Category: Press Release

TORONTO, ONTARIO – The South Asian Bar Association of Toronto (SABA Toronto) congratulates one of its most important members, the Honourable Justice Russell G. Juriansz, on his retirement from the Ontario Court of Appeal. After first being appointed to the bench in 1998, his ground-breaking and historic career included, among many other accolades, becoming the first South Asian appointed to the Ontario Superior of Justice and the first racialized person appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal. Justice Juriansz was sworn out of office on August 30, 2021.

Justice Juriansz was called to the bar in 1974 and spent 24 years as a constitutional and human rights lawyer, appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada on several occasions. He and his wife Kaye Joachim worked tirelessly to protect human rights in Canada.

To commemorate and honour the career and achievements of Justice Juriansz and his wife, SABA Toronto is proud to announce the creation of the Juriansz and Joachim Award for Excellence in Human Rights. The award will recognize outstanding singular or cumulative contributions to the promotion and advancement of human rights as defined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and other human rights legislation in Canada. The award will be presented annually at SABA’s Gala and Awards night, and will foster donations to the endowments currently existing in Justice Juriansz’ name at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Speaking at his swearing-out ceremony on August 30, 2021, current SABA President, Devin Persaud, thanked Justice Juriansz for his innumerable contributions to the bar and his passion for improving the law and the legal process.  Notable SABA members have also offered the following heartfelt messages:

SABA Toronto extends a warm congratulations to Justice Mahmud Jamal for his nomination to the Supreme Court of Canada, which was announced earlier today. We are excited to see this historic nomination of a judge with South Asian heritage to the highest court in the country.

Justice Jamal has had a distinguished legal career. Immediately before his nomination to the Supreme Court, he served as a judge on the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Before his time on the bench, he practised with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in the fields of appellate litigation, constitutional and public law, class actions, and commercial litigation. He appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada in 35 appeals addressing a wide range of civil, constitutional, criminal, and regulatory issues. He also appeared before various provincial courts, the Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, and Tax Court of Canada, and federal and provincial administrative tribunals. He is bilingual.

We are proud to count Justice Jamal as a long-time supporter and member of SABA Toronto. Justice Jamal was a director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, The Advocates’ Society, and the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History. He was a member of the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute and a trustee of the Canadian Business Law Journal. He has taught constitutional law at McGill University, administrative law at Osgoode Hall Law School, and published widely in his areas of practice. He was also chair of Osler’s pro bono program and a member of its Partnership Board.

We wish Justice Jamal the best as he goes through the formal appointment process.

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SABA Toronto félicite chaleureusement le juge Mahmud Jamal pour sa nomination à la Cour suprême du Canada, qui a été annoncée plus tôt aujourd’hui. Nous sommes ravis de voir cette nomination historique d’un juge d’origine sud-asiatique à la plus haute cour du pays.

Le juge Jamal a une carrière juridique remarquable. Avant sa nomination à la Cour suprême, il a été juge à la Cour d’appel de l’Ontario. Avant de siéger à la Cour, il a exercé le droit au sein du cabinet Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP dans les domaines du droit constitutionnel et public, du droit des recours collectifs, du droit d’appel et du litige commercial. Il a plaidé devant la Cour suprême du Canada à 35 reprises dans des causes portant sur un large éventail de questions touchant au droit civil, constitutionnel, criminel et réglementaire. Il a également plaidé devant diverses cours provinciales, la Cour fédérale, la Cour d’appel fédérale, la Cour canadienne de l’impôt, ainsi que devant plusieurs tribunaux administratifs fédéraux et provinciaux. Le juge Jamal est bilingue.

Nous sommes fières de compter le juge Jamal parmi les partisans et membres de longue date de SABA Toronto. Il a également été administrateur de l’Association canadienne des libertés civiles, de La Société des plaideurs et de la Société Osgoode pour l’histoire juridique canadienne. Il a été membre de l’Institut de plaidoirie devant la Cour suprême et fiduciaire de la Revue canadienne du droit de commerce. Il a enseigné le droit constitutionnel à l’Université McGill, le droit administratif à la Faculté de droit Osgoode Hall et a publié de nombreux articles dans ses domaines de pratique. Il a également été président du programme de pro bono du cabinet Osler et membre de son conseil de partenariat.

Nous souhaitons bonne chance au juge Jamal dans le cadre de la procédure de nomination officielle.