197th Fall Opening of the Courts & Bench and Bar Dinner

EVENT DETAILS:

Join us for the 197th Fall Opening of the Courts, a signature event that brings together members of the bench and bar to mark the beginning of the legal year, honour our colleagues, and celebrate our shared commitment to justice, service, and community.

This annual tradition is one of reflection and connection — an opportunity to recognize excellence, remember those we’ve lost, and welcome the year ahead together.

This special evening includes a formal procession, a meaningful ceremony recognizing award recipients and colleagues we’ve lost, a reception to reconnect with peers, and an optional dinner to close the evening.

MLA Awards & Community Tributes

We will present the 2025 MLA Awards in the categories of:

• Distinguished Service
• Rising Star
• Access to Justice
• Philanthropy
• Distinguished Paralegal

We will also take a moment to remember and honour members of the Middlesex legal community who have passed since our last gathering.

Preliminary Program Overview

We’re pleased to share a preview of the evening’s flow:

• Procession from the London Courthouse to Museum London
• Ceremony in Centre at the Forks South (including awards & tributes)
• Reception in the Museum London Atrium

Note: Final program will be confirmed and shared with registrants in advance of the event.
Justice partners joining the procession are asked to attend in robes or uniform.

Key Note Speaker- The Hon. Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario

Attorney General Doug Downey is determined to put an end to the days of watching Ontario’s communities and justice system fall behind. He has broken new ground to accelerate access to the justice system by establishing new and innovative ways of delivering services remotely, in-person and online.

These breakthroughs have reset Ontarians’ expectations for how justice can be done and have moved services closer to people in every region of Ontario, including in rural, northern, and Indigenous communities.

In his leadership in law, in business, in municipal and community affairs, he has worked one case at a time to make the justice system work better for the people of Ontario.

With degrees in law from Dalhousie University and Osgoode Hall, Downey has accomplished innovative firsts in real estate law in Ontario and Canada. Prior to joining the government, Minister Downey started his own law firm, along with former federal Attorney General Doug Lewis, and was very active in the Ontario Bar Association having served as secretary and treasurer. In addition to being recognized at the local, provincial, and national levels as a leader in law and in business, he has helped lead Orillia’s city council, Kiwanis Club, Chamber of Commerce, Community Development Corporation, the region’s Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, and Ontario’s Business Law Advisory Council.

Raised in Simcoe County, the Hon. Doug Downey was elected as MPP for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte in the June 2018 general election and served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance before he was appointed as Ontario’s Attorney General in June 2019.

Registration Options

This year, all components are part of one unified registration form. Please choose the option that best reflects your plans:

Dinner registration includes plated meal, wine service, and gratuities. All dinner attendees must register in advance – no tickets will be available at the door.

Registration Details

Please complete the registration form by September 9th.

Space is limited to 200 attendees for the Ceremony & Reception and 120 seats for the Dinner portion of the evening.

We strongly encourage early registration to avoid disappointment. Once capacity is reached, registration will close automatically.

Questions

For any questions, please contact the Middlesex Law Association at admin@middlaw.on.ca.

Thank you to our Sponsors!