Keeping-Tabs-Spring-2025

KEEPING TABS
The Advocates’ Society
SPRING 2025

CONTENTS
Be the one to send the postcard
FALL CONVENTION 2025
05
08
12
16
19
25
30
Chair Chat
Alexandra Shelley, Torys
An Imposter’s Journey
The Hon. Justice Fred Myers, Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Tips on Oral Advocacy for New Advocates
The Hon. Justice William Hourigan, Court of Appeal for Ontario
Courage
John Carlo Mastrangelo, Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Prioritizing Physical Health and Wellbeing:
Advice for Young Advocates
Chase Salembier, Rose LLP and
Bronwhyn Simmons, Alberta Energy Regulator
Finding Your Niche: Roundtable Discussion on
Developing or Finding a Specialized Practice
Tomislav Miloš, Milosevic & Associates and
Sara Romeih, Ross Nasseri LLP
Interview with Gray Morfopoulos,
McMillan LLP
Compiled by Michael Hodgins, MD Lawyers and
Folu Adesanya, Whitelaw Twining (Ontario) LLP
SAVE THE DATE: NOV 12/13-16, 2025 | WALDORF ASTORIA, COSTA RICA, PUNTA CACIQUE
REGISTRATION OPENS SOON | WWW.ADVOCATES.CA
Editor: Julie Mouris (she/her), Conway Baxter Wilson LLP/s.r.l.
Deputy Editor: Emily Dishart (she/her), McMillan LLP
Keeping Tabs Editorial Team: Folu Adesanya, Whitelaw Twining (Ontario) LLP, Michael Hodgins, MD Lawyers, Sydney McIvor, Durant Barristers,
Tomislav Milos, Milosevic & Associates, Oksana Romanov, Crown Attorney’s Office (Central West), Sara Romeih, Ross Nasseri LLP
The Young Advocates’ Standing Committee (“YASC”) is a standing committee of The Advocates’ Society with a mandate to be a voice for young advocates
(advocates who are ten years of call or fewer) within the Society and within the profession. We do this through networking/mentoring events, by
publishing articles by and for young advocates, and by raising issues of concern to young advocates as we work with the Society’s Board of Directors.
The opinions expressed by individual authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Advocates’ Society.
3

TAS Video Collections
TAS Video Collections is a library of professional development programs
that you can rent and watch from the TAS website. Members, sole
practitioners, government lawyers, and litigators at small firms can
also take advantage of discount pricing .
CHAIR CHAT
Chair Chat
Alexandra Shelley, Torys
Advocacy Hour
Our new Advocacy Hour series covers a wide range of specialized topics in litigation,
all in an hour or less. Click here to view the whole collection.
www.advocates.ca
Hello Young Advocates —
This is my final chair chat. It is a bittersweet
milestone — a phenomenon I experience often
as a mother of two young boys. While growth is
something to delight in, it also means bidding
farewell to some prior version of my reality.
And so readers, I write to bid farewell. I have
spent the last seven years involved in YASC. I
joined as a third-year lawyer in 2018 when Victoria
Creighton was chair. Notably, she was the
tenth chair of YASC but only the third female
chair of the standing committee that has been in
existence since 2009. During my time on YASC, a
lot has changed for both the committee and me.
Since 2018, half of our chairs have been female.
Our committee has also expanded to
reflect the national footprint of YASC. We have
over 20 representatives on YASC — a.k.a. “YAS-
Cals” — from regions outside Toronto, stretching
from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Vancouver,
British Columbia. We have also changed
our complement of working groups to include
groups such as Health & Wellness, Allyship and
Pro Bono. We rebranded our signature “Pub
Nights” to “Socials” to emphasize that the focus
is collegiality and not pints.
Personally, in that same time period I got married,
welcomed my first son in 2020 and my second in
2023. I went from being second, third or fourth
chair to running my own files. I went from being
a mentee to a mentor, and a CPD attendee to
a presenter. It really does happen fast! In each
stage of my career, I have found allies in YASC,
with whom I can celebrate and commiserate.
My time on YASC has undoubtedly enriched my
experience as a “young advocate.”
And as I age out of the title of “young advocate”,
I look around at today’s YASC events and
I am in awe of the energy, enthusiasm and
awareness of young advocates. You speak your
minds, have strong moral compasses and possess
a desire to better the practice of law for all
its participants. And my hope is that, when you
undoubtedly encounter some of the hardships
or triumphs of being a young advocate, you can
find community at YASC.
I am grateful to have been a small part of
YASC’s history, and I look forward to watching
it, and The Advocates’ Society, continue to grow
and evolve from the sidelines. And so, with that,
I pass the torch to my friend (courtesy of YASC)
Sean Petrou, your incoming Chair.
Best,
Alex
5

