Editors – Allen Mendelsohn, Larry Markowitz and Stephanie Perlis

President’s Message

Robert Steinman, President

(cliquez ici pour lire le mot du président en français)

I wish to begin this message by offering my condolences to anyone reading this who suffered a loss of any kind as a result of the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel. I am mindful that all of us, Lord Reading Law Society, members and friends of the Society and, most importantly, the entire Jewish community, are suffering as a result of those heinous attacks.

Our season began on September 27 with an inspiring and heartfelt lecture by Canadian Bar Association immediate past President Me. Steeves Bujold at the Alan B. Gold Advocacy Lecture. In his address, Maître Bujold touched on, among other things, the paramount importance of the support allies can provide to marginalized groups, particularly to the 2SLGBTQ+ community. We all departed that evening with a deep desire to live out the philosophy of Tikkun Olam, to “repair the world” and to work on advancing the Canadian and Jewish ideals we all hold dear.

Only 10 days later, we all awoke to the horrific news of the Hamas invasion of Southern Israel and the resulting atrocities – which continue to this day with the continuing captivity of 240 innocent hostages. We also woke up to the devastating reality that antisemitism remains alive and well, in precisely the hour that the Jewish community requires allies to support us. We know that there exist brave allies who strongly support us, but we so wish that more would step up and be counted.

I want to sincerely thank those Lord Reading members and friends, and indeed friends and allies, who in the last few weeks have stepped up on the legal and advocacy fronts to support the Jewish community and to fight the rising scourge of antisemitism we have witnessed in our beloved home of Montreal. From the community’s immediate and concerted effort to assist our suffering brothers and sisters in Israel, to our advocacy work demanding that all levels of government do more to combat antisemitic attacks, I think I speak for the entire executive and membership of the Society when I express unbounded pride at being a part of our resilient community.

With this in mind, we are humbled and honoured to welcome the Consul-General of Israel to Montreal to the Society for the annual Henry Steinberg Memorial Lecture. He will deliver an extremely timely address entitled “Navigating International Law: An Israeli Diplomat’s Perspective in Challenging Times.” We know, as legal professionals, that this discussion will act as both a resource and an inspiration. Please join us, and feel confident that proper security measures are in place for the evening.

Finally, I want to thank Isaacson, Levy & Steinberg for their generous sponsorship of the evening. You can register for the dinner-meeting here.

Robert Steinman, President 2023-24
The Lord Reading Law Society
president@lordreading.org

A Year in Review: Seeking Equality in a Challenging Environment

Larry Markowitz

The Lord Reading Law Society launched it 75th anniversary season on September 27, 2023, with our annual Alan B. Gold Advocacy Lecture. On this occasion, the Society was delighted to welcome Steeves Bujold, immediate past President of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), and Partner and Quebec Region Litigation Practice lead at McCarthy Tétrault LLP. His talk was entitled “A Year in Review: Seeking Equality in a Challenging Environment”.

Maître Bujold’s tenure as President of the CBA was marked by notable strides towards inclusivity and equality, especially for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. He was the CBA’s first president with a same-sex partner and has long been a vocal proponent for inclusion of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in the legal field.

In a deeply personal address to the Society, delivered in a combination of both official languages, Maître Bujold shared with us the shame he had felt growing up as a closeted homosexual and how he summoned the courage at age 25 to express to the world his true self. In doing so, he discovered a community of allies and role models.

He also discovered that as an educated white middle-class male, he was, in a sense, privileged: He cited studies demonstrating that many members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community exist on the margins of society. A significant proportion feel physically unsafe. Suicide and suicide ideation are far more common in this community than in the general population, as is representation of its members among Canada’s unhoused population.

Our guest speaker offered valuable insights into the current landscape faced by the 2SLGBTQ+ community, both domestically and internationally.

Unfortunately, past advances have recently been reversed in far too many countries. For instance, earlier this year, Italian authorities made it harder for same-sex couples to be legal parents. In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni signed one of the world’s toughest anti-LGBTQ laws, which includes the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality.”

Closer to home, although the 2SLGBTQ+ community has made strides under Canadian law and jurisprudence, there has been a disconcerting trend towards demonization of members of the community, often to score points with those at a certain extreme of the political spectrum.

In this challenging environment, the focus of Maître Bujold’s CBA presidency on equality, especially as it pertains to the 2SLGBTQ+ community, was not just timely, but imperative. His leadership in the CBA was marked by the courage to confront bias and inequality.

Maître Bujold’s talk was not just a retrospective of his tenure as CBA president, but a forward-looking exploration of how the legal profession could further contribute to equality and justice for all, especially those from marginalized communities.

As our guest speaker stated so poignantly, the solution is education and allyship with those targeted by discrimination. These are the most effective ways to combat ignorance.

Maître Bujold’s visit to Lord Reading was a testament to the Society’s 75-year commitment to equality and human rights. As we launched our historic anniversary season, our dais was graced by a speaker who truly embodies the Society’s values of equality, inclusivity, and justice. Maître Bujold’s riveting talk offered an insightful, honest, and inspiring view into the pursuit of equality.

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

Lord Reading announces its 75th Anniversary Human Rights Essay Contest!

Neil Hazan, on behalf of the Essay Committee

In celebration of our 75th Anniversary, the Society is thrilled to announce the launch our Human Rights Essay Contest! Embrace the opportunity to express your thoughts and insights in either English or French, crafting an essay of a maximum of 2000 words that addresses your perspective on the most pressing human rights issues relevant to current Canadian law.

