megan Keenberg, Van Kralingen & Keenberg LLP
Performance review season is upon us: the most dreaded hour of an associate’s year. Historically,
our profession has been bad at giving and receiving constructive feedback. Even our toughest
litigators balk at the prospect of providing frank critiques or (gulp!) receiving them. What drives
the dread? For the most part, it stems from focusing with tunnel vision on the unchangeable
past, without providing opportunities for progressive development. Five simple tweaks in how
we approach reviews can put an end to the dread.
Provide real-time feedback
Associates feel ambushed by critiques of work that they submitted into a silent void, months prior.
Providing feedback, especially critical feedback, on work performance months after it was completed
does not achieve the purpose feedback is designed to meet, namely, teaching. Late feedback deprives
the associate of the opportunity to learn from the critique, to correct mistakes or explain their thinking.
Without the opportunity to learn, negative feedback is merely punitive and unproductive. Contemporaneous
feedback - both positive and negative – short-circuits dread (because there is no time
for it to materialize!) and provides meaningful opportunities for learning and connection.
Focus on the future
Use the time in annual meetings to co-create a plan for the upcoming year. Reflections on lessons
learned from the prior year will be instructive and empowering when viewed as part of a
prospective plan, rather than disheartening or demoralizing when viewed solely in retrospect. The
past is static, but the future is pliable. A forward focus will help associates build resilience and
confidence.
Private critique/public praise
Respect your mentees’ dignity by providing constructive or corrective feedback
privately, but feel free to shout praise from the rooftops! Give credit where
credit is due, and make sure that all decision-makers know about significant
milestone achievements and wins.
Get as good as you give
Invite associates to provide you with their own feedback about how you might
improve your mentorship, training and relationship with them. Not only will their
feedback help you continuously develop your own skill sets, but it will also permit
your associates to develop their own skills in critically assessing others’ work
performance and conveying feedback with kindness and candour.
12 13

ADVOCACY
The Wrong Stuff Revisited –
Pronouns and Non-Discriminatory Language
Tamara Ramsey, Dale & Lessmann LLP
In the Summer 2002 Issue of The Advocates’ Journal, the Honourable Marvin Catzman provided his “Losing
Tip No. 12: Fling their own words back at them”, which was part of an entertaining and insightful
series of losings tips that started with his piece: “The Wrong Stuff: How to Lose in the Court of Appeal.” I am
revisiting “The Wrong Stuff” to see what holds true and share some of the new ways you can lose in the
electronic era.
With reference to an unnamed judge in a hypothetical scenario about how judges’ words are recorded,
Justice Catzman used the pronoun “she” and in his notes stated: “I wrestled with this pronoun. As you
recall, I use “she” and “her” when referring to nice people, and “he” and “him” when referring to the other
kind. But, for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out whether adjournments and washroom breaks fall on the
nice or the not-nice side of the line. So I flipped a coin, and it came down “her.” If anyone takes offence,
please read it as if it said “him” instead.”
Twenty years later, we still struggle with pronouns
in legal writing (and in society more broadly).
This struggle is not limited to an unidentified judge
in a hypothetical scenario. Pronouns confound the
grammar nerds among us who hate using “his or
her” but struggle with using the plural “their” 1 in
place of the singular. “They went to the washroom”
may be jarring, but it is no more jarring than “He
or she went to the washroom.” 2 While we can use
“she” for nice things and “he” for not-nice things like
Justice Catzman satirically suggested, we all need to
use the washroom at some point.
Historically, the masculine pronoun was used in
the English language to signify the non-specific “he
or she”. While we generally recognize that it is no
longer acceptable to use the masculine pronoun
universally, we still struggle with writing acceptable
alternatives. Together with using non-discriminatory
language, 3 one important tool to address this
struggle is to not make gender visible when it is not
relevant for communication. 4
Below are some helpful tips on how to tweak
your language to make gender invisible when it is
irrelevant:
14 15

0 Substitute gendered words for gender-neutral
words. 5
0 Use plural pronouns and adjectives, they or
them, in place of the singular. This is completely
acceptable informally and becoming
more and more commonplace in formal writing.
0 Use the pronoun “one” instead of using he,
she, or they. Change “When he needs a washroom
break” to “When one needs a washroom
break.”
