CCLA Trustee Election 2015

• Rosalind Conway
• Kristopher Dixon
• Mark Habib
• Allison Klymyshyn
• Edward (Ted) K. Mann
• Sean May
• Scott McAnsh
• Craig O'Brien
• Jeff Saikaley
• Lawrence Silber
• Warren WhiteKnight

Please Read: Important Voting Information

We are introducing online voting for this election. On Monday, February 2, 2015, eligible voters will receive an email containing a link to their online ballot. You can only vote once, and only though the link provided to you in the email. From there, you may select up to eight nominees. The sender for the email will be "electionsbuddy Election" and will indicate in the text of the email that it comes from the CCLA. Please check your spam or junk mail folders if you do not receive this in your inbox.

The results of the election will be announced in the third week of February. Pursuant to our by-laws, members will vote to elect this slate of candidates at our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, March 10, 2015.

If you have any questions about this election or the voting process, please email the CCLA at info@ccla-abcc.ca.

Voting Eligibility

The following member groups are considered to be voting members of the CCLA:

• Lawyers from any year of call, engaged in full time or part-time practice, who live and/or practice in Ottawa
• Lawyers not in practice but who live in Ottawa
• Honourary members of the CCLA who reside or practice in Ottawa

The following CCLA members are considered to be non-voting members and will not be receiving ballots for this election:

• Students – law, articling, or paralegal
• Paralegals
• Judges
• Lawyers not in practice who live outside of Ottawa 

Candidate Profiles

Rosalind Conway

This would be my fourth term. If re-elected, I will work hard to ensure that the collegiality of our bar is encouraged and that high-quality continuing legal education continues to be offered to our members.

Legal Aid reform has been crucial for the family and criminal bars: more realistic financial eligibility requirements were needed so that the working poor would qualify for certificates. Last year I worked with the CCLA to make a formal request to the Attorney General to change the financial eligibility criteria for certificates. No doubt we were one of many voices, but the criteria were changed and now more clients qualify for family and criminal law certificates.

As a trustee, a barrister with nearly 30 years of experience, and now a Deputy Judge of the Small Claims Court, I believe my background, insight and experience will benefit our Association.

Kris Dixon (2010 Call)

Last thing’s first: thank YOU for these past two years as a CCLA Trustee. It’s rewarding & engaging. I remain committed to 2 values requiring protection & promotion in our legal community: collegiality & diversity.

Collegiality in our bar has value beyond a warm smile or a referral. It’s a respectful, cooperative spirit tangibly affecting clients’ bottom lines – at no expense to advocacy. I wish to continue devoting myself to organizing quality, fun CLE & social events, like the 2014 Holiday Bash at Knox Church.

Diversity is a loaded term, but it relates to collegiality. The CCLA benefits from membership that reflects the legal & greater community. Embracing variance along practice areas, SES, culture, gender & sexual orientation is key to the CCLA’s continued vigor & longevity. As co-chair of the Membership Committee, I intend to continue pushing the development of a Diversity Committee, assist in developing new partnerships with other organizations, & contribute to inclusive programming. A CCLA that is relevant to Ottawa is relevant to its members.

Mark Habib

I am seeking your support for election as CCLA Trustee. With over 25 years of experience in both small and large firms and as a partner, associate, and sole practitioner, I believe that I am qualified to advance the interests of a wide constituency of the CCLA Membership. In my earlier years, I practiced exclusively in the areas of civil litigation and family law. With time and the development of a busy General Law practice, my focus is now primarily in the area of Real Estate and Commercial Law. I believe that my experience as both a barrister and solicitor provide me a unique background from which to speak to a wide range of issues that affect our membership. Our profession is under siege from every quarter. With your support, I hope to bring a voice of reason and practicality to the challenges facing all of us in the years ahead.

Allison Klymyshyn

I would like to thank the CCLA membership for electing me to my first term as CCLA trustee. Over the past year I have enjoyed chairing the CCLA Working Group on Alternative Business Structures and co-chairing the Membership Committee. I am seeking re-election for 2015.

Originally from Saskatchewan, my first career was in music. While studying piano performance at the Université de Montréal, an injury made a career change necessary. I returned to Saskatchewan to obtain my law degree and upon completion immediately moved to Ottawa with my young family. My entire career has been in Ottawa. I articled and practised at two local law firms and am now a partner at CavanaghLLP.

I love to sail (although my teenage son really needs to show me how it’s done). When it’s hot, if you can’t find me at work, look for me on my boat at the Nepean Sailing Club.

Edward (Ted) K. Mann

During my three years to date as Trustee, I have, as the sole solicitor on the Board, provided support and advice on issues specifically relevant to our solicitor members, including acting as liaison between the Board and the CCLA Real Estate Committee, and helping in the CDLPA initiative last year. I have also redrafted the CCLA operating By-Law, and continue to provide governance advice and assistance. I have participated in events designed to reach out to the legal community to foster and improve on the collegiality of our legal community, including the ever popular GCTC Lawyers’ Play, and continue to teach as an adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa Law School. I ask for your vote in order that I may continue to contribute my experience to the operations of the Board and to support the members of the CCLA.