Student contributors placing first, second, and third will receive cash prizes of $1,000, $600 and $400, respectively, as well as a Society membership for the year plus free admission to two Society events. A matching set of prizes (same amounts, same free membership and two free admissions) will be awarded to contributors in the professional category.

Full details and submission guidelines are available on the contest page.

The Society helps welcome the Honourable Rosalie Abella to the Jewish Public Library

Allen Mendelsohn

The Society is delighted to help present the Honourable Rosalie Abella at the Jewish Public Library on November 29 at 7:00 P.M. The JPL is hosting a screening of the new film Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella, which will be followed by a panel discussion with Justice Abella herself, along with McGill Professor Rosalie Jukier, film director Barry Avrich, and producer Mark Selby. It should be an amazing evening!

More information and tickets for the event are available at the event web page.

Society Humour

News from the Mishpocha

Sincere Condolences

• To Society member Martin Sklar on the loss of his brother, attorney Murray Sklar

Editors – Allen Mendelsohn, Larry Markowitz and Stephanie Perlis

President’s Message

Robert Steinman, President

(cliquez ici pour lire le mot du président en français)

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

Welcome everyone to the beginning of our 75th anniversary season! I am thrilled and honoured to serve as Lord Reading Law Society President in what promises to be a groundbreaking and exciting year.

We are coming off an extremely successful season last year under my predecessor Jonathan Gordon, who presided over the first all “in-person” season of events in a few years. Spending time with our colleagues and listening to speakers without having to look at a computer screen was indeed a breath of fresh air! Jon and his executive had a wonderful 2022-2023 season with a slate of excellent speakers and continuing the Society’s involvement in certain crucial human rights issues. I would like to thank Jon for his exemplary leadership throughout last season.

Moreover, I would like to give thanks to the Executive and Board members who contribute to the well-being of the Society by volunteering their precious time so that we may enjoy fantastic speakers and other events, and continue our crucial human rights advocacy work.

This season I will aim to build upon last year’s success by welcoming a slate of engaging speakers who will cover a range of topics that will be sure to educate, entertain and challenge us. My mandate for this milestone season is to celebrate our Society’s heritage, while looking to the future of our Society by continuing to open up to a diverse array of individuals, groups and ideas.

With this in mind, our historic 75th anniversary season will begin on Wednesday, September 27th, 2023 with the annual Alan B. Gold Advocacy Lecture. On this occasion, the Society is delighted to welcome Steeves Bujold, immediate past President of the Canadian Bar Association, and Partner and Quebec Region Litigation Practice lead at McCarthy Tétrault LLP, for his talk entitled “A Year in Review: Seeking Equality in a Challenging Environment.” Steeves will share his experience and learnings as outgoing president of the largest legal association in our country, including his views on the growing challenges at home and abroad faced by the members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

I want to thank Davies for their generous and ongoing sponsorship of the evening. You can register for the dinner-meeting here.

********

Membership for the 2023-24 Season

I encourage all of you to sign up for membership for the season. Your membership support will ensure the continued success of the Society, grant you access to our members-only events, and give you significant discounts on tickets for dinner-meetings.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the special sub-committee of the Board who spent considerable time this summer studying the Society’s finances. Upon recommendation of the committee, the Society’s Board voted unanimously to increase membership fees, as well as dinner ticket pricing. Taking these measures was essential to ensure the long-time financial health of the Society. Rest assured that members will enjoy considerable savings on dinners, as you always have, and that the high standards we have set with our dinner meetings will be maintained!

You can sign up for membership online here.

*******

Shana tova to all and we’ll see you on the 27th!

Robert Steinman, President 2023-24
The Lord Reading Law Society
president@lordreading.org

Heurtel calls for a second Quiet Revolution

Larry Markowitz

For our closing dinner of the 2022-2023 season, the Lord Reading Law Society was pleased to welcome David Heurtel as our guest speaker. Formerly a cabinet minister in the Liberal government of Quebec premier Philippe Couillard, Maître Heurtel is now counsel at Fasken and a highly regarded political commentator on television and radio.

Maître Heurtel began his address by enumerating the many problems currently facing Quebec.

Quebec is burning, and it has been on fire for a while now.

–David Heurtel

His list began with Bill 21 and Bill 96, both of which were passed by Premier François Legault’s Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) government with the pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause to shield them against court challenges. For the first time since 1975, the Quebec Charter of Rights was modified without an all-party consensus.

Our guest speaker also criticized Premier Legault for his Easter Monday Tweet celebrating Catholic values, especially in a year when Passover and Ramadan fell at the same time, not to mention what Heurtel termed the “hypocrisy” of a premier who insists on “laicity”, while celebrating his own religion above all others.

Maître Heurtel then cited the example of Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon, who recently faced his sixth ethics investigation, and reacted by essentially saying, “The law is wrong; not me!”

Maître Heurtel also cited affronts to the English-speaking community of Quebec, Premier Legault’s redefinition and denial of systemic racism in Quebec, and a reduced focus on diversity and inclusion in respect of immigrants in favour of greater emphasis on their French-language abilities.

In summary, according to Maître Heurtel, before Premier Legault took power, there was greater respect for our political institutions, for the rule of law and for the less fortunate. Harkening back to the authoritarian regime of Premier Maurice Duplessis, our guest speaker suggested that we are now facing a second Grand Noirceur, while Premier Legault benefits from a divided opposition in the National Assembly and a shrinking (and perhaps overly compliant) press gallery.

