Awards

G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Medal

As of 1989, the G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Medal for outstanding contribution to criminal justice is presented annually by the Criminal Lawyers Association (CLA). G. Arthur Martin was Canada’s greatest criminal advocate before he became a leading jurist with the Ontario Court of Appeal. One of the medals is housed permanently in the G. Arthur Martin Room at Osgoode Hall. Each year, a a brass plaque is attached to the wooden base of the medal to recognize the new recipient.

CLA members are invited to nominate an individual who has made significant contributions to criminal justice in Canada. The 2025 nomination deadline is April 1, 2025. Results to all nominators will be emailed by June 30, 2025. Details of the nomination requirements are noted below.

Past G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Medal Recipients:

2025 Call for Nominations – Submit by April 1, 2025.

Recipient Criterion:

The G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Medal recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to criminal justice in Canada. Nominations are open to any individual properly nominated. The person nominated does not have to be a CLA member.

2025 Nomination Process

• The call for nominations officially opens in January 2025.
• The nominator must be an full member of the CLA at the time the nomination is submitted.
• The nominator will coordinate and submit a nomination package that must include:
  • A formal nomination letter. The letter of nomination will specifically state why the nominee is deserving of the award by providing evidence for how the individual has made significant contributions to criminal justice in Canada. Sufficient detail should be supplied to assist the Award Selection Committee deliberations.
  • A curriculum vitae or resume of the nominee.
  • Three (and only three) letters of support from individuals familiar with the nominee’s contributions.
• Nominations are to be submitted in English.
• Nominations will be held in confidence. The nominee is not required to be notified of the nomination.
• Only nominations submitted in accordance with the aforementioned criteria will be accepted
• Nominations are due by April 1, 2025 at 4 p.m. ET. We recommend that the complete nomination package with all required documentation is submitted in one email to ed@criminallawyers.ca with the subject line “Martin Medal 2025 Nomination.” We will confirm receipt within one business day. If prefer to deliver to the association office, please make arrangements beforehand to make sure someone is in the office to receive the package (call 416-214-9875). Address the nomination package to:
  John Chagnon
  Executive Director
  Criminal Lawyers’ Association
  189 Queen Street East, Suite 1
  Toronto, Ontario M5A 1S2
  For couriers please include “Buzzer 7979” in the address

Award Selection Committee:

The Award Selection Committee includes:

1. The President of the CLA.
2. The current Chief Justice of Ontario (or their designate).
3. A prominent criminal law academic, or a prominent member of the legacy media (television, radio or print) with significant professional exposure to criminal law, or a member of the community, nominated and approved by the Governing Body
4. A senior member of the Bar with no less than 15 years’ experience nominated and approved by the Governing Body.

The Committee will review all complete nomination packages and make a selection. The nominator and award recipient will be notified before June 30. There is one award recipient per year.

Re-Submission of Nomination Packages:

The Association appreciates what is involved in submitting a nomination and, therefore, keeps nomination packages received on file for future consideration. This ensures a larger pool of nominees to consider, adds to the quality of the recipient selected and the stature of the award itself. For nomination packages received in prior years, the following process is required:

• The nominator will be contacted and asked if the CLA can keep the nomination on file. If approved:
  • The nomination will be kept on file. Annually upon the issuing of the call for nominations, the nominator will be invited to update their nomination package, if desired.
  • The nominator must be a full CLA member for the package to be reconsidered.
  • Nominations will be kept on file for five years, after which a new package will be required for the candidate is to be considered.
    

Presentation of the Award:

The Award will be presented at the annual Criminal Lawyers’ Association Fall Conference. The Fall Conference is scheduled for November 21-22, 2025. There is no monetary value to this award.

Ricky Goldman Mensch Outstanding Member Award

Terms of Reference

A special award that is open to current CLA members that have had a significant impact on the legal community as well as recognized for their local, regional, provincial, national and/or international philanthropy efforts.

Annually, this award can be awarded to up to three individuals with recipients receiving:

1. Plaque/Statue,
2. Monetary donation to a registered charity of recipients choice (up to $500 each),
3. Recognition at a local event and/or CLA Conference (in person and/or virtual), and;
4. Recognition on the CLA website, emails and social media.

This award is meant to recognize great legal citizenship. Someone that treats colleagues with respect and good humour. Who always has an encouraging word and a twinkle in their eye. This is an award for those lawyers who are friends to us all and brighten our days. We are hopeful that locally CLA members could recognize and celebrate nominees over the beverage of choice.

Why named after Richard Goldman:

As profiled in For the Defence, Vol 50, Issue 5: Ricky possessed many great qualities: funny, intelligent, honest, dependable, caring, loving, empathetic, nonjudgmental, great advisor, good listener, loyal as a hound dog, supportive, and a hilarious storyteller.

Recipient Criterion: 

Open to all current CLA members. Nominations are open to any individual properly nominated.

 Nomination Process:

• A call for nominations will be released annually by May 31.
• Nominations will be due by June 30 at 5 p.m. and submitted electronically to the Association’s office to support@criminallawyers.ca with the subject line “2024 Ricky Goldman Mensch Outstanding Member Award Nomination.“
• A nomination package may include the following:
  • A nomination letter (1-3 pages maximum). The letter of nomination will specifically state why the nominee is deserving of this award by providing:
    • Breakdown of the nominees practice in criminal law (years, highlights and achievements)
    • Community involvement – what has this person done around philanthropy – giving back to the community, fellow colleagues, the profession, etc.
    • Any other pertinent information that will assist the Award Selection Committee deliberations.
    • The nominator must be a member of the Criminal Lawyers’ Association.
  • Nominations are to be submitted electronically in one PDF document to the CLA administration office – support@criminallawyers.ca with the subject line “2024 Ricky Goldman Mensch Outstanding Member Award Nomination.“
  • Nominations are to be submitted in English.
  • Nominations will be held in confidence. The nominee is not required to be notified of their nomination.
  • Only nominations submitted in accordance with the aforementioned criteria will be accepted.

