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VANCOUVER – Ontario Ombudsman André Marin has been named the winner of the 2012 Canadian Bar Association (CBA) John Tait Award of Excellence. The award recognizes an outstanding Canadian public sector lawyer annually.

“André Marin’s unwavering commitment to public service, his advocacy skills and legal acumen distinguish him as an outstanding legal professional,” says CBA President Trinda L. Ernst, Q.C., of Kentville, N.S. “He has used his talents to effect real and sustained improvements in the lives of average citizens. He exemplifies the type of exceptional service and contribution which the John Tait Award was created to recognize.”

André Marin has effectively used his legal and advocacy skills as Ombudsman of Ontario to bring justice to some of the most vulnerable members of society, in cases where more traditional legal avenues – including the adversarial system – have been unsuccessful. 

“He has given the people of Ontario a voice and a second chance – from the medically fragile baby who requires the right kind of community and nursing support, to the new young mother with breast cancer who requires specific drug treatment, to the elderly grandparent who needs daily care in a nursing home,” said Sue Haslam, one of his nominators.

Called to the bar of Ontario in 1991, André Marin has been practising law for the past 21 years.  He was appointed Ontario’s sixth Ombudsman in 2005 and re-appointed for a second five-year term in June 2010.  During his legal career he has also served as an assistant crown attorney as well as Canada’s first military Ombudsman and as Director of Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit. In 2012, Mr. Marin received the Ontario Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award, recognizing his exceptional career achievements and contributions to the practice of law in Ontario. 

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Carleton University in 1985, and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Ottawa in 1989 with degrees in both common and civil law. 

The John Tait Award of Excellence will be presented by the CBA’s Public Sector Lawyers Forum at the John Tait Award Reception at the Vancouver Convention Centre, on Aug. 13 at 5:30 pm. The reception is held in conjunction with the CBA’s 2012 Canadian Legal Conference and Marketplace in Vancouver from August 11-14. The event is open to accredited media. Please contact Hannah Bernstein for accreditation.

The award was established in 1998 to honour, recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of public sector lawyers in Canada. The award honours the memory of John Tait, an outstanding lawyer, public servant and friend of the CBA who passed away in the summer of 1999.

The Canadian Bar Association is dedicated to support for the rule of law, and improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 37,000 lawyers, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.

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A photo of Mr. Marin is available here. 

MEDIA CONTACT/SOURCE :

Hannah Bernstein
CBA/ABC
August 10-14 août
Tel./Tél. : 613 912-0135
hannahb@cba.org