Just as many in the Lord Reading audience may have begun to feel hopeless, Maître Heurtel shifted gears and reassured us that the Quebec Liberal Party has been in this position before, and eventually rebounded and reclaimed power. A political party with over 150 years of history has surely had its ups and downs over the decades.

One of those negative periods for the Liberals was in the 1950s when the Union Nationale under Premier Maurice Duplessis had a chokehold on power and the Liberals were low in the polls. However, beginning in the early 1960s, the new Liberal leader Premier Jean Lesage, turned things around, leading Quebec out of its “Grand noirceur” through the Quiet Revolution. The slogan was “Maîtres chez nous” and the goal was for francophones to take leadership positions in Quebec and to guide Quebec into the future. The Quiet Revolution saw the modernization of the state, including the nationalization of Hydro Quebec and creation of the Quebec Pension Plan.

According to our guest speaker, the formula for reviving the fortunes of the Quebec Liberal Party is nothing less than a second Quiet Revolution. Rather than taking a nationalist-light approach, the next Liberal leader needs to revive the “big tent” approach that brought the Liberals much electoral success in the past.

Today, participation rates in elections are falling. This encourages politicians to play to their base by using “triggering issues” to get their voters out to the polls.

Eventually, though, the population will tire of the CAQ government, and the Liberals need to be prepared. According to Maître Heurtel, the Liberals, who not that long ago enjoyed wide support, must unite those who are opposed to the Legault regime and provide an open, big-tent, welcoming alternative to the CAQ. It is possible to protect Quebec’s culture and language without trampling on the rights of minorities.

In Heurtel’s view, the next Liberal leader must show statesmanship and talk about the “real issues”. They must attract a new generation to participate in politics.

The Quiet Revolution saw Quebec’s “best and brightest” run for office under the Liberal banner. According to Heurtel, those individuals showed the courage of their convictions by throwing their hats into the ring. It is time for a new generation to do the same.

In his address to the Lord Reading Law Society, David Heurtel called for nothing less than a second Quiet Revolution!

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

David Ettedgui Awards the La Médaille du Barreau de Montréal to Manny Shacter

On the occasion of the Rentrée judiciare, Society Past President and current Bâtonnier David Ettedgui awarded Society Past President and dear friend Manuel Shacter, KC, Ad. E.,  the Montreal legal community’s highest honour, the Médaille du Barreau de Montréal, in recognition of his lifetime of exceptional contribution to the justice system. We are pleased to reproduce David’s remarks from the event:

Me Shacter, Cher Manny.

Félicitations pour tes 75 années de dévouement à la profession juridique !

Félicitations pour tes 75 années à lutter pour la justice et les droits de la personne !

Et félicitations pour tes 75 années à être un pionnier au sein de la communauté juridique de Montréal !

Avant de vous le présenter formellement, je tiens à vous souligner que le choix de Me Shacter comme récipiendaire de ce mérite fut assez facile pour moi en raison de son parcours exceptionnel et sa grande contribution à notre communauté.

En discutant avec certains anciens bâtonniers de Montréal, lors d’une réunion en février dernier, j’ai fait part de mon choix pour ce prix. Sans exception, ou dissidence, mes collègues m’ont appuyé. Et permettez-moi de vous le dire, des anciens bâtonniers qui ont une position unanime sur un dossier, c’est assez rare!

J’ai eu le plaisir de travailler étroitement avec Manny au cours de nos années passées ensemble au conseil de l’Association de droit Lord Reading. À ce jour, Manny participe à toutes leurs réunions et plaide souvent avec passion auprès de ses collègues du conseil pour la défense des droits des minorités.

Manny est depuis longtemps un pionnier au sein de notre communauté juridique.

Il a ouvert la voie au progrès de la représentation équitable des avocats juifs dans la profession. Il a été membre fondateur de l’Association de droit Lord Reading en 1948, a finalement été président de l’Association en 1967 et 1968, et a ensuite été le deuxième Bâtonnier juif de Montréal en 1987-1988.

Au début des années 50, aux côtés de Bosty Mendelsohn et Leo Rosentzveig, Manny a cofondé le cabinet d’avocats aujourd’hui connu sous le nom de McMillan, avec des bureaux d’un bout à l’autre du pays.

Il a établi un précédent juridique au début des années 1960, lorsqu’il a plaidé avec succès contre la censure du livre controversé “Lady Chatterly’s Lover”, qui avait été interdit pour l’obscénité.

Manny s’est également impliqué dans sa communauté, notamment auprès de la YM-YWHA de Montréal, des Services professionnels juifs, du Conseil canadien des chrétiens et des juifs, et du Congrès juif canadien.

Le sport a joué un rôle important dans la vie de Manny. Pendant ses études à l’Université McGill dans les années 40, il a été membre des équipes de basketball et de football.

Plus tard, il était un skieur passionné, se rendant en Autriche chaque année pendant plus de 55 ans. En fait, cela ne fait que quelques années qu’il ‘a arrêté le ski, et je crois savoir qu’il continue de jouer régulièrement au golf.

À l’aube de votre centième anniversaire, nous sommes fiers de souligner votre engagement envers la profession et votre soutien envers la relève. Vous êtes une inspiration pour plusieurs générations.

Manny, Je te souhaite de nombreuses années de santé, de bonheur et de poursuite de la justice.

Félicitations! Congratulations! Mazel tov!

