NEWSLETTER: April 2025

Editors – Allen Mendelsohn, Larry Markowitz and Stephanie Perlis

President’s Message

Erin Lesser, President

Dear Colleagues, Honourable Judges, Members and Friends of the Society,

What a year it has been! The words that come to mind immediately are: Challenging. Community. Resistance. And finally… Roast Beef!

All kidding aside, this year has been a real accomplishment for me, personally and professionally. Three years ago, when I was approached by Jon Gordon (the president at the time), to submit my candidacy for Second Vice-President, I thought “I could never do this”. I told him I would think about it, and a few days later, two words on a call from Doree Levine (also a past president) changed everything. Those words were: GIRL POWER! As an empowered, young(ish), Jewish, female lawyer, I am so proud that I was able to rise up to this leadership opportunity, despite the many challenges and difficult moments I faced this past year.

This year has been difficult for both the Society and the broader Jewish community, given the numerous unsettling events occurring in both Canada and Israel. Despite these challenges, the Jewish community, including the Lord Reading Law Society, and its allies remain united in defying hatred. Throughout the year, the Society has been proactive in speaking out against unacceptable anti-Semitism, thanks to the efforts of many members, particularly our Human Rights Committee chairs, Frank Schlesinger and Jeff Boro.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated Communications Committee—Allen Mendelsohn, Larry Markowitz, and Stephanie Perlis—for their eloquence, strategic communications advice, and countless hours of behind-the-scenes work.

In my final President’s Message, I want to share some moments that have been especially meaningful to me personally this year.

Firstly, I was lucky and honoured to have my mother attend an event this year where she witnessed one of my personal heroes, Na’kuset, speak—a person I’ve admired and spoken about for years. It was profoundly meaningful to me to have the opportunity to bridge the gap between the Jewish and Indigenous communities by introducing the remarkable charities, Resilience Montreal and the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, to the Society. Building connections and fostering growth among minority communities is crucial, and learning about each other’s experiences and challenges is an essential part of that journey.

Another beautiful moment from this year was when I called First Vice President (soon to be President!) and one of my very best friends, Anna Bronshteyn, on speakerphone during a board meeting, and the entire Lord Reading Law Society board loudly applauded her and her husband on the birth of their first child, Elizabeth Danielle.

On January 23rd, the Supreme Court of Canada granted leave in our ongoing battle against Bill 21, marking a significant milestone in our pursuit of justice. This decision paves the way for the Lord Reading Law Society to play a pivotal role in shaping legal history. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the outstanding team at BLG and our very own Teddy Goloff. The effort that has gone into, and will continue to drive, this legal battle is truly monumental.

Unfortunately, not all the moments this year have been happy ones. Last summer, on June 20t, 2024, we lost our beloved Membership Chair, Hershie Frankel. More recently, on February 4^th, 2025, we lost one of our founding members, Manny Schacter. They were both pillars of the Society, and their loss has been felt widely by all of our members. You can read more about Manny’s remarkable legacy in Larry’s wonderful tribute featured later in this newsletter.

Before I conclude my last President’s Message and present a recap of our 2024-2025 season, I must thank everyone who helped me throughout this past year. Serving in this leadership role is truly a collaborative endeavour, and without the assistance of so many, it would literally be impossible. It is also impossible to name each of you individually, but you all know who you are. Thank you!!

A Look Back at the 2024-25 Season

Alan B. Gold Lecture

We started off our season on September 11, 2024, with the Alan B. Gold dinner lecture. We were fortunate to welcome the Honourable John Baird. Mr. Baird was interviewed on stage by the Society’s Immediate Past President Robert Steinman in a talk entitled Navigating Political, Legal, and Diplomatic Storms: A fireside chat with Canada’s Former Top Diplomat.

Human Rights Lecture

On November 7, 2024, the Society welcomed Na’kuset, Indigenous activist and survivor of the Sixties Scoop, to speak about her heroic human rights activism in a talk entitled Advocacy in Action: A Journey of Indigenous Resistance. We also announced the winners of our 75th Human Rights Essay Contest.