0 Rephrase the sentence to use the relative
pronoun “who” instead of using he, she, or
they. Change “If a judge needs to use the washroom,
she should take a recess” to “A judge
who needs to use the washroom should take
a recess.”
0 Use plural antecedents. Change “A judge
must announce that he is taking a recess before
excusing himself from the Court” to “Judges
must announce that they are taking recesses
before excusing themselves from the Court.”
0 Omit the gendered word. Change “A Judge
may take a recess to address his personal business”
to “A judge may take a recess to address
personal business”.
0 Use a neutral word or phrase. In these examples,
“judge” or “judges” is neutral.
0 Repeat the noun. Change “A judge must announce
that he is taking a recess” to “The judge
must announce that the judge is taking a recess”
Sometimes, gender is important to the communication
and to the individuals to whom the
communication is addressed. Using the correct
prefixes and pronouns is respectful. 6 As an example,
in an update to incorporate more accessible
and inclusive language in court proceedings in Ontario,
in collaboration with the Court of Appeal for
Ontario, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and
the Ontario Court of Justice, Court Services Division
(“CSD”) provided notice that:
0 CSD staff may invite parties, representatives
and others to share their prefix (also known as
a title or salutation) and pronouns.
0 Participants, including lawyers, litigants and witnesses,
are encouraged to proactively provide
their first name, last name, prefix (e.g., Mr./Ms./
Mrs./Mx., etc.) and/or pronouns (e.g., he/him,
she/her, they/them, etc.) when stating their
name or by updating their screen name during
a virtual proceeding. 7
As a further example, TAS developed guidance
to TAS leadership, committee members, and staff
about the use of gender-inclusive language, including
pronouns, within the day-to-day work of the
Society. 8 In the Guide for TAS Leadership About
the Use of Gender-Inclusive Language and Pronouns
Within the Society, TAS recognizes that the
use of gender-inclusive language, including a person’s
correct name and pronouns, is fundamentally
about respect, human dignity, and equality.
When it comes to the use of pronouns, TAS generally adopts a “lead by example” or “encouragement”
approach. Where someone offers their pronouns, we should respect and use them.
Avoid
Dear Sirs, Dear Mesdames or Dear Sirs and Mesdames
(in a letter or email to colleagues) 9
Use
Dear Counsel or Dear Colleagues or Dear All
Businessman Business executive / entrepreneur /
business person
Workman
Waiter/waitress
Policeman
Finally, use gender-neutral terms
Worker
Server
Police Officer
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Wife / husband
Partner / life partner / spouse / significant other
Father / mother
Parent
Maternal / paternal
Parental
Secretary / girl
Assistant / Legal assistant
While many still wrestle with pronouns, the English language and social norms continue to evolve.
Remember to (1) avoid gendered terms where gender is irrelevant, (2) use the correct pronouns and
prefixes when gender is relevant, and (3) always opt for gender-inclusive language.
Notes
1. I mean “their” and not its oft-confused homophones “there” and “they’re”
2. Let’s not get started on the lack of gender-neutral bathrooms
3. As a useful starting point, see the Government of Canada resource on Gender-neutral
Language at: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/legis-redact/legistics/p1p15.
html
4. The United Nations Guidelines for gender-inclusive language in English at: https://
www.un.org/en/gender-inclusive-language/guidelines.shtml
5. More on this below
6. See, for example, A Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth published
by The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/aguide-to-being-an-ally-to-transgender-and-nonbinary-youth/;
University of Victoria,
What we all can do to support trans, Two-Spirit and non-binary people: https://www.
uvic.ca/equity/education/transinclusion/ally/; Egale, Pronoun Usage Guide: https://
egale.ca/awareness/pronoun-usage-guide/
7. Ministry of the Attorney General, Notice to the Legal Profession and the Public,
Inclusive Language and Procedures in Courts: http://ontariocourtforms.
on.ca/static/media/uploads/courtforms/civil/notices/notice-updates-to-inclusive-language-en.pdf;
B.C. Provincial Court: https://www.provincialcourt.
bc.ca/downloads/Practice%20Directions/NP%2024%20Form%20of%20
Address%20for%20Parties%20and%20Lawyers.pdf; B.C. Supreme Court:
https://www.cbabc.org/CBAMediaLibrary/cba_bc/pdf/Resources/PD-59-
Forms-of-Address-for-Parties-and-Counsel-in-Proceedings.pdf; B.C. Court of
Appeal, https://www.bccourts.ca/Court_of_Appeal/practice_and_procedure/
civil_and_criminal_practice_directives/PDF/(CandC)Appearing_before_the_
Court.pdf
8. Guide for TAS Leadership About the Use of Gender-Inclusive Language at:
https://www.advocates.ca/Upload/Files/PDF/About/Diversity_and_Inclusion/2021_2022/Guide_for_TAS_Leadership_About_the_Use_of_Gender_Inclusive_Language.pdf
9. This author will occasionally use “Dear Sirs” when writing to bunch of old
men.