Mazel Tov to Lord Reading Members Reaching an Anniversary at the Barreau!

The Society celebrates our long-standing members who have reached important milestones at the Barreau:

60 years – Edward Druker and Alan M. Stein

50 years – Theodore Goloff, Irving Handleman, Steven Katkin, Naomi Lapin, and Morton Minc

The Society salutes your longevity and your contributions to the legal profession!

Society Humour

News from the Mishpocha

Mazel Tov

• To Society lifetime member and dear friend Irwin Cotler on being awarded Israel’s Presidential Medal of Honor and the the 2023 Lantos Human Rights Prize
• To the Honourable Lori Weitzman on being named to the Québec Court of Appeal

Sincere Condolences

• To the family of long-time LRLS member Jacob Woloshen
• To Justice Alexander Pless on the loss of his father Dr. Ivan Barry Pless

Editors – Allen Mendelsohn, Larry Markowitz and Stephanie Perlis

President’s Message

Jonathan Gordon, President

(cliquez ici pour lire le mot du président en français)

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

As the saying goes…. All great things must come to an end. Our next dinner meeting will be my last as President of the Lord Reading Law Society.

The past year was a busy one for the Society as we finally returned to in-person events following the Covid-19 pandemic. When I assumed my Presidency, I endeavoured to build upon last year’s success and uphold the honour and prestige of the Society by arranging for dynamic and interesting guests to speak on topics of importance to us, as advocates.

A brief recap of this year’s events is in order.

A year in Review

Alan B. Gold Advocacy Lecture

Our season officially commenced on Thursday, September 29, with our annual Alan B. Gold Advocacy Lecture. On this occasion, we had the pleasure of welcoming Joseph Groia, whose lecture was entitled: The Perils of Incivility: From Bre-X to the LSUC to the SCC.

Mr. Groia recounted his journey from successfully defending his client at the Bre-X Minerals trial to being exonerated by the Supreme Court of Canada after the Law Society of Ontario sanctioned him for his courtroom tactics.

The event was sponsored by Davies and we thank them for their support.

Human Rights Dinner

Our Annual Human Rights Dinner, which is probably the event that stands out the most for me when I reflect on my Presidency, took place on November 16.

On this occasion, the Society welcomed Alexia Korberg, partner in the Litigation Department of Paul Weiss in New York City. Alexia represented Mississippi’s last abortion clinic before the U.S. Supreme Court in the Dobbs case, which ultimately and unfortunately overturned SCOTUS’ 50-year precedent in Roe v. Wade.

Alexia was interviewed in person by McGill’s Dean of Law, Me Robert Leckey, and was bestowed with the Lord Reading Law Society’s Human Rights Award.

The event was sponsored by Crowe BGK, IMK, and Devine, Schachter, Polak and we thank them for their support.

Members-only CLE breakfast

Our Members-Only CLE breakfast took place on November 24 at Robinson Sheppard Shapiro.

On this occasion we welcomed Judge David Cameron (J.C.Q.) who addressed our junior members with a lecture entitled: Recovery of small claims, where do I stand? The talk was very well-received by all.

Annual Student Dinner

On January 31st we held our Annual Student Dinner where we welcomed Harley Finkelstein, who is best known as the President of Shopify. Harley was interviewed on stage in a captivating fireside chat by Me Jeremy Sculnick, partner in the Corporate Group at Stikeman Elliott’s Montreal office.

As usual, we hosted law students, stagiaires and Barreau students, and presented the Lord Reading Law Society’s annual academic prizes to the deserving winners of McGill, Université de Montréal, UQAM, Université de Sherbrooke and University of Ottawa.

The event was sponsored by BLG and Spiegel Sohmer and approved for CLE accreditation.

Young Bar Hockey Night

On March 21, our Young Bar Committee brought back our Annual Hockey Night, which took place on at the Lord William Pub, as junior members and members of the Lord Reading Executive enjoyed a few cocktails and snacks while ostensibly watching the Habs beat Tampa 3-2. A wonderful time was had by all as the young lawyers felt the spirit of Lord Reading’s famous camaraderie in an informal atmosphere.

Annual Henry Steinberg Memorial Dinner

On March 30, on the occasion of our Annual Henry Steinberg Memorial Lecture, we were honoured to welcome one of Canada’s most prominent litigators, and one of my personal hero’s, Marie Henein. Marie participated in a fireside chat with noted Montreal criminal defence attorney, Me Isabel Schurman Ad.E., which focused on the complicated Role of Defence Counsel When Representing Unpopular Clients.

The event was attended by over 200 guests, including several members of the late Justice Steinberg’s family. The evening was sponsored by Speigel Sohmer, Shadley Knerr and Spunt & Carin and approved for CLE accreditation.

********

Next Dinner Event

This brings us to our final dinner-event of the season, which will take place on June 6th. On this occasion, the Society is delighted to welcome Me David Heurtel, political pundit and lawyer, who will address the Society with a lecture entitled The inside scoop from the corridors of power. You can register for the dinner here.

Thank you to Fasken, our generous sponsor of the evening. We expect the lecture to be approved for 1 hour of CLE from the Barreau.

*******

Given the above-listed activities and lineup of first-class speakers, it’s no wonder that this year’s events were so well attended, and the head table at our dinners was regularly graced by leading judges, lawyers, politicians, bar association leaders and academics, further solidifying Lord Reading’s prominent place within Quebec’s legal landscape.