Student Dinner

On January 16, 2025, we held our annual Student Dinner where we awarded students from McGill University, Université de Montréal, Sherbrooke University, Universite de Quebec à Montreal and Ottawa University awards for various academic achievements. Professor Adam Dodek was then interviewed by Past President Larry Markowitz about his latest book, Heenan Blaikie: The Making and Unmaking of a Great Canadian Law Firm.

*****

Henry Steinberg Memorial Lecture

On May 6th, 2025, I am thrilled to welcome Justice Babak Barin, who will be speaking about his crucial work in the 1990s working at the Zurich-based special tribunal tasked with resolving claims related to Holocaust victims’ assets. His talk, entitled The Claims Resolution Tribunal for Dormant Accounts in Switzerland: An Insider’s Account will no doubt be fascinating. You can register for the dinner here. I hope to see you all there!

Thanks to all of you for your support throughout the year. I wish my successor all the best for next season!

Sincerely,

Erin Lesser, President 2024-25
The Lord Reading Law Society
president@lordreading.org

Heenan Blaikie: The Making and Unmaking of a Great Canadian Law Firm

Stephanie Perlis

Our annual student dinner on January 16, 2025 featured a special guest, Professor Adam Dodek of the University of Ottawa, who was introduced by our esteemed Communications Chair and McGill Law lecturer Allen Mendelsohn.

Professor Dodek, the author of  Heenan Blaikie: The Making and Unmaking of a Great Canadian Law Firm and a distinguished recipient of several prestigious awards, was joined on stage by Society Past President Larry Markowitz for a fascinating fireside chat.

Larry kicked off the conversation by giving Professor Dodek’s book a rave review, highlighting its readability, while pointing out that the book offers valuable lessons not only for current law firms leaders, but for leaders in all fields.

How did a legal academic end up writing a book about the fall of Heenan Blaikie?

Professor Dodek explained that the idea actually found him. While he hadn’t worked at Heenan Blaikie, he had friends who did.

In 2014, the firm’s collapse became a major news story in Canada, notable for its rarity in breaking into mainstream media. As the Canadian editor for the English Journal Legal Ethics, Professor Dodek felt compelled to address the impact of the collapse on the legal community, noting the nearly 1,000 job losses. He initially wrote a short piece for the journal, but wanted to delve deeper, seeking insights from former employees who were no longer bound by confidentiality. This marked the beginning of his in-depth exploration of the Heenan Blaikie story.

The book’s subtitle, “The Making and Unmaking of a Great Canadian Law Firm,” highlights Heenan Blaikie’s origins as a Montreal success story. Founded in 1973 by McGill law graduates Roy Heenan, Donald Johnston, and Peter Blaikie, the firm grew nationally and internationally, with an office in Paris and over 560 lawyers at its peak.

Not to put any pressure on the students in the room, but Professor Dodek emphasized the exceptional nature of Heenan Blaikie’s founders, noting Don Johnston’s need for a special act of the National Assembly to permit him to practise law, due to his young age. After starting in Big Law, the founders aimed to create a firm based on trust rather than transactional relationships. This led to the absence of a partnership agreement and limited corporate policies (spoiler alert: this wouldn’t age well). The founders’ youthful spirit also manifested itself in other ways, such as Blaikie doing summersaults in the halls and Johnston playing practical jokes in the office.

Professor Dodek described Heenan Blaikie’s unique approach to compensation. Whether a lawyer was a finder (business developer), minder (client manager), or grinder (work-focused), their compensation was relatively uniform across the firm.

Dodek’s research included 180 lawyer interviews and 50 with other employees, who generally spoke positively of their experiences, viewing colleagues as family. Despite professional and financial losses, most former partners and employees fondly remembered their time at Heenan Blaikie.

The students in the room nervous at the prospect of the Course aux Stages can thank (or blame) Heenan Blaikie, as it was the firm that created the Course aux Stages, shifting recruitment from nepotism to a structured process.

The firm emphasized training future lawyers, notably through teaching, with many drawn to labour law by Roy Heenan’s labour law class at McGill. Larry recalled being Roy Heenan’s student. He also recalled that several Heenan lawyers taught Business Law classes at McGill, including Jason Caron who was in the audience.

