Printer friendly

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 2000

HALIFAX - The Canadian Bar Association has named the Honourable Lawrence A. Poitras, Q.C., of Montréal as the recipient of its national Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Law for the year 2000.

"During his legal career, Lawrence Poitras has worked to better our legal system by encouraging teamwork among judges, improving accessibility to courts by reducing delay, and recommending numerous ways of improving the justice system," says CBA President Eugene Meehan, Q.C., of Ottawa. "His commitment adds up to a remarkable lifetime contribution."

A journalist with the Montreal Star before becoming a barrister, Lawrence Poitras began his legal career in private practice with Duquet, MacKay, Weldon and Associates in 1957. He joined the firm of Laing Weldon Courtois & Associates in 1970. Named Queen's Counsel in 1973, he was appointed to the Quebec Superior Court two years later. He was one of the founding members and President of the Canadian Judges Conference, an association for federally-appointed judges dealing with judicial issues common across the country.

He served as Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court and was named Chief Justice in 1992. During his tenure as chief justice, he established teams to manage civil case loads, resulting in a ten-fold reduction in court waiting time in civil matters and improving accessibility for family court cases and custody hearings.

He served on the Royal Commission on the Donald Marshall, Jr. prosecution from 1986-1990. In 1996, he was appointed Chair and Chief Investigator of the Quebec Commission of Inquiry into the Sûreté du Quebec. Today, he heads the mediation and arbitration group at the Montreal office of national law firm Borden Ladner Gervais.

Mr. Poitras holds an honoris causa Doctorate in Civil Law from Bishop's University, the Université de Montréal Association des diplômés en droit Award of Merit, and the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution Award of Merit.

Mr. Poitras will receive his award at the CBA Awards Luncheon (12 noon) on Saturday, Aug. 19, at the Halifax World Trade & Convention Centre, Port Royal E, as part of the CBA's Annual Conference. The event is open to accredited journalists who have registered with the CBA Media Centre. Pool feed will be available.

The Hnatyshyn Award, established in 1993 by then-Governor General Ramon John Hnatyshyn, recognizes outstanding contributions to the law and legal scholarship in Canada. The Canadian Bar Association represents the legal profession on a national and international level. It is dedicated to improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 36,000 lawyers, notaries, law teachers and law students from across Canada are members.

- 30 -
CONTACT: Hannah Bernstein,, Aug. 19-23, CBA Media Centre, Halifax World Trade & Convention Centre, Mariner Suite 2 & 3, Port Royal Level, 1800 Argyle Street, Halifax (902) 491-4422.