Laurie H. Pawlitza*

Tel: 416 777 5192 Fax: 1 888 463 8132
*Legal services provided through Laurie H. Pawlitza Professional Corporation

Profile

Laurie is a partner in our Family Law Group, acting in disputes involving high incomes, significant property, and custody and access issues. Laurie is results-oriented, using her practical and creative skills to find the most appropriate resolution for each client’s specific needs. Laurie appears in courts at both the trial and appellate levels, and makes effective use of both mediation and arbitration for her clients.

Laurie is a frequent contributor to the National Post and writes a regular column on current family law issues. Links to her columns in the National Post can be found here

In addition to her column in the National Post, Laurie has been widely quoted in the Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, the Toronto Sun, Canadian Living Magazine, Law Times, The Lawyers Weekly, Canadian Lawyer and Precedent Magazine. She also speaks regularly on a wide variety of law-related and professional issues in far-flung places, such as Australia, Ireland, Scotland, India, and throughout Canada.

Between 2010 and 2012, Laurie was elected as the 63rd Treasurer (President) of the Law Society of Ontario, the regulator governing all lawyers and paralegals in Ontario. She was only the third woman since the founding of the Law Society in 1797 to hold this office. Throughout her time as an elected bencher (director) of the Law Society of Ontario (2003-2012), Laurie was engaged in specific projects affecting legal education in Canada, and in advancing women lawyers within the profession. For much of this time, Laurie co-chaired the Justicia Project, aimed at advancing women lawyers within the profession, a project that has now been adopted by a number of other provincial law societies.

In addition to being frequently listed in Best Lawyers and The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in the area of Family Law, Laurie was named in the “Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada” in 2012, and received an Honourary Doctorate from the Law Society of Ontario in the same year.

Most recently, Laurie co-founded The Minerva Group, an association of senior family law lawyers in Toronto who provide timely access to family law mediation, arbitration and litigation management services. Laurie brings an empathetic and innovative approach to conducting mediations, using foundational best practices for both mediation and arbitration, as developed by The Minerva Group. To book a mediation, arbitration or litigation management with Laurie, or to inquire further about her mediation or arbitration agreements, her rates and availability, please reach out to Michelle Fields.

Lexpert Ranked Lawyer 2023

 

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Awards & Recognition

  • Consistently recognized in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory - Family Law
  • Consistently recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada© - Family Law
  • Awarded the Zenith Award by Lexpert, recognizing women leaders in the legal profession (2013)
  • Named one of the "Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada" by Canadian Lawyer magazine (2012)
  • Awarded an Honourary Doctorate of Laws by The Law Society of Upper Canada (2012)   
  • The Women's Law Association's President's Award (2011)
  • Recognized by Women's Legal Education and Action Fund ("LEAF") as one of the "Women Who Make a Difference" (2010)
  • Honoured as a "Hero" by the Metropolitan Community Church, Toronto, for successfully litigating the first same sex adoption case in Canada (1995)
  • Past nominee of the "YWCA Women of Distinction Award" and the "Toronto Life Women Who Make a Difference Award" (1996-1997)

Memberships

  • Member, Editorial Board, Canadian Lawyer, 2021
  • Executive Committee Member for Canada Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (London, U.K) ( 2012 to date)
  • Law Society of Ontario, Treasurer Emeritus and Ex-Officio Member of Convocation (current)
  • Federation of Law Societies of Canada (FLSC), Ontario Council Member (2012 to 2016)
  • Chair, Canadian Common Law Degree Approval Committee (2012 to 2016)
  • Member, National Admission Standards Steering Committee (FLSC) (2013 to 2016)
  • Dean's Council, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan (2014 to date) 
  • The Law Society of Ontario, Treasurer (President), (regulator of all lawyers and paralegals in Ontario (2010-2012)
  • The Law Society of Ontario, Elected Bencher (director) 2003 to 2012
  • The Law Society of Ontario, Chair, Professional Development and Competence (2006-2010) 
  • The Law Society of Ontario, Co-Chair, Retention of Women in Private Practice (Justicia Project) (2005-2014)
  • The Law Society of Ontario, Vice-Chair, Government Relations (2005-2010)
  • Director, LawPRO, Board of Directors
  • Family Law Rules Committee, 2001-2007
  • The Lawyers Club, Trustee, 2000-2007
  • Ontario Bar Association - Family Law Section Executive, 1999-2003

Community Involvement

  • Adjunct Professor, Family Law Course, Queen’s University Faculty of Law, Winter 2022/2023
  • Member, Board of Trustees, Royal Ontario Museum, 2012-2014
  • Chair and Director, Casey House Foundation 1995 - 1999
  • Chair and Regional Council Member, YMCA, 1988-2002

Education

  • LL.B., University of Saskatchewan, 1983
  • B.A., University of Saskatchewan, 1980

Credentials

  • Called to the Ontario Bar, 1986