The firm’s founders also pursued passions beyond law, such as Heenan’s art involvement and Johnston’s political career, which became part of the firm’s ethos of community engagement.

Larry highlighted that Montreal law firms were once divided by language and background, with distinct francophone, anglophone, and Jewish firms. Heenan Blaikie, founded by three bilingual anglophone white Christians, aimed from the start to reflect Montreal’s diversity and to work bilingually before it was mandated. Women made up about 30% of the firm’s lawyers.

The firm attracted former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau in the 1980s, before it was common for political leaders to join law firms. Trudeau valued that the firm allowed him to pursue his passions without exploiting his influence.

Given this strong start, what led to Heenan Blaikie’s downfall?

The firm’s downfall stemmed from several factors, as noted by Professor Dodek:

1. Lack of a Robust Partnership Agreement: For 25 years, the firm operated without a partnership agreement, and when one was finally created, it was only 13 pages long, far shorter than the standard 70-plus pages. This reflected the founders’ romanticized view of their work and neglect of business processes.

2. Lack of business plan: The firm’s haphazard expansion, marked by the opening of new offices and the creation of a consulting company, further stretched its resources thin.
3. Scandals and Leadership Vacuum: The absence of succession planning resulted in a leadership vacuum and a series of reputation-damaging scandals, including involvement in an arms deal and controversies surrounding firm partner Marcel Aubut. The firm’s response to these crises was poorly managed, as they chose to remain silent rather than engage external communications advisors.

Heenan Blaikie didn’t fail due to bankruptcy but rather because of a partnership collapse. Professor Dodek’s analysis serves as a cautionary tale for legal professionals about the importance of governance and strategic planning.

Our guests were thanked by Society president Erin Lesser, who noted that she had ranked Professor Dodek’s book 5 stars out of 5 on her Goodreads account.

We were delighted to award our student prizes during the evening. Scroll down to see who the winners were!

For a full set of pictures from the event, please click here. 

And the Winners Are…

As mentioned above, the Lord Reading Law Society had the pleasure of once again hosting its annual Student Dinner on January 16. The evening began with the presentation of the Society’s academic awards to deserving students from the various Civil Law faculties. Congratulations to all the winners!

McGill University: Christopher Wieczorek

Université de Montréal: Sandrine Dehais

Université de Sherbrooke: Beatrice Bolduc

Université d’Ottawa: Thierry Lefrançois

Université du Québec à Montréal: Léonie Laporte-Desmarais

Remembering Manny Shacter – A Lifelong Advocate for Justice and Equality

Larry Markowitz

The Lord Reading Law Society mourns the passing of Manuel (Manny) Shacter, K.C., a towering figure whose contributions left an indelible mark on Canadian law and society. Manny passed away peacefully on February 4, 2025, at the age of 101, leaving behind an enduring legacy defined by integrity, courage, and an unwavering commitment to justice.

We remember Manny as a true gentleman—principled, thoughtful, kind, soft-spoken, wise, and generous. He was admired for his integrity and humility, his sense of humour, and his approachability to all, regardless of status or background. His remarkable ability to inspire those around him made him not only a mentor, but also an advisor to generations within both the legal profession and the Jewish community in Quebec—and beyond. His profound impact will be felt for decades to come.

Manny’s journey began amid the turbulence of World War II. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science at McGill University before earning his law degree there, as well. Called to the Quebec Bar in 1947, he quickly distinguished himself through both intellect and principle. After serving with the Canadian Department of Justice in Ottawa for two years, he co-founded what would become Mendelsohn Rosentzveig Shacter—now McMillan LLP.

Manny’s legal career spanned more than 75 years, and he remained active until the end. He continued to attend Lord Reading events until he was 100 years old and went into the office nearly every day until his final months. In 2024, he was honoured with the Bar of Montréal Medal, a crowning achievement that epitomized his life’s work and purpose.