Sean May

I was proud to be an active part of the CCLA in serving as a trustee for the 2014-2015 term. Many important issues affecting the local bar are being addressed including continuing legal education, articling, CCLA membership and strategic planning for the future of Ottawa’s legal community! It has been a pleasure to be a member of the current board and I hope to be able to continue working with the CCLA in the year ahead!

Looking to the future, many other issues including Courthouse security, and strengthening the voice of the Ottawa Bar at Queens Park will be critical to our path going forward. With your support, I hope to be a part of working on these issues. Je suis fier d’être member du conseil CCLA. J’apprécierai vote support dans la prochaine élection!

Scott McAnsh (2012 Call)

Scott McAnsh is a solo-practitioner with a practice that covers many aspects of municipal law including legislative drafting, quasi-criminal defence and litigation. Scott is also a part-time member of the Ontario Assessment Review Board, hearing matters pursuant to the Assessment Act and the Municipal Act, 2001. This experience brings a unique quasi-judicial perspective to the CCLA. Scott was called to the Alberta bar in 2009 and served as in-house counsel for the City of Edmonton until he moved to Ottawa in the summer of 2012. Scott has served on a number of Boards, including the national board of the Sierra Club Canada. If elected to the Board of Trustees, Scott will work to ensure that CPD offerings remain relevant, that the online presence of the CCLA continues to grow, and that the CCLA maintains its important place in the Ottawa legal community as the practice of law continues to evolve.

Craig O’Brien

I am seeking re-election to the CCLA Board for 2015. I have been a CCLA member since my articling year in 2006 and Trustee since 2011. Through my involvement in the CCLA, I have developed a great appreciation for the unique benefits that the CCLA provides to its members through education programs, the myriad networking opportunities it creates and, especially, its advocacy on behalf of the local bar. I have been involved in a number of CCLA committees, and plan on continuing to be actively involved in CCLA committees, functions, and events. In 2014, I was a member of the New Lawyers and Articling Students Planning Committee that organised a highly successful full day "Summit Conference” designed to address both substantive legal issues and to welcome the newest members of the CCLA to the local bar. In 2014 I was also a member of the Membership committee, and aim to continue to grow CCLA membership in the coming years. I will continue my involvemen t to assist newly called lawyers and paralegals in our region to access the resources and mentorship programs that they will need to become efficient and effective. I would be honoured to be re-elected to the CCLA Board.

My professional biography concerning my work as insurance defence and commercial litigation lawyer, with the law firm of Nelligan O'Brien Payne LLP, can be found at: http://www.nelligan.ca/e/craigobrien.cfm

Jeff Saikaley

Jeff G. Saikaley was called to the Ontario Bar in 2002 and practices general civil litigation at Caza Saikaley srl/LLP, a litigation boutique he co-founded in January, 2012. Jeff est un diplômé du programme de Common Law français de l’Université d’Ottawa et pratique couramment en français.

Jeff was proud to serve as a CCLA Trustee for a fourth term in 2014. He was and continues to serve as a member of the Member Services / Recruitment and Strategic Planning committees of the Board of the CCLA. Jeff is also honored to serve as the Co Vice-Chair of the Planning Committee for the CCLA Civil Litigation Conference (Trembello).

With your support, Jeff will continue to strengthen the membership base of the association, improve on member services (including services to our francophone members) and provide leadership on the key issues affecting the local Bar.

Lawrence Silber

I have served on the CCLA Solicitors Conference for several years, 3 as co-chair. I have also participated on many non-profit boards and have the governance experience necessary to act as a Trustee. I have connected with many Trustees who represent a broad range of hardworking individuals who have the best interest of the local bar and work extremely hard to ensure that we all enjoy an exceptional working environment. I believe that solicitors are and have been underrepresented on the Board of Trustees and as a solicitor, I am in a position to advocate for solicitors to ensure that their issues are heard and addressed in the overall context of the practice of law. I look forward to participating on the Board and appreciate your support to do so.

Warren WhiteKnight (2014 Call)

Planning for the big picture is one of Warren’s strengths. Warren came to law after a career in management and brings a nuts & bolts approach to leadership. Warren practices plaintiff’s personal injury with Bergeron Clifford and is also involved in the community as a board member of two not-for-profits.

During law school Warren received numerous prizes and scholarships placing in the top 10% of his class each year. As the director of Pro Bono Students Canada at Queen’s he developed the program’s first French language project. Warren also raced for the varsity cycling team and founded "All the Queen’s Men”, the school’s first barbershop a Capella group which is still going strong.

Warren is married to Holly, a naturopathic doctor, and she tries to keep him healthy despite his weakness for cider donuts. In his spare time Warren enjoys rock climbing, soccer, and camping with Holly and their kids.