HEALTH & WELLNESS
An Imposter’s Journey
The Hon. Justice Fred Myers 1 ,
Ontario Superior Court of Justice
The Young Advocates Standing Committee’s Toronto Fireside Chat working group hosted a Fireside Chat
centred on mental health on March 18, 2025, prompted by the ripples sent across the legal ecosystem
by the 2024 publication of The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in The
Legal Profession. The rich and vulnerable discussion was moderated by a contributor to that text,
Yadesha Satheaswaran, and panelists included Justice Fred Myers (a fellow contributor), Professor
Benjamin Berger, and Jordana Bergman. In this article, Justice Myers graciously expands on the evening’s
discussion of his struggles with imposter syndrome and his route into a more fulfilling career in insolvency
litigation. His Honour offers actionable steps for young advocates wrestling with mental health struggles.
I suffered incredible stress in law school. I was
driven to three years of intensive studying every
single day. I spent sleepless weeks fearing exams.
Of course, once I started studying, I always
finished well before the schedule that I had
set. The task was always much more manageable
than I had feared in advance. The fear, the
sleepless nights, and the pressure drove me to
a work ethic that ultimately yielded success. But
it was not a happy, well-adjusted period in my
life. No one used the word “anxiety.” But, in retrospect,
“duh” does seem apt.
I then spent more than 25 years in two major
law firms. I was once again very fortunate that my
driven approach led to good outcomes and some
success. But the twin siblings Mr. Anxiety and Mr.
Depression were always hanging around. I lived
in fear of freezing and fear of discovery that my
successes were from hours not skill, from collaboration
with stronger colleagues, and much luck.
If you looked up “imposter syndrome” in Blacks,
you would have found my picture (with somewhat
more hair up top).
Although I had professional successes, I was
rarely happy, contented, or satisfied. Thankfully,
I had wonderful colleagues who took my
good with my bad. But in 25 plus years, I do not
recall even one discussion about mental health
or whether any of us was happy with our lives.
My awareness of my own anxiety emerged later
in life in therapy brought about when one of
my teenage children faced his own challenges. It
was only then that I was able to give a name to
my relentlessly critical inner voice and seek help.
So, what tips can I offer to young lawyers?
First, mental health affects everyone; some
more than others. Just as we manage our physical
health, we can take responsibility to manage
our mental health. If you had a chronic disease,
like diabetes, you wouldn’t feel ashamed and
then try to hide it. You would go to health professionals
to get help. You would participate in
8 9

treatment. You would ask your firm/employer
to support your efforts as needed. You might need
special dietary options. You might need to leave a
meeting at a set time to take a shot or a pill. You
might need some extra downtime now and again.
Like most physical conditions, mental health
does not have to be a secret or a career-ender. 2
I strongly support openness and an end to the
stigma of shame surrounding mental health
and mental illness. I urge you to follow Canadian
sportscaster Michael Landsberg and figure
skating champion Elizabeth Manley who are
leading the charge to end the cultural shame
associated with mental health.
But we are not celebrities. We are, in the main,
employees and partners who are subject to the
supervision and professional control of others.
We have careers to manage. We have to be careful
to protect and nourish our work relationships.
In seeking help, by all means, disclose to your
firm as needed. Perhaps start with your most
trusted colleague or mentor. You might discuss
who in management can be best approached to
meet your needs. Who will be empathetic and
empowered to provide you with the assistance
you may desire? You do not need to send a memo
to the firm broadcasting demands. Instead, if you
own your journey, you can tell someone about
it and explain the types of support you seek to
help you do your job better and to be happier.
The firm has a big investment in you. They
want you to do your job better and to be contented
while learning your craft (and billing
hours). In seeking accommodations, you are
not asking the firm to bend to your will or imposing
your human rights on them. You are
asking for help in a project that you are undertaking
to help you be a better employee and
lawyer. You may find a world of difference in
the firm’s response if, instead of demanding
that the firm owes you a mental health day,
you ask for a day to support your regimen of
mindfulness, rest, and exercise recommended
by your therapist to help you through a rough
patch. In the former, you set yourself up as
adverse to the firm. They must accommodate
and they must fix your mental health. In the
latter, you own it. You prioritize your health.
You have a plan. You are asking for support to
help you fulfil mutual goals with the firm.
I found it helpful too to set realistic goals. Just
like studying for exams never took as long as I
feared, daunting legal tasks, once started, are
usually readily completed. While the overall burden
of one’s caseload may be frightening and
stressful, actually starting on each individualized
task shows that it too is manageable. I found that
setting a doable goal – like setting aside time to sit
down and finish that big affidavit next Tuesday –
was very helpful. And as each task got done, the
fear and stress of the overall burden eased.
Being miserable is not the natural state of
humankind or the inevitable result of being a
young lawyer. Yes, we all pay our dues as we
learn our craft. But making choices to protect
our health, physical and mental, are fundamental
requirements to make the journey more
pleasurable and worthwhile.
I got very lucky and met some lawyers whom I
really liked when I was very junior. I focused on
insolvency litigation to work with them because
it was more fun for me. No one ever goes to
law school planning to be a bankruptcy lawyer.
Choices can present themselves. Sometimes
you have to be a bit lucky. Sometimes you have
to consider taking a risk. I changed firms at age
44. Now that was scary. I wish I had known along
the way that I could have gotten help to make it
all a little more manageable. I wish I could have
done more to avoid the horrible stretches when
stress became overwhelming.
I am hopeful that we are nearly through the
period in which young lawyers, especially litigators,
are taught to be strong warriors who cannot
show weakness. It is strength to own and
take charge of your journey through the law. I
hope yours is greatly rewarding and fun.
Notes
1. Justice Myers is a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
The views expressed in this article are his own. They do not
represent the views of the court, its executive, or anyone else.
In addition, Justice Myers is quick to point out that in recounting
his own experiences, he has no expertise in the mental health
field. Anyone suffering mental health challenges should seek
out professional assistance as soon as they can.
2. The proof is in the vignettes of challenges faced by many
successful lawyers in the excellent book The Right Not to
Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in The Legal
Profession, Beattie, Beth, Dagher, Carole, and Telfer, Thomas
G. W., editors. North York, Ontario: LexisNexis; 2024.
10 11