A former Dean of the McGill Faculty of Law, the Honourable Nicholas Kasirer described Manny an “unsung hero of Canadian law.” During his exceptional career, Manny appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada several times. He is perhaps best remembered for successfully defending D.H. Lawrence’s novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover against charges of obscenity, alongside Professor F.R. Scott. This landmark case advanced the cause of freedom of expression in Canada.

In addition to his professional endeavours, Manny volunteered in numerous capacities over the years, serving as president of Lord Reading in 1968 – 1969, and later as Batonnier of Montreal in 1987 – 1988.

Manny was a tireless advocate for fair representation within the legal profession. As one of the founders of the Lord Reading Law Society, he dedicated himself to ensuring that Jewish lawyers received equal opportunities within Quebec’s legal community. Under his guidance, the Society evolved into an influential voice on human rights issues within both legal circles and broader society.

During his presidency at Lord Reading—and throughout his decades-long involvement—Manny led efforts to engage government officials, including then Justice Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, to promote merit-based judicial appointments irrespective of religion or origin. Manny always enjoyed recounting the story of how Mr. Trudeau showed up to their Sunday meeting at the Montefiore Club wearing an open collared shirt and sandals, while Manny and his Lord Reading colleagues arrived in suits and ties.

A passionate sportsman since his days playing basketball at McGill, where he also briefly joined the university’s football team, Manny continued to enjoy annual ski trips to Austria for more than 55 years (until he was well into his 90s!) and rounds of golf with friends. He lived life fully and with enthusiasm.

Universally respected for his wisdom, generosity, and kindness, Manny leaves behind not only an impressive professional legacy, but also countless friends, colleagues and family members inspired by the example he set over more than a century lived with purpose, compassion and grace.

Manny was a true mensch and will be missed. May his memory be a blessing.

Mazel Tov to Ian Solloway!

Allen Mendelsohn

The Society is immensely proud of Past President (and still very active member!) Ian Solloway, who will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award of the English-Speaking Section of the Bar of Montreal at a ceremony Thursday, May 15th. The Award has only been bestowed twice to date – to Me J. Vincent O’Donnell, Q.C., Ad.E., in 2013 and to Me. Casper Bloom, Q.C. Ad.E.  in 2016.

According to the Bar of Montréal, the Award “is to be presented from time to time to a worthy recipient who, throughout his/her career, has demonstrated excellence in the profession, outstanding leadership in and service to the legal profession, and has contributed to the enhancement of the image of the profession.” We certainly agree Ian has done that in spades!

The Award will be presented to Ian at the Palais de Justice de Montréal, Salle 5.15, on Thursday, May 15th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m, the whole to be followed by a cocktail-dinatoire. We look forward to having a big crowd there to celebrate Ian! Please confirm your attendance by email RSVP by this Friday, May 2nd to Me Stella Prandekas, Vice-Chair of the English-Speaking Section at sprandekas@donatimaisonneuve.ca.

An Invitation to Join the Canadian Jewish Law Association

Allen Mendelsohn, on behalf of David Stolow, Lord Reading Past President and CJLA Board Member

The Canadian Jewish Law Association (CJLA) is a recently incorporated and important not-for-profit dedicated to the eradication of antisemitism and all forms of hate across Canada. The CJLA’s Board is comprised of dedicated legal professionals from across Canada and includes the Honourable Russell Brown, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Membership in the CJLA is open, at no cost, to all Canadian legal professionals, including lawyers, in-house counsel, non-practising lawyers, retired judges, law students, paralegals etc. who share the Association’s mission and vision.

You can learn more about the Association at https://canadianjewishlawassociation.org/ and can apply on the site for membership by completing a very brief application form. We encourage all interested Canadian legal professionals to sign up!

Society Humour

News from the Mishpocha

Condolences

• To Society member Ian Rudnikoff and his wife Rhonda on the tragic passing of their son Maître Brandon Rudnikoff. The Society extends its deepest condolences to the entire Rudnikoff family especially Brandon’s widow Aurélia and their children Benjamin, Victoria and Felix. Society newsletter editor Allen Mendelsohn was a friend of Brandon’s at McGill Law School and beyond, and knows the deep loss all who knew Brandon have keenly felt on his passing. May his memory be a blessing.