Top Canadian Lawyers

Sheila Block

Partner, Torys LLP, Toronto, Ont. One of the sharpest litigators in the nation, Block has served as lead counsel on a recently dismissed $5-billion class action lawsuit against CIBC plus a $100-million lawsuit brought by roughly 8,000 residents of Barbados against Manulife. She was also staunch counsel for former Manitoba associate chief justice Lori Douglas in the question of the judge's character in a scandal involving her husband, one of his former customers, and salacious photos of herself posted online. Block also received an honorary LLD from the Law Society of Upper Canada this past year, look more ideas to https://gklaw.ca/. An advocate dedicated to teaching law in Canada and around the world, she's trained advocates for the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal in Rwanda and the Special Court on Sierra Leone. What voters had to say: Elle demontre son interet a la fois pour l'schooling du publique et des affaires. (She has demonstrated her fascination to the instruction of the public and business.)

Jean-Pierre Blais

Chairman, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, Ottawa-Gatineau Blais is not afraid of criticism and is willing to go above and beyond in the name of customer rights. A recent CRTC decision will give users more freedom to select TV channels of their liking as part of their cable and satellite subscriptions regardless of bitter opposition from Canada's cable businesses. Blais known as former Bell Media president Kevin Crull, without naming names, over reports Crull told CTV news personnel to not interview him later that choice. Crull ended up apologizing for interfering in the information gathering process and afterwards stepped down. From telemarketers to telcos, Blais always intends to encourage the rights and needs of customers. What Republicans needed to say: Reaching big shift with consumer-minded focus. About time!

Louise Arbour

Counsel, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Montreal, Que. An international lawyer who has just settled in Canada, Arbour has certainly earned a place on the Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential list again this season. She's a winner of the 2015 Simons Foundation Award, realizing world leaders that form and create an environment for a much safer and more just world. Arbour has spoken out from prolonged use of solitary confinement and has been inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. She has been a Supreme Court of Canada judge, an global war crimes prosecutor, and a law school professor. Her ability to pick up things quickly led her to various roles nationally and internationally. Arbour says economic disparities between and within counties is that the number-one inexcusable human rights issue at the moment. Always craving fresh and challenging surroundings, only last year she finally did something she had never done: joined a law firm in Montreal where she proceeds to struggle for human rights. What voters had to say:Her magnificent contributions speak for themselves. International celebrity.

Orlando Da Silva

President, Ontario Bar Association, Toronto, Ont. Da Silva's heartfelt public confession of a long and profound depression and attempted suicide has opened up discussion on mental health within the legal community such as never before. Even though there's a deep-rooted stigma against mental illness eased by a dominance of type A personalities, Da Silva's brave leadership has helped create technical support programs for lawyers who struggle in silence. As if that wasn't sufficient, Da Silva has gone one step farther and asked lawyers to call him personally if they need assistance. His supporters underline that Da Silva's efforts are critical in an industry that encourages bravado and frequently mistakes mental illness for a personal weakness. What Republicans needed to say: Mr. Da Silva's bravery in grounding increasingly recognized mental health problems in the legal profession in his personal experience will crucially advance these issues among attorneys and lead to positive ends.

Mark Tamminga

Partner, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, Hamilton, Ont. Tamminga has committed his career to automating legal practices. His information technologies focus began in 1986 while he was a law student and was given the task of systemizing the manufacturing environment for mortgage files. Since that time, Tamminga's aptitude for legal technology has just grown with Gowlings LLP. Three years ago, he had been called Gowlings' Innovation Initiatives leader. He's responsible for automating the Gowlings recovery services clinic. He's designed and built lots of additional practice systems in the fields of debt collection, loan positioning, and civil litigation. His role has required re-thinking that the thornier aspects of big firm operations: managing cultural change, inducing client-side believing, and building the compensation mechanisms, which drive new behavior. What the panel had to say: Tamminga has shown real vision in tackling tough issues that many law firms are not quite prepared to take on.