An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State (Bill 21)

The Society has continued its contestation of Bill 21, An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State. In November 2022, the Society presented oral arguments before the Quebec Court of Appeal. A judgment has yet to be rendered by the Court. We are grateful to our Past President, Ted Goloff, for his tireless efforts in preparing our proceedings, and to our Human Rights Committee for their ongoing support.

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Closing Remarks

As this message is one of my final tasks as President, I want to thank all of you for the honour of allowing me to be the President of Lord Reading, an organization that I have always admired. I want to thank all of you for coming to our events and your continued support of Lord Reading.

The success of this association does not happen by accident, but rather by a concerted commitment from the Society’s Board, its Past Presidents, its Executive, committee members and volunteers. While there are way too many to mention personally, certain individuals deserve special recognition:

Hershie Frankel, Lara Malewski, Stephanie Perlis, Larry Markowitz and Allen Mendelsohn, as they do every year, work tirelessly to ensure that all our events and day-to-day activities run smoothly.

I am also extremely indebted to immediate Past President Doree Levine, who was a constant source of support and guidance for me over the course of the last year.

The Society’s next President will be Robert Steinman who will be sworn in on June 6th. I am confident that under Rob’s leadership the Society will be in good hands.

May the Society continue to go from strength to strength!

I look forward to seeing you all in person on June 6!

Sincerely,

Jonathan Gordon, President 2022-23
The Lord Reading Law Society
president@lordreading.org

Defending Unpopular Clients in High-Profile Cases

Larry Markowitz

On March 30th, on the occasion of our Annual Justice Henry Steinberg Memorial Lecture, the Lord Reading Law Society was pleased to welcome one of Canada’s most prominent criminal defence lawyers, Marie Henein, for a fireside chat with noted Montreal criminal defence attorney, Isabel Schurman. The Lande Hall at the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue was filled with some of our city’s most prominent judges and lawyers.

Our panelists were introduced by the Honourable Carol Cohen, justice of the Superior Court of Quebec.

The Lord Reading audience had the opportunity to listen in on an illuminating discussion of the complicated role of defence counsel, and learn important lessons from one of Canada’s leading attorneys.

The first lesson imparted on us was the importance of preparation.

The second lesson was that nearly all defendants in criminal trials are unpopular. However, much like surgeons do not only operate on “popular” patients, representation by defence counsel does not imply an endorsement of the accused.

Rather than weighing a prospective client’s popularity, in deciding whether to take the case, Ms. Heinen assesses whether she thinks she could work with them. If the accused wants to “run the show”, she won’t represent them. She is the experienced lawyer who has litigated numerous criminal trials; the defendant (no matter how much of a recidivist) has had limited exposure to the courtroom. The defence lawyer is a strategist; not a mouthpiece for the accused.

I’m the general; I run the case.

Our esteemed speakers also touched on whether, and when, to address the media in the context of a trial. In the past, arguments were usually reserved for the courtroom. Nowadays, with the influence of social media on public opinion – including the pre-trial opinions of judges and jurors – there may be strategic reasons to grant interviews or make statements to the media. Protecting a client’s reputation could justify addressing the media in order to control the narrative. In the court of public opinion, an acquittal at trial does not always re-establish the reputation of the accused.

During the robust question period that followed the fireside chat, Ms. Heinen addressed the often trauma-inducing presentation of evidence in criminal cases. It can take a toll. As she put it, no one is happy to be participating in a criminal trial; there are no happy stories. To cope, she has developed a variety of mechanisms, including a dark sense of humour.

Ms. Heinen also pointed out that she also represents victims of crimes. She does not limit herself to defending alleged perpetrators. Victims are often underprivileged and underrepresented, so she is doing a service to society by ensuring their rights are respected and the crimes from which they suffer are prosecuted.

Finally, Ms. Heinen warned against giving too much credence to Tweets about court cases. The Twittersphere is not curated. Those who Tweet are often unknowledgeable and hide behind anonymous Twitter handles.

Our guest speakers were thanked by former Quebec Chief Justice Nicole Duval Hesler, who pointed out that a lawyer does not necessarily have to like their client. Rather, the role of counsel is to ensure that defendants maintain their right to be represented. After all, that is a core principle underlying our system of justice.

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

Mazel Tov David Ettedgui!

Allen Mendelsohn

Past President of the Society David Ettedgui has had too exciting a month to bury his accomplishments in our News from the Mishpocha section. On May 10th, David was officially sworn in as bâtonnier of the Bar of Montreal. Everyone at the Society is tremendously proud of David, and we are extremely confident that he will do an incredible job. You can read more about David’s plans for the next year in his interview with Droit inc. and his message to the Bar of Montreal.

To top off that accomplishment, on May 24 David and his wife Amanda Singer welcomed their newborn daughter Shira to the world. A hearty mazel tov!

Congratulations David!

Society Humour

News from the Mishpocha

Mazel Tov

• To Society Past President Manny Schachter C.R., Ad. E., who will be awarded the Médaille du Barreau from the Bar of Montreal this fall at the rentrée judiciaire

Sincere Condolences

• To Society Board member and Treasurer Matthew Shadley and the entire Shadley family on the loss of longtime Society member Richard E. Shadley
• To Society Board member Ryan Sanft and the entire Sanft family on the loss of longtime Society member Arthur Sanft
• To the family (including Society Communications Director Allen Mendelsohn) of the Honourable Perry Meyer, Judge of the Québec Superior Court and longtime member of the Society

Editors – Allen Mendelsohn, Larry Markowitz and Stephanie Perlis

President’s Message

Jonathan Gordon, President

(cliquez ici pour lire le mot du président en français)

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

Greetings and welcome back to those of you who were spending time in warmer climates – be it for spring break or for other reasons. Welcome home! You’ve arrived back in town just in time for an exciting series of events at Lord Reading.