ADVOCACY
Tips on Oral Advocacy for
New Advocates
The Hon. Justice William Hourigan,
Court of Appeal for Ontario
Introduction
This is the second of a two-article series for new advocates. In my last article, I provided a step-bystep
guide on preparing a factum. This second article will review several oral advocacy tips that I
have compiled over my 16 years on the bench. Hopefully, these tips will assist you in avoiding bad
advocacy habits and make you feel more confident during your first court appearances.
Learn Through Experience
Any good litigator will tell you that lawyers develop
advocacy skills through practice. Courtroom
experience, whether positive or negative,
hones your forensic advocacy skills. Indeed, I
would argue that we learn more from our challenging
days in court than from our successful
ones. But what if you can’t get into court? At
many firms, new advocates have limited opportunities
to get on their feet. If you find yourself in
that situation, you should be creative in gaining
experience. Look for pro bono opportunities for
advocacy, whether before a court or tribunal.
Sign up for any moot or trial advocacy programs
offered. If all else fails, spend time observing arguments
in court. Take an afternoon and watch
from the back of the courtroom. I would recommend
observing a busy motion day. You can observe
multiple cases from start to finish and be
exposed to various advocacy styles. When I sat
as a trial judge in Milton, Ontario, we held mo-
tion days two or three times a week. Each day,
we routinely dealt with 30 or more cases. Go to
court and carefully watch both the best and the
worst advocates. Think about what worked and
what didn’t. Consider what you can adapt and
implement in your own advocacy style.
Oral Argument
I will offer some brief tips to keep in mind when
preparing your submissions. Before doing so, I
present the following scenario, which I always
share with students when lecturing on advocacy.
Imagine waking up in a strange room and finding
yourself locked in with no way out. You discover
a ticking time bomb in the room, and its clock indicates
that it will detonate in 10 minutes. Fortunately,
you also find a working landline. You call
911, and the police inform you that they are located
20 minutes away but can connect you with
a leading bomb defusal expert. In speaking with
that expert, what kind of communication style
12 13

would you want her to use? Would you prefer
that she employ numerous technical terms you
can’t comprehend? Would you want her to share
extraneous information about the bomb, such
as where it was manufactured and who has used
it in the past? Would you want her to make a concerted
effort to demonstrate her intelligence?
The answer to these questions is obviously no.
Keep that scenario in mind as you prepare to
make oral submissions. You want to provide
the judge with only the information they need
in the clearest terms possible to make a decision.
Brevity and clarity must be your guiding
principles. Make your points; don’t belabour
them. Help the judge to defuse the legal bomb.
With that broad advice, I present the following
tips, some of which may seem obvious:
• Prepare: Even if the file cannot justify the
additional cost of preparation, take the time
to prepare adequately. Record your time
fully but bill the client fairly. Discuss with
the lawyer managing the file regarding writing
off some of your preparation for training
if necessary. Never enter a courtroom
without knowing your case. You owe that to
yourself and your client.
• Make notes: Prepare written submissions
and rehearse them. Avoid merely reading
your factum, as the judge has already reviewed
it. If you are just repeating what
you have previously submitted in writing,
your appearance will serve no purpose.
You might discover that once your appearance
concludes, you relied minimally
on your notes. This is expected, but the
process of preparing the notes enhances
your understanding of your argument and
boosts your confidence.
• Slow down: During your first court appearances,
you will probably be a little nervous
and you will have a lot to say. Those
factors may cause you to speak too quickly,
and that makes it hard for the judge to
take notes. In advance of any appearance,
do a dry run with one of your colleagues.
That will help you develop the right cadence.
As a general rule of thumb, read
your notes the same way you would read a
poem. Pause after every three or four lines
and when you do, look at the judge to see
if they are taking notes. Avoid speaking in
run-on sentences and try to keep your sentences
reasonably short.
• Help the judge track your arguments: At
the beginning of your submissions, inform
the judge about the points you will discuss.
This approach makes it easier for the
judge to follow your line of reasoning and
take notes. Don’t hesitate to periodically
remind the judge of your current position
in the argument; “Your Honour, that is my
stance on issue 1, and now I will move to
issue 2, which you will recall is...”
• Anticipate questions: You are likely to
get questions from the bench. You will be
more effective if you prepare for them in
advance rather than being forced to think
on your feet. As a lawyer, I put questions
and answers behind the last tab in my
submissions binder. When a question was
asked from the bench, I would flip to that
tab, and usually, I would find my answer
without having to think on the spot.
• Answer questions: When a judge asks a
question, it’s usually because they have
a concern. This may be a critical issue
for them. Never evade the question or
delay your response, even if it disrupts
your rhythm or order of presentation. By
avoiding a question, you imply that you
either lack a solid answer or are not interested
in helping the judge reach an accurate
decision. It’s best to provide your
bottom-line answer before elaborating.
Starting your response with “yes” or “no”
makes it easier to follow.
• Stay still: When lawyers move about
when arguing in court, they distract the
court from the content of their submissions.
Their comments also may not
be picked up by the courtroom microphones.
Similarly, excessive hand gestures
are also distracting. I recommend
that new lawyers place their notes on
the rostrum and grip both sides of the
lectern.
• Be reasonable: In my experience, the
winning lawyer is not always the smartest
or even the one with the better argument.
Often, it is the most reasonable
lawyer in the courtroom who wins.
Judges are reluctant to make controversial
decisions. So, if a lawyer suggests a
reasonable and sensible result, that will
usually hold some sway with the judge.
Common sense goes a long way.
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14 15