Event Report
4e Gala Annuel de La Société des plaideurs
Daniel Baum, Langlois avocats, S.E.N.C.R.L.
Le 22 septembre dernier, la Société des plaideurs tenait son quatrième gala annuel à Montréal.
Celui-ci a été présidé avec brio par Me Suzanne Pringle, qui a présenté plusieurs invités
d’honneur et a remis le Prix Excellence en mentorat 2022 à Me Claude Marseille.
Les participants à cette soirée enrichissante ont aussi eu l’opportunité d’entendre un récit en
quatre chapitres sur la nomination de l’honorable Mahmud Jamal à la Cour suprême du Canada.
Avec humour et candeur, monsieur le juge Jamal a d’abord décrit les différentes étapes qui ont
précédé sa nomination, puis l’accueil chaleureux de ses nouveaux collègues au plus haut tribunal
du pays, incluant diverses traditions cocasses et parfois méconnues du public. La soirée s’est
conclue avec un cocktail riche en retrouvailles.
18 19

I chose to set up my own firm because I could see the writing on the wall: in small towns where
there is a small bar, it is unlikely that a criminal lawyer would hire an associate. I also had a toddler and
a 6-month-old when I opened Chugh Law, and I wanted a practice that would work with having two
babies at home.
I think I was more confident when I opened the firm than I was two years into running it. Solo practice
is a very lonely existence. The bar in Cornwall is older, and I was – and still am – the only woman
of colour in criminal law. I felt excluded and isolated, and despite working here for 8 years, I still face
exclusionary tactics by the bar.
I really struggled to find my people, but I have found them, often in places I never expected. These
aren’t necessarily people in law but people I identified with in other silos of my life. And that’s when I
started to feel more comfortable and able to find security and happiness.
INTERVIEW
Interview with 2022
Catzman Award Winner
Neha Chugh
Nadia Chiesa, WeirFoulds LLP
Neha Chugh is a criminal lawyer and the founder of Chugh Law in Cornwall, Ontario, which focuses
on criminal law, family law and child protection law. Neha is the 2022 recipient of the Catzman Award
for Professionalism and Civility.
Q. You founded Chugh Law in 2014. What was your path to opening your own law firm, and
how did you come to serve the Cornwall area?
A. After I graduated from Osgoode Hall in 2011, my husband got a post-doctoral position in Ottawa.
I was a “trailing spouse” in academic terms. I spent my first two years of practise in Ottawa. When he
was offered jobs at either Concordia or in Manitoba, I had already been practising in Eastern Ontario
and looking at a map, I figured that if we lived in Western Quebec, I could easily drive into Cornwall and
work in that area of Ontario.
Q. You have grown Chugh Law from a solo criminal law practice into a firm with more lawyers
and a broader practice area. Tell us about how you built your firm.
A. I first reached out to Yashar Tahmassebipour, now my law partner, and invited him to join me. I
had already been referring work to him, and I was overwhelmed with work. He was facing the same
issues that I was facing – he was new to the Cornwall bar and was balancing practice with two young
kids. As we slowly started to build the family law practice, I proposed that Robert Vitulano, another
local lawyer, join the firm. I had seen him at court and was impressed. I later hired Chandler Thomas,
who had driven out to our firm to drop off her resume twice, first for an articling position and later
for an associateship. I was honoured and excited that she would seek us out, as a rural law firm. I was
pregnant with my third child at the time, and she became indispensable as she covered my practice.
In building the firm, I have learned how “scoopable” mid-level lawyers can be in this market. I hired my
brother as an articling student and he later left the firm when he was headhunted, despite his name
being over the door!
