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 By-Laws Amendments

HLA Policies

Past Presidents

1879-1888
 A. Emilius Irving 1983-1984  Anthony M. J. Pepe 
1888-1904  Edward Martin   1984-1985  J. Douglas Thoman
1904-1906  Francis Mackelcan  1985-1986  R. John Harper
1906-1916  Stephen F. Lazier  1986-1987  James R. Turnbull
1916-1920  William Bell  1987-1988  W. Ian Gordon
1920-1939  Thomas C. Haslett  1988-1989  Dermot P. Nolan
1939-1940  Hon. George Lynch-Staunton  1989-1990  Harrison S. Arrell
1940-1942  James Chisholm  1990-1991  David E. Ivey
1942-1943  D'Arcy Martin  1991-1992  James A. Scarfone
1943-1945  Stanley R. Jefferess  1992-1993  George Czutrin
1945-1946  William Hazell  1993-1994  David J. Sherman
1947-1948  C. W. Reid Bowlby  1994-1995  Jane A. Milanetti
1949-1950  J. A. Soule  1995-1996  Robert S. Whitmore
1951-1952  E. G. Binkley  1996-1997  Daniel J. Rosenkrantz 
1953  J. R. Marshall  1997-1998  Randall S. Bocock
1954-1955  H. S. Robinson  1998-1999  Lawrence R. Bremner
1956  W. K. Lees  1999-2000  Kendra M. Coats
1957-1958  R. F. Inch  2000-2001  Lynda J. Rogers
1959-1960  A. J. Polson  2001-2002  Helen Pelton
1961-1962  Argue Martin  2002-2003  Paul S. Dixon
1963-1964  W. G. Welby  2003-2004  Sandra R. Stephenson
1965  W. E. Griffin  2004-2005  Joseph J. Sullivan
1966  F. J. L. Evans  2005-2006  Allen J. Wynperle
1967  H. F. Lazier  2006-2007  Liza Sheard
1968  William Schreiber  2007-2008  Andrew J. Spurgeon
1969  E. D. Hickey  2008-2009  Philip J. Clay 
1970  J. G. Langs  2009-2010  David A. Elliot 
1971  M. J. Moriarity  2010-2011  Michael Winward
1972  F. S. Weatherston  2011-2012  Michael Bruder
1973  David Goldberg  2012-2013  Michelle Stark 
1974  G. W. Howell  2013-2014  David W. Howell
1975  Morris J. Perozak 2014-2015   John O. Krawchenko
1976  John F. Evans  2015-2016  Kirsten Hughes
1977-1978  Herman Turkstra  2016-2017  Michael Bordin
1978-1979  W. J. Litwiller  2017-2018   Robert J. Hooper
1979-1980  William Morris  2018-2019   W Patric Mackesy
1980-1981  Martin Luxton  2019-2020 Mark Giavedoni
1981-1982  Nicholas J. Zaffiro  2020-2021 Kanata Cowan 
1982-1983  John J. Lawlor  2021-2022 Andrew Confente

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

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

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