Summer Trial
Advocacy
College
Thursday, June 12 and
Friday, June 13, 2025
9:00 am - 4:30 pm
The Advocates’ Society,
2700-250 Yonge St., Toronto ON
Master the art of civil trial advocacy at our
popular intensive two-day workshop. This
hands-on program will test and refine your
skills in case analysis, opening and closing
statements, examination-in-chief and crossexamination.
Limited spaces available!
The workshop is your chance to practise and
refine your trial advocacy skills in a supportive
environment. You will get practical, individualized
feedback from our trained instructors. You will
also learn from your peers as you work through
the interactive exercises in small groups. Please
also note that the workshop requires advance
preparation based on a mock case file, which will
be provided to you in advance of the workshop.
To learn more visit www.advocates.ca
• Protect your reputation with the bench:
On my first day as a judge, I joined my colleagues
for lunch. They asked me about
my day. I began to explain the issues in
the case I was hearing. But they showed
no interest in what I had to say. Instead,
they were only keen to know which lawyers
appeared before me. When I shared
their names, they provided detailed
opinions on whether those lawyers could
be trusted. Two points are worth emphasizing.
First, judges, like lawyers, dislike
being embarrassed. If they rely on a lawyer’s
submission and later discover it was
false, they will feel humiliated and never
forget it. That lawyer will not be trusted
again. Second, most judges are inveterate
gossips, and their favourite topic of
conversation is the lawyers who appear
before them. Therefore, when you mislead
a judge, all of their colleagues will
learn not to trust you.
• Protect your reputation with the bar:
In the heat of an argument, we sometimes
say things that we may later regret.
Part of being a professional is recognizing
that opposing counsel is doing
their job just as you are doing yours.
Unnecessary aggression in your submissions
will earn you a reputation of being
a difficult counsel.
• Understand that losing is part of the
process: You are going to lose cases. To
quote Sonny Corleone, “It’s not personal,
it’s strictly business.” Some cases are
simply unwinnable. In other instances,
upon reflection, you might conclude that
you could have approached the case differently.
Don’t let losses affect your confidence,
and don’t take them personally.
Take the lessons you can from a loss and
do your best on the next case. Lawyers
are much more than their running win/
loss tally.
• Things to avoid: Every judge has their
own idiosyncratic pet peeves. Here are a
few of my own.
• Don’t begin a submission with “With respect,
Your Honour.” You might think it
sounds diplomatic and tactful. However,
what the judge hears is something
like: “You aren’t very bright, so let me
explain this to you slowly…”
• Never ask, “Have you had a chance to
read the materials, Your Honour?”
• Don’t be familiar. Remember that you
are in a courtroom, and familiarity indicates
a lack of respect for the court.
• Remember, you’re not funny. Only the
judge is funny in a courtroom.
• Never be late.
• Never speak over the judge.
• Never direct comments to counsel; all remarks
should be addressed to the judge.
• Avoid saying, “I think.” A court is only
interested in what an expert witness
thinks, not what counsel thinks. Remember,
you make submissions; you
don’t offer your opinion.
Conclusion
I know that when you start your career as
a litigator, it often feels like you’ve walked
into a theatre in the middle of a showing.
Everyone around you seems to know what’s
happening, and you’re struggling to catch
up. But trust me when I say that over time,
you begin to feel more comfortable. You’ll
start to notice similar situations repeating,
and you won’t feel like you’re beginning
from scratch with each case. Slowly but
surely, you’ll develop your own litigation
style. And remember one important point:
the legal profession has a tradition of quality
training and mentorship. The lawyers you
admire benefitted from mentoring early in
their careers and are usually eager to share
the benefits of their experience. Don’t hesitate
to take them up on their willingness to
help you.
17

