A highlight of the President’s Dinner is always the announcement of award winners. This year the winners of the Walter Owen Book Prize and the President’s Award were celebrated at the dinner in Montreal.
Caitlin Pakosh, senior staff lawyer at Innocence Canada, received the Walter Own prize for The Lawyer’s Guide to the Forensic Sciences. The book, conceived and edited by Pakosh, contains contributions from 34 Canadian experts offering a comprehensive examination of issues specific to the legal system which affect forensic sciences in Canada today.
The book, published in 2016 by Irwin Law, was chosen by the Foundation for Legal Research from a long list of 17 books, and a short list of five, to receive the $10,000 prize.
The Walter Owen Book Prize is designed to recognize excellent legal writing and to reward outstanding new Canadian projects that enhance the quality of legal research in this country.
This year’s President’s Award went to Maureen Whelly Mills, who in 1974 became the first female lawyer to practise in Moncton, N.B. Whelly Mills was a mentor to former CBA President RenĂ© Basque when he was just starting out, and encouraged him to become an active CBA member.
Whelly Mills was president of the New Brunswick Branch in 1996-97m, and working from 1988 to 2012 helped to introduce land titles to the province.
“Her supportive and enthusiastic mentorship of her colleagues throughout the years has had a remarkable and enduring impact on countless professional lives and careers,” said Basque. “Our Association has benefited immensely from her dedication and service.”
The President’s Award recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to the legal profession; made a significant contribution to the CBA; or have made a noteworthy contribution to the public life of Canada.