The Society’s 74th season has been exceptional thus far and shows no sign of slowing down.

Our January 31st Annual Student Dinner, featuring a fireside chat between Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, and Jeremy Sculnick, was a tremendous success. That evening we awarded prizes to exceptional law students from McGill, Université de Montréal, UQAM, Université de Sherbrooke and University of Ottawa.

Next Dinner Event

Our next event is sure to be a memorable one. On the occasion of our Annual Justice Henry Steinberg Memorial Lecture on March 30th, we are pleased to welcome one of the most prominent litigators in Canada, Marie Henein, who will participate in a fireside chat with noted Montreal criminal defence attorney, Me Isabel Schurman Ad.E. The discussion will focus on the complicated Role of Defence Counsel under the theme of “Defending Unpopular Clients in High-Profile Cases.” We also look forward to welcoming members of the Steinberg family.

You can sign up for the dinner here.

This event has been approved by the Barreau for one hour of CLE so don’t miss out on this excellent opportunity to earn hours before the March 31 deadline!

We would like to thank Spiegel Sohmer Inc., Shadley Knerr and Spunt & Carin for their generous sponsorship of the evening.

Marie Henein

Ms. Henein is widely recognized as one of the most prominent litigators in Canada, with extensive experience as lead counsel on high-profile criminal, civil, and regulatory cases. In addition to her broad criminal law practice, Ms. Henein’s experience includes acting as lead counsel for plaintiffs and defendants in class actions and in respect of major civil and commercial disputes.

Ms. Henein is a frequent lecturer nationally. She was an Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School where she was co-chair of the Master of Law Program. She frequently lectures at the Law Society of Ontario, The Advocates’ Society, the Ontario Bar Association, Criminal Lawyers’ Association, and the National Judicial Institute in numerous areas including trial advocacy, evidence and appellate advocacy.

Ms. Henein is the author of her memoir, Nothing But The Truth, is co-editor of Martin’s Criminal Code, Martin’s Annual Criminal Practice, and Martin’s Related Criminal Statutes. She is also the Associate Editor of the Canadian Criminal Cases.

Isabel J. Schurman Ad.E

Me Isabel J. Schurman Ad.E has practiced law in Montreal since 1984. She specializes in criminal law with the firm of Schurman, Grenier, Morneau. She has served on the National Criminal Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association, the Legal Aid Liaison Committee of the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers, the Council of the Bar of Montreal, and numerous Montreal Bar Association Criminal Justice Committees, including committees dealing with Access to Justice in English and Administration of Justice in Criminal Matters.

She has been a Sessional Lecturer at McGill University, Faculty of Law since 1997, teaching evidence and sentencing, and has taught or given conferences at O’Sullivan College, McGill University, Université de Montréal, Concordia University, and the Quebec Bar Association Admission School, as well as for the National Judicial Institute and the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice. She has been a member of the faculty of the Federation of Law Societies National Criminal Law Program since 2001.

Save the Date!

Our final dinner lecture will take place on June 6, 2023 when we have the privilege of welcoming Me David Heurtel, counsel at Fasken as our keynote speaker. Me Heurtel was a member of the Quebec National Assembly representing the provincial riding of Viau from 2013 to 2018. He served in Quebec’s Liberal government in major roles, such as Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change from 2014 to 2017. He also served as Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness from 2017 to 2018. David is also a Political Analyst for CTV News Montreal, CBC News Network’s Power & Politics, and CJAD 800 AM Montreal.

The Society’s Young Bar Committee Hockey Night

Our Young Bar Committee hosted the Lord Reading Hockey Night on March 21 at the Lord William Pub. A fun time was had by all, and the Habs won! Thank you to our Young Bar committee members for organizing the very successful event.

Jonathan J. Robinson

We at the Lord Reading Law Society mourn the loss of Jonathan J. Robinson, who passed away on January 30, 2023, in his 94th year. During more than seven decades, Jon practiced law with exceptional competence, creativity, and good humour, earning the respect of both the Bar and Bench. Known for his brilliant legal mind but also his generous spirit, he mentored countless dozens of young and aspiring attorneys. Me Robinson pleaded complicated commercial cases well into his 80’s and remained a source of wise counsel to his colleagues until his final days. He will be greatly missed by the Society and remembered fondly.

The Hon. Joel A. Silcoff

We at the Lord Reading Law Society mourn the loss of the Honourable Joel A. Silcoff, who passed away unexpectedly on Match 4, 2023. Justice Silcoff was a kind and gentle man, a valued member of, and friend to, our Society and the legal community. Justice Silcoff was appointed to the Superior Court of Quebec in 2000, where many judgements, including BCE v. Debentureholders, and Churchill Falls v. Hydro-Québec, saw him rise into prominence as a judge who could be called in for high profile corporate cases of the most complex and labyrinthine sort. He will be remembered for his compassionate demeanour that was truly appreciated by the lawyers and litigants who appeared before him.

Your membership

If you have not done so already, I encourage you to renew your membership or become a member of the Society for the first time. We count on our membership dues to help contribute to the health of the Society, and to support the continuing program of outstanding speakers the Society has established. You will also benefit from significant discounts on dinner-meeting prices and be eligible to attend members-only CLE events. You can sign up for your membership here.