ADVOCACY
Courage
John Carlo Mastrangelo,
Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
The best advocates rarely seek out comfort. The nature of their work—from navigating high-stakes,
bet-the-company disputes to defending the rights of the most vulnerable accused—seldom allows
for it. They are called upon when the pressure is highest, the scrutiny greatest, and the margin of
error smallest. And they remain human through it all.
For most, courage isn’t innate. It’s a learned skill, honed over years of quiet discipline—managing
difficult clients, trying and losing hard cases, taking risks that sometimes don’t pay off, standing
firm in the face of skepticism, and acknowledging one’s limits. It’s built into these mundane tasks
most instinctively try to avoid.
Still only in my seventh year of practice, I don’t claim to be a great advocate—not yet, and maybe
not ever. I haven’t been called upon to lead a multi-billion-dollar trial, or a groundbreaking
constitutional challenge, or the exoneration of
a wrongfully convicted person. But I’ve been
fortunate to watch courage up-close at the
highest level, and try it myself in smaller, less
celebrated moments.
So how does a young lawyer begin to practise
courage? I’ve found (mostly by error) that
the best place to start is the mundane stressors
of lawyering—the conversations we avoid
and emails we don’t want to send. Tell the client
immediately about the case you lost, no matter
how badly you think they might react. Schedule
the call with that difficult lawyer opposite you.
Acknowledge and correct that mistake. Defend
your views, opinions, and decisions when they
are being unfairly criticized.
These aren’t headline moments in anyone’s career.
They are the things we all want to kick down
our to-do list in favour of something more urgent,
or simply less unpleasant. Resist that. Lawyers who
learn to meet these minor discomforts will build a
tolerance for bigger discomforts. They will sooner
develop the trust, judgement, and confidence to
counsel clients in their most difficult moments.
There is also great value in saying yes to that
case no one wants. The one with bad facts, bad
documents, bad law, and sometimes all three. The
one that many of your colleagues had already politely
declined. For many associates, anonymity is
an option that some take. Again, resist that. Only
by putting your hand up will you experience the
kind of challenging work that lays the foundation
of a successful career.
It won’t be easy. You’ll lose cases—perhaps a
lot—but lose well, with skill and integrity. You’ll
eventually win a few along the way. Soon, your
colleagues and peers will take notice. Judges will
begin to listen to you carefully. Clients will ask for
you by name. And, ironically, you’ll find yourself
taking on work that puts you even farther outside
your comfort zone and tests your limits as
an advocate in ways you didn’t expect.
But like anything worth doing, you’ll find
meaning, purpose, and satisfaction in that
work. That’s why we chose this profession. So,
embrace the discomfort, send that email, return
that call, deliver that argument, and treat
every challenge overcome—no matter how big
or small, and no matter the result of the case—
as a win worth celebrating.
18 19

HEALTH & WELLNESS
Relax and recharge at Toronto’s prestigious members club, just steps from the Court of Appeal
www.universitycluboftoronto.com
Prioritizing Physical
Health and Wellbeing:
Advice for Young Advocates
Chase Salembier, Rose LLP and
Bronwhyn Simmons, Alberta Energy Regulator
The profession of law is often all-consuming. For many of us, the early years of a legal career are
particularly challenging because young lawyers are tasked with learning how to effectively practice
while also navigating the challenges of client and colleague expectations, billable hours, firm
events, ongoing legal education, and many other demands. It is all too easy for lawyers, especially
those beginning their careers, to prioritize work at the expense of their wellbeing. While it can feel
impracticable to prioritize physical health n the face of the work demands, it remains important to
find ways to stay active and eat healthily to ensure your wellbeing and prevent burnout.
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Below, we have provided practical tips for
maintaining your physical health and integrating
wellness activities into your daily life
with minimal disruption to your legal practice.
If you are a junior (or any vintage) lawyer finding
it difficult to prioritize your physical health
and wellbeing, try starting with these fundamental
areas.
Find Time for Physical Activity
While the benefits of physical activity are
widely recognized, one of the biggest challenges
lawyers face is finding time to engage
in regular physical activity. Not only are lawyers
required to spend a significant time in
the office, they are also often expected to always
be responsive.
However, staying active does not require
prolonged and strenuous activity — any activity
helps in leading a healthy life and can often
be done at or nearby the office. Prioritize
short bouts of activity during the week, such
as going for a walk nearby during a break in
your work commitments. In fact, you may not
need to leave the office at all, as walking pads
(under-desk treadmills) can be used to fit
more movement into the day from the comfort
of your office.
Consider joining a gym in or near your office.
Engaging in exercise earlier in the morning
can often be an effective way to stay active,
as it may be more difficult to effectively
block off time during the day or to motivate
yourself to work out after a long workday.
Finding time during the weekend to engage in
physical activity you enjoy is an effective way
to stay regularly active without disruption to
your work week.
Prioritize Quality Sleep
It can be challenging to prioritize sleep in a
profession which is often rife with long nights
and early commitments. Good sleep is crucial
to physical health and mental wellbeing. It is
also important for the cognitive function required
to function effectively in practice.
Wherever possible, implement a consistent
sleep schedule which allows for sufficient
sleep (generally, at least 7 hours) to optimize
sleep on nights which do not require late
work commitments. Avoid “revenge bedtime
procrastination” or the delay of sleep in order
to spend more time on leisure activities.
This can exacerbate sleep issues, leading to
greater fatigue, reduced cognitive function
and other health issues.
Limiting exposure to screens at least 30-60
minutes before bed is important because the
blue light emitted by screens decreases feelings
of sleepiness and may also disrupt important
sleep patterns. Similarly, also avoid
stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine at least
6-8 hours before bedtime.
Skip Eating Out and Prioritize Balanced Meals
During busy times at work it is tempting to
forego cooking entirely and to purchase meals
instead. One of the best ways to avoid constantly
eating out is to meal plan for the week
ahead on the weekend, and to prioritize getting
groceries even if it means ordering them
by delivery.
Prioritize eating balanced meals containing
protein (such as chicken, fish, eggs, tofu,
lentils, beans, Greek yogurt) in order to support
muscles and keep you full; vegetables
and leafy greens to provide vitamins, minerals,
fiber and antioxidants; whole grains or
complex carbs (such as brown rice, quinoa,
oats, sweet potatoes) to provide energy and
fiber, and; healthy fats (such as avocado,
nuts and seeds) to support brain function
and satiety.
Prioritizing your wellbeing doesn’t have to
mean revolutionizing your lifestyle. Try incorporating
one or more of these small, actionable
tips at a pace that works for you, and give
yourself grace as you do!
TAS Video Collections
TAS Video Collections is a library of professional development programs
that you can rent and watch from the TAS website. Members, sole
practitioners, government lawyers, and litigators at small firms can
also take advantage of discount pricing .
Highlights from Family and Estates Law
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22 23