Q. What are the top benefits of running your own firm?
A. One of the biggest benefits of running your own firm is that you get to set the tone. I decided
that I wanted to create a fun, loving, community-oriented place to work. I wanted to bring a mental
health and rehabilitative approach to criminal law practice. I also wanted to create a firm where
parents of young children, both lawyers and staff, could find their place, and be able to manage
their schedules while hitting billing targets. Because I set the tone, I have been able to attract
amazing people who are looking for the same thing.
My favourite thing about having my own firm is that I don’t have to answer to anyone except my
clients. If I finish court at noon, I can call my husband and meet up to split a poutine!
Q. What are some of the challenges of running your own firm?
A. Money is always a challenge. We have to fight with Legal Aid, and I am concerned about making sure
that we hit our billing targets.
It can be tricky to manage sick days and vacation days as there isn’t anyone who can cover. While
clients are understanding, it is hard to reschedule with the Courts.
I have so many checklists running through my mind, figuring out priorities between my family and
my clients and my firm. I do struggle with the guilt of not completely disconnecting when I’m with my
kids or on vacation, but I have figured out what works for me. It’s the trade-off for not punching a clock.
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Q. The legal profession is slowly recognizing that lawyers are human, and to be the best
lawyers, we need to take care of our health – physical, mental and emotional. How do you
take care of yourself?
A. It’s about letting yourself off the hook. Lost a trial? Grieve for a few days, then let yourself off the
hook. Feeling angry? We don’t let ourselves bring our emotions to the forefront. You need to find a
place to let yourself be angry and hurt, and then let yourself off the hook.
In terms of mental and emotional health, you have to feel through your feelings. If you just bury
them, they will still be there. I try to allow these feelings to come to the surface and get to a place
where I’m at peace with them.
Tricks of the Trade 2023
January 27, 2023 | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (ET) | Live at the Carlu
Tricks of the Trade is “THE” annual conference for the personal injury bar, addressing current challenges for both plaintiff and
defence counsel. Esteemed faculty from across Ontario will provide key updates on recent decisions, timely advocacy tips, and
the latest guidance on practice and procedure for personal injury litigators. We are excited to be back in person!
Keynote speaker
Marie Henein,
Henein Hutchison LLP
Program highlights include:
A fireside chat with The Hon. Justice
Katherine van Rensburg,
Court of Appeal for Ontario.
Q. Congratulations on the Catzman Award! What does this award mean to you?
A. I was surprised when I got the award because I’m a non-traditional nominee. And because the traditional
notion of civility doesn’t serve our generation of lawyers. Civility goes far beyond being nice or
sending a polite “thank you for your email” and then screaming internally in response to an email that
reinforces the systemic discrimination and exclusion in our profession.
We need a new model of civility where it’s okay to stand up to systemic discrimination and to say,
“I’m not going to allow this”.
I have been on the receiving end of exclusionary practices in the profession. I’ve been called names,
told to be quiet, told not to speak out. My first reaction is usually frustration. Then I realize that this is
not how I want to practise law. And that’s not what I want to carry forward to future generations.
As I said to young lawyers when I accepted the Catzman Award: “You are enough for this job. You
belong. Your advocacy matters. To the young lawyers, the Black lawyers, the Indigenous lawyers, the
brown lawyers in rural Ontario – there will be so many days where you will be reminded that you do
not belong. It is uncomfortable. It is exhausting. It is okay to be tired. It is okay to be angry. But don’t
dwell in that space. You may not feel like you are resilient, strong, or tough, but give yourself grace first.
You are enough and you will be able to navigate these situations to make our whole profession more
equitable and inclusive.”
Tricks of the Trade:
A 30+ Year Tradition for Leaders
of the Personal Injury Bar.
Views from the bench on the new rules
for delivery of expert reports.
The annual updates you need on tort law, damage
assessments, accident benefits, crown liability,
and much more!
Win an Apple Watch!
Early bird contest deadline:
December 15, 2022.
For a full agenda visit
Tricks of the Trade
22 23

EVENTS GALLERY
4e Gala Annuel de La Société des plaideurs
Le Jeudi 22 septembre 2022 |Le Windsor, Montréal
10+ Standing Committee - Cinq à Sept
Wednesday, November 23, 2022 | Bar Lala, Leña Restaurante
Class Actions Bench & Bar Reception
24 25
Thursday, November 24, 2022 |The Advocates’ Society

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www.advocates.ca