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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
- Accessibility Standards Policy (November 2018)
- Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy (May 2011)
- Anti-Workplace Violence Policy (June 2011)
- Bencher Election Policy (January 2019)
- Privacy Policy (January 2005)
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