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2026 ADVISORY BOARD
The CGCA Advisory Board is comprised of senior members of the Canadian bar, representing both in-house and private practice lawyers. The CGCA is dedicated to bringing together both a geographically and gender diverse board, knowledgeable about the many talented in-house counsel across Canada.
The board will meet to review nominations in all 10 categories and will vote by secret ballot to determine the award recipients.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will be announced publicly following the meeting, while the results of all other categories be revealed at the CGCA gala.
Aaron J. Atkinson
Partner
Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP
Blair McCreadie
Managing Partner
Dentons
David Di Paolo
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner
Borden Ladner Gervais
Debra J. Finlay
Managing Partner
McCarthy Tétrault
Douglas Bryce
National Managing Partner
Osler, Hoskin &Harcout LLP
Geoffrey S. Belsher
Chair
Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Jennifer Teskey
Managing Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright
John M. Mercury
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Bennett Jones LLP
Kristin Taylor
Managing Partner
Cassels Brock & Blackwell
Leonard Lee
Partner
Wildeboer Dellelce LLP
Lorraine Mastersmith
Firm Managing Partner
Gowling WLG
Lydia Bugden, K.C.
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner
Stewart McKelvey Lawyers and Avocats
Martin K. Denyes
Chair
Fasken
Matthew Cockburn
Managing Partner
Torys LLP
Matthew Gottlieb
Partner
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Melissa Kennedy
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal and Public Policy Officer
Sun Life
Michael Acedo
Chief Legal Officer
OpenText Corporation
Monique Jilesen
Managing Partner
Lenczner Slaght
Peter Castiel
Partner
Stikeman Elliott
Sarah Qadeer
Chief Legal Officer
Deloitte Canada
Stephen Pincus
Partner
Goodmans LLP
Warren Bongard* (Non-voting)
President
ZSA Legal Recruitment
Christopher Sweeney* (Non-voting)
CEO
ZSA Legal Recruitment