*****

We look forward to seeing you all in person on March 30, 2023!

Sincerely,

Jonathan Gordon, President
The Lord Reading Law Society
president@lordreading.org

From Law Graduate to E-commerce Mogul

Larry Markowitz

On the occasion of our annual student dinner, the Lord Reading Law Society had the honour of welcoming Shopify president Harley Finkelstein for a fireside chat with his best friend Jeremy Sculnick, partner in the Corporate Group at Stikeman Elliott’s Montreal office.

Descended from a family of entrepreneurs, Harley is a former practicing attorney, an advisor to OMERS Ventures and Felicis Ventures, and was a Dragon on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. Harley is a winner of the Canadian Angel Investor of the Year Award, Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Award, and Fortune’s 40 Under 40. He was also inducted into the Order of Ottawa.

Nowadays, law students are curious about what they can do with their degree beyond joining a traditional law firm, and Harley certainly personifies the concept of “alternative legal careers”. In fact, his reason for attending law school was to become a better entrepreneur—no pretense of pleading in court or papering big M&A transactions!

Prior to his law studies at the University of Ottawa, Harley founded a string of successful businesses. He DJ’ed numerous bar mitzvahs – many from the same stage in the Shaar Hashomayim banquet hall from which he spoke to us! He then ran a successful T-shirt business.

During his law studies, he improved his writing, sharpened his critical thinking abilities, and learned to think on his feet at moot court.

While hanging out at a Bridgehead Coffee shop in Ottawa, Harley met Tobi Lütke, the founder of Shopify, and decided to use the nascent Shopify platform to sell his T-shirts.

“I built an online T-shirt store in tax law class!”

In 3 hours, Harley was running a global business competing with Walmart!

He called Tobi and asked to join Shopify. They worked well together because they are opposites. Tobi builds technology; Harley commercializes it. And the rest is history!

Harley will soon be moving back to his native Montreal, an immigrant city, which is to say, an entrepreneurial city, where he feels he can be his best.

As opposed to his grandfathers, who were entrepreneurs by necessity (to feed their families), Harley has the luxury of doing his life’s work.

His enthusiastic espousal of the “growth mindset” surely inspired the many law students in the room to contemplate leveraging their law degrees in the entrepreneurial world.

For a full set of pictures from the event, please visit our Facebook page. 

Congratulations to our student award winners!

Allen Mendelsohn

As mentioned above, on the occasion of our Annual Student Dinner, the Society was delighted to present our annual academic prizes to the deserving winners from the law faculties at McGill, Université de Montréal, UQAM, Université de Sherbrooke and University of Ottawa. The Society congratulates all the deserving winners!

• Brandan Alexander (McGill University)
• Gabrielle Goodfellow (Université du Québec à Montréal)
• Joyce Jarawan (University of Ottawa – civil law section)
• Marie-Pier Landry (Université de Sherbrooke)
• Ana Maria Menghes Cetean (Université de Montréal, the Larry Glazer Award)

Remembering Jon Robinson

Allen Mendelsohn

“ALLEN, I NEED YOU!!!”

Jon did not really use email (though he could). Jon did not really use the phone (though of course he could). Jon sat in his big RSS office on the 47th floor, door open, and used his voice. His voice could boom (though never when pleading), and I loved it. And when he called out to the very junior lawyer who had the (much smaller) office on the 47th right next to his, who had learned to keep his own door open waiting for that call, that junior lawyer sprung up, legal pad and pen in hand, and walked into his office smiling. I would get to work with Jon again.

That happened a lot during my time as a lawyer at RSS. Senior lawyers can be scary to juniors. Jon was the complete opposite. Warm, friendly, and so much fun to work with. And way smarter than me. My goodness what a lawyer he was. To learn from him was a godsend. He had a way of practicing that I really had not seen from other lawyers. He just did not take s**t from anyone. But somehow, he did it in a friendly, grandfather-ish kind of way. It amazed me to watch him work.

As I sat there taking notes about the legal issue at hand, he would drift into non-law topics and I could not get enough. As an amateur bridge player myself, he would talk about bridge to me. But he was so good, it went over my head. He’d talk about his cottage up in the Laurentians. He’d talk about a wide range of things, and I soaked it all in. There was wisdom in everything he said.

We’d eventually roll back to whatever he needed me for. Maybe he needed me to review something, or draft some procedure. Or maybe he needed me to go to the Palais de justice to book a court date for something. But “goddammit, not on a Friday, I am on the golf course.”

He was very special. I, and everyone who ever worked at RSS, and everyone who ever had any contact with him at the Society and beyond, will miss him dearly.

Society Humour

News from the Mishpocha

Mazel Tov

• To Society Board member the Honourable Morty Minc on receiving the first ever Dean Jason Carey Distinction Award for Social Innovation: Law and Justice

Sincere Condolences

• To the family of the Honourable Pierre A. Michaud, former Chief Justice of Québec, a great friend to the Society who was named a lifetime member to the Society by then-President Ian Solloway in 2002
• To the family of Jonathan J. Robinson, longtime member of the Society
• To the family of the Honourable Joel A. Silcoff, Judge of the Québec Superior Court and longtime member of the Society
• To the family of Jason Ruby

Editors – Allen Mendelsohn, Larry Markowitz and Stephanie Perlis

President’s Message

Jonathan Gordon, President

(cliquez ici pour lire le mot du président en français)

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

Happy New Year!