Winner: Charles “Chuck” Barhydt, Counsel – awarded August 2024

Charles was always a fixture to assist anyone anywhere in and out of court. He invested his time freely and without hesitation without a request. On several occasions while Chuck was doing a trial he would spend the lunch break assisting students from CLASP who would approach him and seek his assistance. Notwithstanding his busy practice, he has often accepted the role of providing guidance to young defence lawyers on a regular basis. He has always shown a deep, sincere and genuine care for persons and would seek to ascertain what assistance he can provide for any personal difficulty one may be experiencing. He has been practicing law since 1981 before the Charter was ratified. He was one of the first ever to invoke s.11b of the Charter. He was the trial lawyer in the Askov case (R v Askov (1990) SCC) The ground work laid at the trial level allowed this case to be successfully argued in favour of the defence at the supreme court level. Chuck has been a trial lawyer for over 40 years now. He established his own practice in 1983 and has been going strong ever since. Chuck also does duty counsel work out in Orangeville. This is often a thankless and unrewarded job. Congratulations on being named the 4th winner of the Ricky Goldman Mensch Outstanding Member Award.

Winner: Daniel Kayfetz, Counsel – awarded July 2023

Daniel Kayfetz, fondly known as Danny, is the 2023 Ricky Goldman Mensch Outstanding Member Award Winner! Danny is recognized, respected, and beloved by members of the defence bar, Crown Attorneys, Judges, and clients alike. He is known to share, in great detail, fascinating stories and anecdotes from throughout his legal career. It is impossible to adequately capture Danny’s 53 years at the criminal bar and do justice to his extensive career. He is passionate about the cases he takes on and zealously defends his clients throughout his entire career, working excessive hours for which he has never and will never be compensated. He would take on these most challenging clients, ensuring their access to justice. Danny has been a mentor to young lawyers. He has taken on articling students who couldn’t secure jobs and students who had challenges with the Law Society. He has supported women in the profession through client referrals, encouragement, support, and unfeigned respect. When you look up ‘mensch’ in the Yiddish dictionary, Daniel Kayfetz’s name and recognizable moustache appear. He is always jubilant, smiling, and kind to everyone he comes across. Congratulations on being named the 3rd winner of the Ricky Goldman Mensch Outstanding Member Award.

Winner: Deborah Bloomberg, Counsel – awarded August, 2022

Deborah Bloomberg is a lawyer and sole practitioner who has specialized in criminal law for more than 30 years.  Since 2006, she has been on the Independent Legal Advice For Survivors of Sexual Assault Panel run by MAG.  She is also on the Legal Aid Ontario, Gladue, Duty Counsel and Extremely Serious Criminal Matters panels.  She is a single mother, and supporter of the Toronto Humane Society, the Autism Society of Ontario, and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (which is an elephant and rhino orphan rescue and rehabilitation program in Kenya).  Her nominator noted specifically, Debbie is a consummate criminal defence lawyer.  She has compassion for her clients, for the victims of crime and she is a credit to our profession and to criminal law. Congratulations on being named the 2nd winner of the Ricky Goldman Mensch Outstanding Member Award.

Winner: Mr. Irwin Aisen, Counsel – awarded June 1, 2021

Irwin Aisen is a lawyer and sole practitioner who has specialized in criminal law for more than 40 years. Irwin brings expert advocacy and analysis to the criminal charges he defends – whether it be an assault or a homicide. Irwin has a strong passion for the law, and equal compassion for his clients. Irwin represents many clients facing special needs. Irwin provides litigation support to the firm.

Bursaries

The Criminal Lawyers’ Association is pleased to support a variety of bursaries through the following post secondary institutions.

University of Windsor
Faculty of Law

• Criminal Lawyers’ Association Scholarship Annual award valued at $2,000.00
  • 2020/21 Recipient: Nidhi Shelat
  • 2022/23 Recipient: Leonella Kovalevsky
  • 2023/24 Recipient: Merissa Asrula

For more information please contact:

Faculty of Law, University of Windsor
401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4

York University
Osgoode Hall Law School

• Criminal Lawyers’ Association Scholarship Annual award valued at $2,000.00
  • 2020 Recipient: Curtis Sell
  • 2021 Recipient: Jocelyn Heaton
  • 2022 Recipient: Hamza Khan
  • 2024 Recipient: Veronica Lloyd

For more information please contact:

Osgoode Hall Law School
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON
M3J 1P3

University of Western Ontario
Faculty of Law

• Criminal Lawyers’ Association Award for Second Year Annual award valued at $1,500.00
• Criminal Lawyers’ Association Award for Third Year Annual award valued at $500.00

For more information please contact:

University of Western Ontario
Faculty of Law
London, Ontario
M6A 5B8

Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology
Law Clerk Program

• Criminal Lawyers’ Association Award Law Clerk Program Annual award valued at $500.00
  • 2023/2024 Recipient: Katherine Gao
• Criminal Lawyers’ Association Award Law Clerk Program (accelerated) Annual award valued at $500.00
  • 2023/2024 Recipient: Shefali Shokeen

For more information please contact:

Seneca College
1750 Finch Avenue East
Toronto, Ontario
M2J 2X5