Upcoming Virtual Event: LSO Bencher Election Candidate Virtual Town Hall

Russell Alexander’s Family Law Now 🎙 LIVE presents a virtual event with Russell Alexander and fellow LSO Bencher Election Candidates.

LSO Bencher Election Candidate Virtual Town Hall

with Gavin MacKenzie, Steve Benmor, Angela Ogang, Atrisha Lewis, Edward Choi, Monica Santos & Russell Alexander

Wednesday, April 12th at 12 PM ET

Register Now

LSO Law Society of Ontario Accredited

This program has been accredited by the Law Society of Ontario and contains 35 minutes of professionalism content.

This one-hour panel discussion will be moderated by Russell Alexander and will feature several fellow 2023 Law Society of Ontario Bencher Election candidates.

The panelists will provide insights on the following:

1. What’s the role of the Bencher?

2. Who elects them?

3. The history of convocation at the LSO

4. What’s the role of non-lawyer benchers and how are they appointed?

5. Reflections on the Bencher experience

6. The Role of Students

7. Hot Topics for the 2023 Election

There will be a dedicated Q&A segment as part of the presentation. You can send your questions in advance upon registration or email shannon@russellalexander.com.

Registration is complimentary and all are welcom. Upon registration, you will receive an email via Zoom with your login details for the event.

*Please note that the views and opinions expressed by the panelists during the virtual town hall meeting are their own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Russell Alexander or our firm.

Register Now

For a full list of our upcoming webinars, visit us HERE.

Speakers

Russell Alexander
Founder & Senior Partner at Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers

Russell is the founder and Senior Partner at Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers. With twenty-five years of experience, he uses his knowledge and expertise to serve his clients in all aspects of family law and helps them in coping with the difficulties of separation and divorce, the division of assets such as homes and pensions, and the calculation and enforcement of child and spousal support. He uses his experience to create unique solutions for each client to enable them and their families to move forward and supports them through the transition of divorce and separation.

Gavin MacKenzie
Co-Founder, MacKenzie Barristers P.C.

Gavin MacKenzie is the co-founder of MacKenzie Barristers P.C. His litigation practice is focused on appeals and professional responsibility issues. He has appeared as counsel in over 200 reported cases before many tribunals and all levels of court including the Supreme Court of Canada. He is often retained as an expert witness on professional responsibility and litigation issues. Gavin was elected as a Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario four times and was elected as Treasurer on 3 occasions between 2006-2008. He is the author of Lawyers and Ethics: Professional Responsibility and Discipline. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor of Legal Ethics at Osgoode Hall Law School. Gavin is also a member arbitrator at Arbitration Place. In 2000 he was honoured by induction as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In 2010, Gavin was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree from the Law Society of Ontario in recognition of his contributions to the legal profession.

Steve Benmor
Principal Lawyer, Benmor Family Law Group

Steve Benmor is certified as a specialist in family law by the Law Society of Upper Canada. He graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Science, then from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor of Laws and then from York University with a Master of Laws (Family Law). He was an Adjunct Professor of family law at Osgoode Hall Law School, Chair of the Board of Access for Parents and Children of Ontario, Chair of the Family Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association, Founding Director and Treasurer of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Ontario Chapter and founding Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association. Mr. Benmor is the principal lawyer at Benmor Family Law Group.

Angela Ogang
Barrister & Solicitor, Notary Public, AngeLAW

Angela Ogang is a bilingual lawyer admitted to the Ontario and Kenyan bars. She holds a Certificate in English Law from the London School of Economics, an LL.B. in English and French Law from the University of Essex, a Diplôme d’études juridiques françaises from the University of Strasbourg, and an LL.M. in Commercial and Corporate Law from Queen Mary University. Angela practices in downtown Toronto at her firm, AngeLAW. Her areas of focus are Wills & Estates, Immigration, and Business law, and provides services in English and French. She is an OBA Council Member, a Member of the OBA Policy & Public Affairs Committee, and a member of the Executive of various OBA sections, including the Women Lawyers Forum. She is also a member of the Association des juristes d’expression française and sits on the organizing committee of the annual advocacy workshop. Angela volunteers regularly with Pro bono Ontario’s Free Legal Helpline, the Black Business Law Clinic, and her Rotary club.

Atrisha Lewis
Partner | Associée, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Atrisha Lewis is a Partner in McCarthy Tétrault’s Litigation Group in Toronto. She is a trial litigator and with a practice focused on commercial disputes, professional liability and product liability matters. Atrisha frequently provides advice relating to fraud and asset recovery after the discovery of a fraud including by attending at court to seek urgent tracing and freezing orders. Atrisha represents clients in the financial services and technology sectors. Atrisha has argued before all levels of Court. In 2019, Atrisha was elected as bencher of the Law Society of Ontario and is running again in the upcoming election. In her current role as Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario, Atrisha is the vice-chair of Audit and Finance and the Equity and Indigenous Affairs Committee.

Edward Choi
Associate Lawyer, Metcalfe, Blainey, & Burns LLP

Edward Choi graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of New Brunswick. After receiving his Juris Doctor (JD) degree, Edward completed his articling at Metcalfe, Blainey & Burns LLP and was Called to the Bar of Ontario in January 2017. Prior to practicing law, Edward held positions in the private, public, not-for-profit, and educational sectors. In addition to his JD degree, Edward also holds a LLM in Arbitration and Dispute Resolution from the University of Hong Kong, a LLB from Queen Mary, University of London, and a BBA (Honours Bachelor of Business Administration) from Wilfrid Laurier University. Edward is interested in a variety of areas of law, including civil litigation, dispute resolution, constitutional law, human rights, employment and labour law, landlord and tenant law, consumer protection, real estate, and Christian religious freedoms. Edward regularly appears at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and a number of administrative tribunals.

Monica Santos
President, Law Students’ Society of Ontario

Monica Santos is a 3rd year law student at York University, Osgoode Hall Law School. She received a BA from York University’s Bilingual campus, Glendon College, in Political Science with a certificate in Law and Social Thought. During her time in law school, Monica has pursued her passion of advocating for law students through her involvement as Vice-President Internal, and now, President of the Law Students’ Society of Ontario.