I hope that 2023 will be a year of good health, joy, and prosperity!

Next Dinner Event

Our next lecture is our Annual Student Dinner, which will take place on January 31, 2023. On this occasion, the Society will welcome Harley Finkelstein, who is best known as the President of Shopify. Harley is a former practicing attorney from Montreal, and an advisor to both OMERS Ventures and Felicis Ventures. He was a Dragon on CBC’s Dragons’ Den and Next Gen Den, and previously served on the Board of the C100 and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Harley received the Canadian Angel Investor of the Year Award, Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Award, Fortune’s 40 Under 40, and was inducted into the Order of Ottawa.

In a fireside chat, Harley will be interviewed on stage  by Me Jeremy Sculnick, partner in the Corporate Group at Stikeman Elliott’s Montreal office.

Our Annual Student dinner is also when we host law students, stagiaires and Barreau students, and present the annual Lord Reading Law Society academic prizes to deserving winners from McGill, Université de Montréal, UQAM, Université de Sherbrooke and University of Ottawa. I look forward to welcoming the award recipients, as well as representatives from each law faculty.

The event has been approved by the Barreau du Quebec for 1 hour of CLE accreditation. I would like to thank BLG, Spiegel Sohmer and Stikeman Elliott for their generous sponsorship of the evening.

You can sign up for the dinner here.

Save the Date!

We are delighted that on April 27, 2023, we will welcome one of the most prominent litigators in Canada, Marie Henein. Mark your calendars!

Your membership

If you have not done so already, I encourage you to renew your membership or become a member of the Society for the first time. We count on our membership dues to help contribute to the health of the Society, and to support the continuing program of outstanding speakers the Society has established. You will also benefit from significant discounts on dinner-meeting prices and be eligible to attend members-only CLE events.

You can sign up for your membership here.

We look forward to seeing you all in person on January 31, 2023!

Sincerely,

Jonathan Gordon, President
The Lord Reading Law Society
president@lordreading.org

Defending Roe: Fighting for Abortion Rights at SCOTUS

Allen Mendelsohn

On the occasion of our Annual Human Rights Dinner on November 16th, the Society was delighted to welcome Alexia Korberg, partner at Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York. Alexia represented Mississippi’s last remaining abortion provider before the U.S. Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. Alexia was interviewed on stage by Dean Robert Leckey of McGill’s Faculty of Law in a broad-ranging conversation.

Immediate Past President Doree Levine introduced our guest of honour and their interviewer. Doree noted that Alexia “has too many accolades to list” in the time permitted. Doree also noted the presence of Claude-Armand Sheppard, who was instrumental in helping to secure the right to abortion in Canada with his defence in the R. v. Morgentaler case.

Dean Leckey began with a simple question – “how did you get into this?” Alexia replied that they had always wanted to use the law as an affirmative tool for change, to help expand individual rights; but first needed to learn how to be a lawyer. Alexia was attracted to Paul Weiss’ dedication to pro bono work. Alexia noted that they actually like doing corporate / commercial, M&A and tax law work, as it makes them a better lawyer overall.

Dean Leckey and Alexia ran through many of the details of the Dobbs decision. Mississippi had instituted a 15-week abortion ban, which was obviously unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade. Alexia helped to challenge the ban as the attorney for the last abortion provider in Mississippi. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals declared the ban unconstitutional, but that decision was appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Alexia expected that SCOTUS would not even take the case, given that SCOTUS only accepts to hear one percent of appeals and Dobbs did not meet any of the guidelines to grant leave to appeal. Even the State of Mississippi did not believe SCOTUS would take the case.

Dean Leckey noted that it seemed like SCOTUS was “playing a different legal game” by taking the appeal, and Alexia agreed. Alexia believed that once SCOTUS took the appeal, Roe v. Wade would be overturned. Once the draft of Dobbs was leaked, that became a near certainty.

Given the presence of a large contingent of law students at the dinner, Dean Leckey asked Alexia if they had any advice for the students. Alexia told the students that “your career will surprise you”. Alexia was surprised to have ended up in M&A litigation. Students should be open to anything. As a final note Alexia told the students, “We can be better tomorrow than we are today;” and it goes without saying that the future lawyers in our audience should always make time for pro bono work throughout their careers!

To finish off the evening on an especially high note, Past President Ian Solloway presented the Society’s Human Rights Award to Alexia. The award was established in 1994 and is awarded only occasionally – there have been a mere 13 honourees to date. Alexia certainly meets the award’s criteria of being an individual who has made a sustained contribution to human rights and fundamental freedoms. In particular, Alexia was honoured for their ongoing pro bono work in a variety of areas, notably in the protection of LGBTQIA+ rights.

For a full set of pictures from the event, please visit our Facebook page. 

Don’t forget your Lord Reading Membership!

Hershie Frankel, Membership Chair

It is never too late to renew your membership, or become a member for the first time. Membership offers significant discounts for our (in-person!) dinner-meetings and with our updated pricing for this season you’ll be saving even more! You’ll also gain exclusive access to the great members-only CLE events we have planned. Moreover, when we make public interventions in the interest of human rights, we do so in the name of our members (excluding those who are members of the judiciary), meaning we need to ensure we maintain a robust membership. We’d love to have you as a member!

You can become a member online here. As they say, membership has its privileges!

Society Humour

News from the Mishpocha

Mazel Tov

• To Society Board member Morty Minc on the birth of his grandson