Global InformationPaul Schabas information
The Honourable Paul Schabas | |
|---|---|
| 66th Treasurer of the Law Society | |
| In office 2016–2018 | |
| Preceded by | Janet E. Minor |
| Succeeded by | Malcolm M. Mercer |
Paul B. Schabas is a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.[1]
Prior to his appointment to the bench, he was senior litigation partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP in Toronto and was one of Canada's leading barristers. In addition to a busy commercial litigation practice, Paul acted for clients on arbitrations, white collar criminal and regulatory matters, constitutional, media and public law cases. For thirty years he represented Canada’s major media organizations on defamation, copyright, access to information and free expression matters. Paul was counsel on leading Charter and human rights cases, many before the Supreme Court of Canada. Paul is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. (citations needed)
In June 2018, Paul completed two years as the 66th Treasurer (President) of the Law Society of Ontario,[2] the regulator of the province’s 50,000 lawyers and 8,000 licensed paralegals.[3] Paul was only the second lawyer from Blakes to hold this distinguished position, the first being Edward Blake, the firm's founding partner, who was Treasurer from 1879 to 1893.[4] Prior to being elected Treasurer, Paul was a bencher of the Law Society, elected in 2007 and re-elected in 2011 and 2015. As a bencher, he served as chair of the Professional Regulation Committee, the Proceedings Authorization Committee, the Human Rights Monitoring Group, and the Access to Justice Committee. He was a member of the Equity and Indigenous Affairs, Tribunals and Finance Committees, and the Articling and Mentoring Task Forces. He also chaired numerous panels of the Law Society Tribunal, adjudicating professional conduct and licensing issues. (citations needed). As Treasurer and Bencher of the Law Society, Schabas advocated the controversial imposition on all Ontario lawyers of an obligation to expressly affirm a Statement of Principles on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion or be sanctioned by their regulator.[5][6][7]
An adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Schabas teaches a popular course on media law with Bert Bruser, a Blakes partner emeritus and counsel to the Toronto Star.[8] Schabas also served as Vice-Chair on the University Tribunal adjudicating academic offences. He previously taught trial practice at York University's Osgoode Hall Law School, and lectured at Trinity College, University of Toronto, where he taught an introductory course on law to undergraduates. He frequently speaks on a variety of legal matters at professional and academic gatherings in Canada, the United States and abroad. Schabas has published numerous articles, from scholarly peer-reviewed work to op-eds in major daily newspapers. His articles have been cited by the Supreme Court of Canada on several occasions. (citations needed)
Paul is a past Trustee and Chair of the Law Foundation of Ontario, and a former Chair of Pro Bono Law Ontario, of which he was a founding director. He is a Past President of the Canadian Media Lawyers Association and a current Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, The Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History, the Canadian Journalism Foundation, and Lawyers Rights Watch Canada. He is a former Director of the Advocates' Society, Family Service Toronto and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.(citations needed)
- ^ "Government of Canada announces judicial appointment in the province of Ontario".
- ^ Dead link (23 June 2016). "Paul B. Schabas elected Treasurer of the Law Society". Law Society of Ontario. Archived from the original on 28 June 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- ^ Dead link The Law Society of Upper Canada, List of Law Society Treasurers
- ^ "Paul B. Schabas elected Treasurer of the Law Society". Archived from the original on 2018-08-21.
- ^ Schabas, Paul (2017-11-21). "Law Society dedicated to countering systemic racism". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
- ^ Gallant, Jacques (November 7, 2017). "Part of Law Society's plan to address racism challenged in court" (PDF). Toronto Star.
- ^ Chiummiento, Joseph (September 7, 2023). "Selection of judges in Jordan Peterson case raises troubling issues". National Post.
- ^ Bad link. "Paul Schabas | University of Toronto Faculty of Law".