/R E P E A T -- Media Advisory - Honorary doctorate awarded to history-making judge of Ontario's Court of Appeal/

TORONTO, Sept. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - The Law Society of Upper Canada will present a degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (LLD), to The Honourable Justice Russell G. Juriansz at its Call to the Bar ceremony on September 25.

The Law Society awards honorary doctorates to distinguished people in recognition of outstanding achievements in the legal profession, the rule of law or the cause of justice. Recipients serve as inspirational keynote speakers for the candidates being called to the Bar.

Born in India, Justice Juriansz immigrated to Canada with his family in 1955. In 1998, following a notable 24 years as a human rights and constitutional law lawyer, Justice Juriansz became the first person of South Asian origin appointed to the Superior Court of Justice. In 2004, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario, becoming the first racialized judge of that court.

Law Society Treasurer Janet E. Minor will award the honorary LLD to Justice Juriansz, who will then deliver the keynote address to the Call candidates.

The Law Society will call 230 new lawyers to the Bar of Ontario at the September 25^th ceremony.

When:		Friday, September 25, 2015
		2:30 p.m.
Where:		Roy Thomson Hall
		60 Simcoe Street
		Toronto, ON, M5J 2H5
		#called2015

Biography — The Honourable Justice Russell G. Juriansz

The Honourable Justice Russell G. Juriansz was born in India in 1946 and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1955.

He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree then went on to attend Osgoode Hall Law School, graduating with his LLB in 1972. After articling at Blake, Cassels & Graydon, Justice Juriansz was called to the Ontario Bar in 1974.

In 1998, Justice Juriansz became the first person of South Asian origin appointed to the Superior Court of Ontario. Then in 2004, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario becoming the first racialized judge of that court.

Prior to his 1998 appointment, Justice Juriansz was a lawyer for 24 years, both in government and in private practice. He served as legal counsel, general counsel and then director of legal services of the then newly established Canadian Human Rights Commission (1978-87). He left the Commission at the end of 1986 and returned to Blakes as an associate and then a partner (1987-94). He went on to open his own practice and was a sole practitioner for four years until his judicial appointment (1994-98).

Justice Juriansz practised principally in the area of human rights and constitutional law. He has appeared as counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada on some of the country's seminal human rights cases, including discrimination (Bhinder v. CNR and O'Malley v. Simpsons-Sears), sexual harassment (Robichaud v. Canada (Treasury Board), and pay equity (SEPQA v. Canada (Human Rights Commission).

Justice Juriansz taught human rights law and constitutional law at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law (1984-86) and was an instructor on administrative law and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for the Law Society's Bar Admission Course (1982-86).

Throughout his career in private practice, Justice Juriansz was a frequent writer, editor and speaker on issues of equality and discrimination.

Justice Juriansz resides in Toronto with his wife Kaye Joachim. His two daughters attend Queen's University.

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SOURCE The Law Society of Upper Canada

MEDIA: For more information or to confirm attendance, please contact Susan Tonkin, Communications Advisor, Media Relations, at 416-947-7605 or [email protected]