Five Queen's Law Alumni Admitted to American College of Trial Lawyers

Photo courtesy of the American college of trial lawyers (Click to enlarge photo)

Queen's Law alumni David Stratas, J. Gregory Richards, Kent Thomson, Gerald Sadvari and Paul Steep were among the 20 Canadian and 71 American lawyers inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers during the association's spring meeting in Tucson, Arizona on March 8, 2008.

Five Queen's Law alumni became Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of North America's premier legal associations, on March 8, 2008. David Stratas, Law ‘84, J. Gregory Richards, Law ‘79, Gerald Sadvari, Law ‘76, Kent Thomson, Artsci ‘79, Law ‘82, and Paul Steep, Artsci ‘77, Law ‘80, were inducted into the College during the association's spring meeting in Tucson, Arizona. These five Queen's Law graduates are one-quarter of the Canadian lawyers admitted to the College in 2008 - a most distinguished achievement.

"It is considered a singular honour to be a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers," said Edward Greenspan of Greenspan Partners, a member of the College's Federal Criminal Procedure Committee. "Being a member is a recognition of one's reputation and competence as a trial lawyer by the members of the Bar." In being inducted into the College, Stratas, Richards, Sadvari, Thomson and Steep have shown that they are among the "very best advocates in Canada."

Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation, after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality.

David Stratas, Law ‘84

Stratas, a partner at Heenan Blaikie LLP in Toronto, is recognized as one of Canada's leading lawyers in administrative and public law (The Best Lawyers in Canada and Lexpert) and one of Ontario's top 40 litigators in any field (Chambers Global Guide). A sessional instructor of Advanced Constitutional Law at Queen's for 13 years, Stratas has won a record six Law Students' Society awards for excellence in teaching. In 2005, he received the H.R.S. Ryan Award for his significant contribution as an alumnus to the Faculty and legal profession. Stratas has been further involved with his alma mater, serving as the alumni representative on Dean Bill Flanagan's Strategic Planning Committee in 2005, and as a member of the Queen's Law at 50 Steering Committee and Co-Chair of the school's 50th anniversary fundraising activities in 2006-07.

"I did not expect it for many more years on a remote chance, and frankly, if ever," said Stratas. "But more of a surprise and of more delight was to see our law school taking so many of the positions. Wonderful!"

J. Gregory Richards, Law ‘79

Richards is a partner at WeirFoulds LLP in Toronto, who is recognized by the profession as a leading practitioner in corporate and commercial litigation (The Best Lawyers in Canada). He has also appeared in a number of significant public law cases, and has received Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating for professional excellence. Richards has been managing partner of WeirFoulds and head of the firm's litigation group. At Queen's Law, he has served on the Dean's Council since 2003, and he taught a Trial Advocacy course for three years as a sessional instructor, winning the Law Students' Society award for excellence in teaching in 1999. In recent months, he has been heavily involved in fundraising efforts for the Queen's Law renewable entrance scholarship.

"I am greatly honoured to have been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers," said Richards. "This is a dream come true for a litigator. To be inducted in the company of four other Queen's Law grads, each of whom I greatly respect, only heightens the significance for me."

Gerald Sadvari, Law ‘76

A partner in the litigation group at McCarthy Tétrault in Toronto, Sadvari is one of the most recommended family law lawyers in Ontario (Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory). Certified as a specialist in family law by the Law Society of Upper Canada, he has also received the highest ranking for professional excellence by Martindale-Hubbell. Sadvari is a member of the Law ‘76 class executive and led the fundraising efforts for his class during Queen's Law's fiftieth anniversary celebrations. He has returned to his alma mater numerous times as a guest lecturer in Family Law classes.

"It is always satisfying to have professional efforts recognised by your peers, but membership in the College means far more than that to me," said Sadvari. "It is an honour to be among the past and present courtroom giants of North America. I look forward to the fellowship and to learning from the very best."

Kent Thomson, Artsci ‘79, Law ‘82

Thomson, a senior partner and the head of the litigation group at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP in Toronto, is recognized as one of Canada's leading counsel in the areas of corporate and commercial, defamation, securities, class action and competition litigation by several directories. These include Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers, and The Best Lawyers in Canada. He has also been ranked repeatedly as one of the top 500 lawyers in Canada (Lexpert) and received Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating for professional excellence. A member of the Faculty's Advisory Council in 2001, Thomson was appointed to the Dean's Council in March 2008. At Queen's Law, he has also been a guest lecturer on competition and litigation topics.

"I am delighted to have been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers," said Thomson. "The other graduates of Queen's who were inducted this year are all highly accomplished and respected colleagues, and I am honoured to join the College with them."

Paul Steep, Artsci ‘77, Law ‘80

Steep is a partner in the litigation group at McCarthy Tétrault in Toronto who is recognized as a leading lawyer in the areas of dispute resolution (Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers) and corporate commercial litigation, class actions litigation, directors' and officers' liability litigation, securities litigation and medical negligence (Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory). He has recently served as a member of the firm's Board of Directors and chaired the litigation group for four years.

"It was a great honour to be inducted into the ACTL, and was even more rewarding to do so in the company of old friends from Queen's," said Steep.

 

About the American College of Trial Lawyers

The College strives to improve and elevate the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the trial profession. Qualified lawyers, who must have a minimum of fifteen years of trial experience, are called to Fellowship in the College from all branches of trial practice. They are carefully selected from among those who customarily represent plaintiffs or defendants in civil cases, as well as prosecutors and criminal defence lawyers. The College is thus able to speak with a balanced voice on important issues affecting the legal profession and the administration of justice.

Membership in the College cannot exceed one per cent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. Currently, there are over 5,700 members in the United States and Canada, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows and Honorary Fellows.

Twenty of the 91 Fellows admitted to the College this year were Canadian lawyers, with Queen's Law graduates representing one-quarter of the nation's inductees.

"This is a triumph for the Queen's University Law School!" said Dean Bill Flanagan.