PRACTICE
Finding Your Niche:
Roundtable Discussion on
Developing or Finding a
Specialized Practice
Tomislav Miloš, Milosevic & Associates and
Sara Romeih, Ross Nasseri LLP
Friends Who Argue - A TAS podcast jointly hosted by our
Choosing a specialization—or deciding when to make a career pivot—is an exciting step in a young
Young Advocates and Mid-Career Advocates. Friends Who
lawyer’s career.
Argue features intimate conversations with advocates from
In this roundtable discussion, three accomplished lawyers from diverse practice areas share
across Canada, who will share stories from their journeys as
their experiences transitioning into their niche areas of practice. They explain how they pursued
advocates. As litigators, we live in an adversarial world but we
their passions, overcame obstacles, and got their footing in their respective fields, offering a roadmap
for aspiring lawyers contemplating a leap into a specialized area of practice.
all have one thing in common - we are officers of the court who
are passionate about the profession of law and advocating for
our clients. We hope you find these conversations informative,
inspiring and most of all, entertaining. Now available on Apple
iTunes and Spotify . 25

What is your practice area?
ES: I specialize in sports law and employment
law. I represent professional and amateur athletes,
coaches, officials, sports organizations,
and sports governance and advisory companies.
What do you love about the work that you
are doing now?
ES: I love helping clients achieve their goals in a highstakes,
high-performance industry. Both sports
and employment law involve complex, dynamic, yet
very human, issues, making my work both exciting
and diverse. I’m often called upon when my clients’
sports careers may hang in the balance, or at a time
when their organization faces a crossroads.
How did you learn about this practice area?
ES: I always knew I wanted to be a sports lawyer.
Within days of starting law school at Osgoode Hall,
I was meeting with luminaries like David Zitzerman
at Goodmans LLP, long-time (now deceased) hockey
agent/legend Don Baizley of Thomson Dorfman Sweatman
LLP and Don Meehan of Newport Sports. I owe a
lot to these and many other professionals – Jim Bunting
and Paul Greene also come to mind – who took the time
to mentor me along the way. I try to pay that mentorship
forward in my own practice.
What were your areas of practice before transitioning
into sports law?
ES: Early in my career I transitioned from a solicitor practice
at one of the seven sister firms to work at a very small commercial
litigation boutique. That got me comfortable with being
uncomfortable. As a commercial litigator, I got exposure
to a ton of different areas of law including sports and employment
law from the earliest stages of my career.
How did you familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of your
new practice area?
ES: Early on, I put a heavy emphasis on reading everything I could find
and then quickly started putting out my own content. I started writing
about the legal aspects of the business of sport while I was in law school
and then I started blogging about the business and legal side of sports
in my first year of practice. I also attended all the networking events that I
could find and continued to reach out to experts in the field just to pick their
brains. Having genuine curiosity goes a long way.
What resources were most helpful in learning the ropes?
ES: Professional development programs focused on topics like sports and entertainment were
great for building basic knowledge. I took the Osgoode advanced certificate in entertainment law
which was a good way to meet other lawyers doing cool work.
Very early on in my career, I put myself on the pro bono list of the Sports Dispute Resolution
Centre of Canada and made myself available to help athletes and coaches in arbitrations for free.
What advice would you give to someone looking to practise sports law without an established
network?
ES: You need to be self-directed, determined and deliberate about immersing yourself in the industry
through attending events, contributing to publications, and engaging with other professionals
in the field.
Some practice areas are so prevalent that you can join a large firm and rest assured that
you’ll have that sort of practice without building it yourself; I call it getting on the escalator.
That is not the case in any niche area, be it sports or any other. There is no
escalator, and you have to carve your own path and build the practice from the
ground up.
What’s the single most important action someone can take to switch
practice areas successfully?
ES: Sticking to your plan and building credibility is the best way to make
a successful switch. It’s easy to get stuck doing what’s comfortable or
to get discouraged when you don’t see immediate results.
Building a new practice is all about momentum. It starts slowly, but
through consistent, daily effort, the rate of growth increases exponentially.
Eventually, your practice will hit a point where you suddenly
realize that you have made it. For me, it was around my
seventh year of practice when I could really start to look at myself
in the mirror and say, “I’m a sports lawyer” as opposed to
“I’m a lawyer with some sports files.”
Looking back, is there anything you would have
done differently during the transition?
ES: Like so many lawyers, I’ve struggled with imposter syndrome
and have been afraid to take risks. It’s a tough thing
to overcome, but I wish I’d been more daring, put myself
out there earlier in my career and had said “yes” to opportunities,
even if I doubted my skills. Saying “yes” and
taking risks is the only way to grow your skill set and
your practice. Early in my career, I probably scared myself
into saying “no” too often. If I hadn’t done that, who
knows where I’d be today. Don’t be me; push yourself
as much as you possibly can. Good luck!
26 27

