The Hamilton Law Association

The Hamilton Law Association 

The Hamilton Law Association’s (HLA) affairs are governed by trustees and officers who ensure that Association undertakings are within the mandate and in the best interests of our legal community. The many valued volunteers who are members of the numerous committees within the structure of the HLA strive to represent our membership consistently and effectively. The Anthony Pepe Memorial Law Library, operated within the scope of the HLA, is one of the largest law libraries in Ontario and houses over 30,000 volumes.

The Hamilton Law Association continues to strive to educate and support its membership in the practice of law as well as to advocate for their interests as lawyers.

The staff of The Hamilton Law Association Library cannot provide legal advice or research to members of the public directly. The HLA Library is a private library for the use of its members, and members of the Law Society of Ontario only. For information on finding legal help in Ontario please try the Bora Laskin Law Library's Guide to Finding Legal Help in Ontario, or to search for a lawyer practising in the Hamilton area try the HLA Find a Lawyer page.

This site is not intended to provide legal advice. It is intended to supply general information to our members. The information contained and distributed on this site does not contain any legal opinions and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Hamilton Law Association.

HLA By-Laws

    HLA Policies

    Past Presidents

    1879-1888

     A. Emilius Irving

    1984-1985

     J. Douglas Thoman

    1888-1904

     Edward Martin  

    1985-1986

     R. John Harper

    1904-1906

     Francis Mackelcan 

    1986-1987

     James R. Turnbull

    1906-1916

     Stephen F. Lazier 

    1987-1988

     W. Ian Gordon

    1916-1920

     William Bell 

    1988-1989

     Dermot P. Nolan

    1920-1939

     Thomas C. Haslett 

    1989-1990

     Harrison S. Arrell

    1939-1940

     Hon. George Lynch-Staunton 

    1990-1991

     David E. Ivey

    1940-1942

     James Chisholm 

    1991-1992

     James A. Scarfone

    1942-1943

     D'Arcy Martin 

    1992-1993

     George Czutrin

    1943-1945

     Stanley R. Jefferess 

    1993-1994

     David J. Sherman

    1945-1946

     William Hazell 

    1994-1995

     Jane A. Milanetti

    1947-1948

     C. W. Reid Bowlby 

    1995-1996

     Robert S. Whitmore

    1949-1950

     J. A. Soule 

    1996-1997

     Daniel J. Rosenkrantz 

    1951-1952

     E. G. Binkley 

    1997-1998

     Randall S. Bocock

    1953

     J. R. Marshall 

    1998-1999

     Lawrence R. Bremner

    1954-1955

     H. S. Robinson 

    1999-2000

     Kendra M. Coats

    1956

     W. K. Lees 

    2000-2001

     Lynda J. Rogers

    1957-1958

     R. F. Inch 

    2001-2002

     Helen Pelton

    1959-1960

     A. J. Polson 

    2002-2003

     Paul S. Dixon

    1961-1962

     Argue Martin 

    2003-2004

     Sandra R. Stephenson

    1963-1964

     W. G. Welby 

    2004-2005

     Joseph J. Sullivan

    1965

     W. E. Griffin 

    2005-2006

     Allen J. Wynperle

    1966

     F. J. L. Evans 

    2006-2007

     Liza Sheard

    1967

     H. F. Lazier 

    2007-2008

     Andrew J. Spurgeon

    1968

     William Schreiber 

    2008-2009

     Philip J. Clay 

    1969

     E. D. Hickey 

    2009-2010

     David A. Elliot 

    1970

     J. G. Langs 

    2010-2011

     Michael Winward

    1971

     M. J. Moriarity 

    2011-2012

     Michael Bruder

    1972

     F. S. Weatherston 

    2012-2013

     Michelle Stark 

    1973

     David Goldberg 

    2013-2014

     David W. Howell

    1974

     G. W. Howell 

    2014-2015 

     John O. Krawchenko

    1975

     Morris J. Perozak

    2015-2016

     Kirsten Hughes

    1976

     John F. Evans 

    2016-2017

     Michael Bordin

    1977-1978

     Herman Turkstra 

    2017-2018 

     Robert J. Hooper

    1978-1979

     W. J. Litwiller 

    2018-2019 

     W Patric Mackesy

    1979-1980

     William Morris 

    2019-2020

     Mark Giavedoni

    1980-1981

     Martin Luxton 

    2020-2021

     Kanata Cowan 

    1981-1982

     Nicholas J. Zaffiro 

    2021-2022

     Andrew Confente

    1982-1983

     John J. Lawlor 

    2022-2023

     David van der Woerd

    1983-1984

     Anthony M. J. Pepe 

    HLA Awards

    Distinguished Solicitor Award

    To honour a solicitor member of The Hamilton Law Association who has distinguished himself/herself throughout his/her career by exemplary service to our Association, to our profession, and/or to our community.  Past winners of this award include:

    • 2009 - Lawrence R. Bremner
    • 2014 - Paul S. Dixon
    • 2016 - Albert I. Foreman
    • 2018- Michael J. McHugh
    • 2023- David A. Elliot

    Edward Orzel Award

    To honour a member of the Hamilton Law Association for excellence in trial advocacy for a single outstanding trial effort or for a career in trial advocacy in any area of law.  Past winners of this award include:

    • 2006 - Michael Baker
    • 2007 - David F. Smye, Q.C.
    • 2008 - Dean D. Paquette
    • 2009 - Francis A. DeSantis
    • 2010 - Jeffrey R. Manishen
    • 2011 - John F. Evans, Q.C., LSM
    • 2013 - Brent Bentham
    • 2016 - Helen Pelton
    • 2018 - Dermot Nolan
    • 2020 - Kirsten Hughes

    AEmilius Irving Award

    To honour a member of the Hamilton Law Association who has made an outstanding contribution towards furthering the goals of the Hamilton Law Association through participation in Association activities, service to the legal community, contributions to academia, Continuing Professional Development, or contributions to the community generally.  Past winners of this award include:

    • 1987 - Jay W. State
    • 1989 - John L. Agro, Q.C.
    • 1989 - James R. Turnbull
    • 1994 - John F. Evans, Q.C.
    • 1995 - Mary Lou Dingle, Q.C.
    • 1997 - Bertram H. Leggat., Q.C.
    • 2000 - Dermot P. Nolan
    • 2002 - Harrison S. Arrell
    • 2004 - Roger D. Yachetti, Q.C.
    • 2006 - William Morris, Q.C.
    • 2009 - Sandra R. Stephenson
    • 2011 - Gerald A. Swaye, Q.C.
    • 2013 - Joseph J. Sullivan
    • 2017 - Michael J. Winward
    • 2019 - John O. Krawchenko
    • 2022 - Robert Hooper

    Patricia Wallace Award

    To honour a lawyer who practices primarily family law in the Hamilton area and whose community service and professional conduct best exemplifies the qualities we all admired in Justice Wallace.  Past winners of this award include:

    • 2006 - William J. Tidball
    • 2007 - Caroline Brown
    • 2009 - Salvatore Garcea
    • 2011 - Catherine Cassidy
    • 2013 - David Sherman
    • 2015 - Gordon Morton
    • 2017 - Gloria Nardi-Bell
    • 2019 - Joel Kerr
    • 2021 - Virginia Mendes da Costa


    The Hamilton Law Association 

    45 Main Street East, Suite 500Hamilton, ON L8N 2B7

    Tel:(905) 522-1563 

    Fax: (905) 572-1188

    hla@hamiltonlaw.on.ca

    Webmaster: Nicole Strandholm

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