Loretta P. Merritt*

Awards & Recognition

Recipient of the Attorney General’s Victim Services Award of Distinction for 2021-2022

Recipient of the 2018 Ontario Trial Lawyers Association’s (O.T.L.A.) John A. McLeish Award

Loretta is recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada^© since 2013 for Personal Injury Litigation.

She has been recognized by her peers in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory as a leading lawyer in personal injury litigation. Lexpert is the leading lawyer rating service in Canada.

Loretta is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. The Litigation Counsel of America is an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society. An invitation is extended to less than one-half of 1% of all lawyers in North America. Fellows are selected after being evaluated on effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation and trial work, along with ethical reputation.

She has Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible Peer Review Rating: General Ethical Standards Rating V (very high), and Legal Abilities Rating A (very high to pre-eminent). For more information on Loretta’s Martindale-Hubbell rating, please click here.

Loretta is in Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers™ - exclusively for women lawyers who have received the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards from their peers.

In 2012, Loretta was presented with the Diamond Jubilee Medal, commemorating the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne, in recognition of her contributions to Canada in representing abuse survivors.

In 2013, Loretta was selected as a recipient of the Litigation Counsel of America’s inaugural Peter Perlman Service Award. The award recognizes LCA Fellows who have contributed in meaningful ways to society by giving their time and resources in an effort to improve the lives of others.

Loretta is also a recipient of the Gold Key Award for Service from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Memberships

• The Advocates' Society
• Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow
• Mensa Canada Society
• Ontario Bar Association
• Ontario Trial Lawyers Association
• Trial Law Institute, Diversity Law Institute and Barrister, Order of Juris

Community Involvement

• Panel Member, Ontario Independent Legal Advice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Pilot Program
• Panel Member, Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner ("OSIC") Legal Aid Program
• Co-Chair, Torkin Manes United Way Campaign
• Mentor for the Practice Advisory Service, The Law Society of Upper Canada
• Mentor for the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association
• Mentor for first year students at Osgoode Hall Law School
• Mentor for young lawyers - CBAO Lawyer to Lawyer Network
• Member of the Osgoode Hall Alumni Association Board of Directors and Chair of the Nominations Committee
• Member and VP of the York University Alumni Association, Board of Directors and Member of the Nomination Committee
• Child Abuse Survivor Monument Project – Steering Committee member
• Toronto Child Abuse Centre – member and volunteer for the Court Observation Project regarding child witnesses
• Counsel to the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness
• Occasional "Judge" for the Osgoode Hall Law School and University of the Toronto Law School Mooting Assignment
• Student Advisor for first-year law students and assistant to the Co-Chairman of the Orientation Committee, Osgoode Hall Law School
• Duty Counsellor and Caseworker at the Community and Legal Aid Services Program and the Latin American Community Centre
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada—Big Sister
• Reviewed Guides for #AndMeToo - the project supporting survivors of workplace sexual harassment, under the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic (BSCC), and funded by the Department of Justice

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Teaching Roles:

• Queen's University - Trial Advocacy (1997-2004)
• Bar Admission Course - Public Law and Professional Responsibility (1996-2004)
• University of Toronto, Scarborough - Legal Environment of Business, Part-time Professor (1987-1990)