What do you love about the work that
you are doing now?
AK: I really enjoy working with our clients to
find creative solutions to the issues they are
facing in their practices. I work with many
different types of regulated and health professionals,
healthcare providers, and health
organizations and associations. Although
it’s a niche area, the work within it is varied,
which makes every day interesting.
How did you learn about this practice area?
AK: I always knew that I wanted to work in
health law, but prior to law school, I didn’t appreciate
the many different areas and roles
“health law” could encompass. It wasn’t until
I started talking to health lawyers as a law
student that I began to understand the many
practice settings that fit under the “health law”
umbrella. Speaking to different lawyers that
practiced health law in various contexts helped
me narrow in on the area I wanted to practice in.
How did you familiarize yourself with the fundamentals
of your new practice area?
AK: Switching practice areas is a steep learning curve,
but having a genuine interest makes the learning process
a lot easier. I asked so many questions of all of the
lawyers at my firm (and continue to do so!). I also think it’s
very useful to familiarize yourself with any piece of legislation
that you will be regularly working with, and to stay up-to-date
on new case law as it is published.
Do you have any tips for junior lawyers developing their network?
AK: My one biggest tip would be to never turn down a coffee with anyone – if
someone is gracious enough to offer their time to you, it is always worthwhile to
meet with them. And always leave that meeting with the contact information for at
least one other person to talk to next!
What’s the single most important action someone can take to switch practice areas successfully?
AK: Do your research! If you’re hoping to transition into a niche practice area, it’s important that
you know what you’re getting into. You don’t want to switch practice areas only to find that the
new practice area does not live up to your expectations. Make sure you have learned enough
about the new practice area that you are hoping to transition to before you make the jump, so
that you can be sure of your decision.
What were areas of practice before transitioning into your current practice area?
RS: As a summer and articling student, I was mostly practicing general commercial litigation. I
switched into the area of competition and foreign investment law in 2020.
How did you familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of your new practice area?
RS: There was a lot of self-studying, mostly during my articling year, since my firm at
the time did not have a competition group. My law school notes and a textbook
from a course that I took, “Regulation of Competition”, were also key. When I
moved to a national firm as a first-year associate, I knew that I had to hit
the ground running and that the transition to a Bay Street practice had
a steep learning curve.
Do you have any tips for junior lawyers developing their network?
RS: To me, it boils down to touchpoints and trust. The more
touchpoints you have with someone (whether a partner or external
client), the easier it is to take more substantive steps
to develop a positive relationship, ask for and receive
work, and ultimately add value as a junior associate. A
simple example is meeting someone at a conference.
Instead of simply chatting for a few minutes, instead
make the additional effort to also give them a business
card, send them a follow-up email, and add
them on LinkedIn. You could also keep your new
contact updated on new developments in your
area of law. In addition, junior lawyers should
prioritize developing their technical skills to a
point where those skills are known and supported
by others, both inside and outside
of the firm.
Looking back, is there anything you
would have done differently during
the transition?
RS: The main thing that I would have
done differently is finding time to recharge.
Balancing a new area of the law
(and needing to become very good at it
in a short period of time), while developing
work relationships and committing
to the practice with extra-curricular
activities, can easily eat away at all
your free time. Looking back, I would
have carved out more time for myself
to zoom out and recalibrate before
jumping back into action the next day.
28 29

