Two alumnae ‘champions’ win LSUC awards

Photo courtesy of the Law Society of Upper Canada

2011 LSUC award recipients Cynthia Petersen, Law ‘89, and Fay Brunning, Law '87.

Two 1980s alumnae, both partners at Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP, were honoured by the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) on May 25. Cynthia Petersen, Law ‘89 (Artsci ‘86), was awarded a Law Society Medal while Fay Brunning, Law ‘87, received the Laura Legge Award. 

The Law Society Medal is given to outstanding lawyers in Ontario in recognition of exceptional service. In Petersen’s case, the award recognizes years of work promoting human rights and advancing the equality rights of the GLBT community. From her days as a law student at Queen’s, where she co-founded QFLAG (Queen’s Friends of Lesbians and Gays), to her groundbreaking work in the area of lesbian and gay rights -- in particular, court battles over same sex marriage -- Petersen has been dedicated to the cause. 

LSUC Treasurer Laurie H. Pawlitza says, “Petersen’s advocacy work has had a direct impact on the civil rights of thousands of Canadian families, and Canada is now an international leader in the legal recognition of equality based on sexual orientation.” 

Nominator Tamar Witelson, Law ‘99, adds, “Cynthia has made a contribution to Canadian society through her dedicated and effective efforts for equality. She has deservedly won the respect of many lawyers, both on the same and opposing sides of an issue, as well as the respect of the many adjudicators and judges before whom she has appeared.”

Petersen is thrilled with the award. She says, “Because it’s essentially my peers who have selected me, it’s that much more meaningful. The people who have been recognized are truly leaders of the bar, so it’s humbling to be included in this group.”

She also has high praise for Queen’s. “I got an exceptional legal education at Queen’s. People are often impressed I studied at Harvard as well, but Queen’s was every bit as good a law faculty as Harvard.”

Petersen has previously received the Canadian Bar Association’s Hero Award (2000) and the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto’s Hope and Freedom Award (2010).

She has represented clients in a number of landmark Charter cases, including Jane Doe v. Metropolitan Toronto Police, Little Sisters Bookstore v. Canada and Same Sex Marriage and Hislop v. Canada. As well, she has been serving as the LSUC’s Discrimination and Harassment Counsel since 2002. 

The Laura Legge Award is presented to a woman lawyer in Ontario who has exemplified leadership within the profession. The accomplishments of this year’s recipient, Fay Brunning, include championing the role of women lawyers by advocating for transparent partnership admission, parental leave policies and flexible work arrangements. 

LSUC Treasurer Laurie H. Pawlitza says, “Fay Brunning is highly esteemed within the legal profession as a champion for the advancement of women in private practice and as a mentor to younger women lawyers entering the profession.” 

Brunning co-chaired the 2010 Women’s Lawyer Symposium and has been a director of the Advocates’ Society Board of Directors and an Ottawa executive member of Women’s Law Association of Ontario. She represents her firm on the LSUC’s Retention of Women Working Group. As well, she has initiated and chairs a multidisciplinary group tackling the issue of the shortage of qualified child custody assessors, made necessary by complaints against assessors to the health professional regulatory colleges. 

One of those clients, Dr. Arthur Leonoff, who was also a Brunning nominator, says, “Fay is a remarkable lawyer; prepared, incisive, skilled and a true legal advocate. What I find particularly extraordinary is her profound dedication to legal reform.”

Such recognition touches Brunning deeply, she says. “The public and the profession and the administration of justice need lawyers to be genuinely engaged in our roles in democracy. I try to promote that by example. I’ve had wonderful mentors and colleagues along the way.  In my mind, leadership is a gift of trust from others, and in that light, I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition from the LSUC.”

Brunning, who served on the Queen’s Law Dean’s Council for six years, has another connection to her alma mater: She is married to Eric R. Williams, Law ‘72, whom she met in 1999 while arguing a case against him. 

Of her gratitude for her Queen’s experience, Brunning says, “Professionalism training started at a very personal level at Queen’s Law. That professionalism is often carried forward by Queen’s Law grads wherever we’ve scattered.  In my experience, Queen’s Law grads continue to act as glue/team people within firms and organizations and in the administration of justice.”