Precedent Setter Awards

The cover of our 2023 Precedent Setter Awards issue

The cover of our 2023 Precedent Setter Awards issue.

The Precedent Setter Awards recognize Toronto lawyers who have shown excellence and leadership in their early years of practice.

Here you’ll find everything you need to know about the 2024 nomination process, including:

View the profiles of the most recent winners.

Awards Overview

About the Awards:

Precedent Magazine profiles the next generation of lawyers, features their experiences and engages them on the topics they care about. The Precedent Setter Awards recognize Toronto lawyers called to the bar in the last 10 years who have shown excellence and leadership in their practice and their community.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for an Award, a nominee must:

  • Be in their first 10 years of practice.
  • Have been called to the bar in Ontario between 2014 and 2023 (inclusive).
  • Currently practise law in Toronto.

Precedent seeks to recognize lawyers that reflect the diversity of the profession and strongly encourages nominations of lawyers from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Process and Criteria:

  • Letters of nomination must come from a member of the legal community who has worked closely with—and can speak to the qualities and achievements of—the nominee.
  • The deadline for nominations is October 25, 2023.
  • Further information about the nomination process can be found in the Nomination Package below.

Selection Process:

  • The panel of judges will be made up of lawyers who are leaders in their fields and representative of the diversity of the legal profession.
  • The panel will review each application that meets the eligibility criteria.
  • The decision of the panel is at its absolute discretion and is final. There is no right of appeal against any decision.
  • The number of awards might vary from year-to-year, depending on the number and nature of the nominations.
  • Winners will be notified in the winter and will be featured in the spring 2024 issue of Precedent Magazine.

Nomination Package

The Precedent Setter Awards recognize Toronto lawyers who have shown excellence and leadership in their early years of practice. Nominations are welcome from any member of the legal community who has worked closely with—and can speak to the qualities and achievements of—the nominee.

Nomination Letter:

In no more than two typed pages, tell us why you believe this individual is a true Precedent Setter. The nomination letter should provide specific examples of the nominee’s legal excellence and contributions to the community.

When outlining the nominee’s professional accomplishments, please describe legal work that can be disclosed to the public if the nominee is selected as a winner. Common examples include whether the individual handled a notable file or has become the trusted advisor to an important client. In each instance, make it clear whether the nominee led the legal work or supported a more senior lawyer who oversaw the file.

To illustrate the nominee’s leadership qualities, the nomination letter should provide specific examples along with context to help our judges understand the scale and scope of the individual’s contributions. The letter might describe how the nominee acted as a mentor or role model to other lawyers, advanced opportunities for equity-seeking groups, took on pro bono work or generally set the standard for fellow lawyers practising in Toronto.

Other materials:

The fine print:

  • Please do not include more than the required materials. Supplementary documentation will not be considered.
  • It is the responsibility of the nominator to ensure that nomination packages are complete.
  • Prior to making their submission, nominators must advise the nominee that their name is being put forward.
  • Please note that none of the application materials will be returned and remain strictly confidential, to be seen only by the Precedent Setter Awards judging panel.
  • All nomination packages must be submitted electronically.
  • Nominations must be received at Precedent no later than 5 p.m. on October 25, 2023.

Please submit your completed nomination package to:
editor@precedentmagazine.com.

For further information, please contact the editorial team at editor@precedentmagazine.com or (416) 929-4495.