Q. What drew you to practising international trade litigation? Is it something that you fell into
or is it something that you wanted to do since law school?
A. A bit of both. It was a little bit of being at the right place at the right time, but I always had an interest
in international trade law. When I was in law school I mooted in the Jessup Moot and the fact problem
that year had World Trade Organization components, which I found really enjoyable and interesting.
Then I did a placement with the Department of Justice’s Trade Law Bureau for a summer, which was
fascinating work. From there I started practicing in general civil litigation. I had always heard that Mc-
Millan had a strong international trade team, and I was lucky enough to start taking on trade litigation
files with that team. Then I eventually made the move from the Vancouver office to the Toronto office
and joined the international trade law team full time.
INTERVIEW
Interview with
Gray Morfopoulos,
McMillan LLP
Compiled by Michael Hodgins, MD Lawyers and
Folu Adesanya, Whitelaw Twining (Ontario) LLP
Q. What is the nature of international trade litigation and what do you enjoy about the work?
A. The advocacy work in international trade litigation is relatively different from that of commercial
litigation. The bulk of the advocacy is written or before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal. Tribunal
litigation is less rigid than civil litigation in the courts, which I have enjoyed.
I find the substance of the work and the questions that we face interesting. International trade law
is at the intersection of where law meets economics, so we get to work with some very sophisticated
companies. Our advisory work also has immediate downstream effects, especially when our clients
are dealing with such turbulent times.
Q. How has your practice changed in recent months?
A. The bulk of our work lately involves reviewing and understanding commercial agreements that
companies have to determine where the tariff liability lies for each party so they can understand their
exit or renegotiation options. In cross-border trade agreements, certain levels of tariffs make them no
longer commercially feasible, and in those situations we help our clients navigate their next steps. That
urgent work is in addition to our longer-term trade litigation files.
Gray Morfopoulos (he/him) practices regulatory and international trade advisory work and litigation
as part of McMillan LLP’s international trade law team. He advocates for businesses navigating complex
regulatory regimes, and has a particular focus on tariff advisory work and trade remedy proceedings.
Gray has also appeared before the British Columbia Supreme Court, the British Columbia
Court of Appeal and the Federal Court of Canada.
Q. Are there international trade litigation cases coming out of the tariffs?
A. We are seeing a historic amount of trade remedy cases as businesses look to initiate cases to deal
with unfair trade. In terms of commercial disputes flowing from the tariffs, I have not seen any filed
yet, but there certainly are some coming down the pipeline. I think the parties are looking at contractual
renegotiation options at the moment and it may take a while for disputes to bubble up and turn
into litigation. But we have had free trade with the US for so long that those future disputes may be
unprecedented and unpredictable.
30 31

Q. What are the challenges of working in international trade law right now?
A. The ever-changing landscape is of course the main challenge. We are seeing the situation change
day-to-day, which makes it difficult to keep up with the law and update our advice to the clients accordingly.
When I was doing civil litigation, the law did not change very often and when it did, it was at
a slow pace. Now I am in a field where the state of the law is changing daily. There was a steep learning
curve as I transitioned from civil litigation to international trade litigation. The tariffs exacerbated that
learning curve for me. I have been forced to become a subject matter expert very quickly.
Q. How have you dealt with those challenges?
A. I was really fortunate to have great mentors at the firm when I was in civil litigation. I was given
opportunities to get on my feet in court and learn new skills quickly. Plus, they instilled in me the importance
of giving high quality advice and service to clients, which is certainly always important. Now
that I have moved to the international trade law team, I am thrilled to have the top experts in the field
as my mentors. They have helped me navigate my transition and are doing a great job at creating opportunities
for the next generation of trade lawyers.
TAS Video Collections
TAS Video Collections is a library of professional development programs
that you can rent and watch from the TAS website. Members, sole
practitioners, government lawyers, and litigators at small firms can
also take advantage of discount pricing .
Artificial Intelligence for Litigators
Q: What advice would you give your younger self with respect to your practice?
A. I would tell myself not to plan ahead so much and just take the opportunities as they come. And to
not be afraid to pivot. I think there is always some anxiety about how your career is supposed to look
when you are starting out, but I look back and realize I did not have to be that anxious about it.
Q: What is your idea of perfect lawyerly happiness?
A. The best part of this job is getting to work on interesting problems with good people. When the
work is challenging and on the cutting edge, and you get to work through the legal issues with people
that are supportive and smart, that is all I can ask for in a job.
The award-winning Artificial Intelligence for Litigators series will get you up to speed on how rapid
advances to AI are impacting litigation practice. Click here to view the full collection.
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Toronto Fireside Chat on Advocacy
March 18, 2025 | Toronto, ON
Advocates in Action
As part of our mission to be a voice for
advocates, The Advocates’ Society (“TAS”)
undertakes initiatives that seek to improve
access to justice, promote diversity and
inclusion, protect judicial independence, and
make submissions on matters of significance
to the legal profession. Advocates in Action
is here to keep our members informed about
and engaged with the Society’s important
advocacy work.
Tomislav Miloš, Milosevic & Associates
Sydney McIvor, Durant Barristers
CLICK HERE TO READ PAST ISSUES
Left to right: Moderator Yadesha Satheaswaran, Ministry of the Attorney General-Criminal Law Division, The Hon. Justice Fred Myers,
Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Jordana Bergman, Eden Wellness, Professor Benjamin Berger, Osgoode Hall Law School
35

Sixième édition du Souper de mentorat
9 avril 2025 | Montréal, QC
36 37

Wine & Cheese with the Bench
April 10, 2025 | Toronto, ON
Young Advocates’ Speed Mentoring
May 6, 2025 | Toronto, ON
38 39

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