Ottawa, September 3, 2024 – Lynne M. J. Vicars of Toronto begins her year-long tenure as the 96th President of the Canadian Bar Association today, taking the helm of the 128-year-old Association of more than 40,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law professors and law students across Canada. She succeeds John Stefaniuk, K.C. of Winnipeg. Bianca Kratt, K.C. of Calgary begins her term as Vice-President.
Lynne Vicars is a banker turned lawyer whose extensive experience in commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution fostered a passion for bringing technology to the legal profession. With over two decades of experience as corporate counsel, she developed deep expertise in providing practical legal advice on a wide variety of legal matters, leading teams of high-performing legal professionals, and fostering collaborative relationships with a variety of stakeholders. Her involvement in the Canadian Bar Association is extensive: she has served as President of the Ontario Bar Association, where she spearheaded the Momentum campaign to further gender equality in the profession. She also served on the CBA Governance and Equity Committee and the CBA Finance Committee.
The CBA Board of Directors also welcomes new members: Clare Jennings, K.C. of British Columbia, Kathleen McManus, K.C. of Nova Scotia, John Inglis of Northwest Territories, Kelly McDermott of Ontario, Suzie Lanthier of Quebec, Tamzin Gillis of Prince Edward Island, Bruce Warnsby of Yukon, Evan J. Olson, CIC.C of the CCCA, Graeme K. Maitland of the Young Lawyers Section, and Robyn P.M. Trask of the National Sections. They join Board members who are entering the second year of their two-year terms: Ken Mandzuik, K.C. of Manitoba, Carley J. Parish, K.C. of New Brunswick, Shirley A. Walsh, CIC.C of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Loreley Chekay, K.C. of Saskatchewan.
Quotes
“As part of its commitment to uphold the rule of law and safeguard judicial independence, I believe that the CBA has a leadership role to play in ensuring that public support for our judicial institutions remains strong. During my term as CBA President, I want to emphasize the critical role lawyers, judges, and other justice system stakeholders can play in strengthening this trust in justice.”
“In this era where our legal institutions are facing growing challenges, I also want to position the CBA as an advocate for responsible use of technology in modern legal practice and as a tool to help improve access to justice. I look forward to all the discussions we will have on these issues and the work we can accomplish together in the coming year.”
- CBA President Lynne Vicars
Quick Facts
- Lynne earned her law degree at the University of Alberta and an LL.M. in e-Business Law from Osgoode Hall Law School.
- She earned an M.B.A. in International Business from the University of Alberta.
- She was called to the bar in Alberta (1998), British Columbia (1999), Ontario (2001) and New York (2016).
- She was President of the Ontario Bar Association from 2018 to 2019 and served on the CBA Governance and Equity Committee and the CBA Finance Committee, which she chaired from 2022 to 2023.
- She was appointed Deputy Judge of the Superior Court of Justice - Small Claims Court division in 2022 and she chairs the Law Society of Ontario’s Access to Innovation Advisory Council, the province’s regulatory sandbox for innovation in the practice of law.
Related links
The Canadian Bar Association
CBA’s Board of Directors
About the Canadian Bar Association
The CBA is dedicated to support the rule of law and improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 40,000 lawyers, judges, notaries in Quebec, judges, law teachers and law students from across Canada are members.
For more information, contact:
Vanessa Racine
Manager, Media Relations and Public Affairs
613-237-2925 x153
vanessar@cba.org