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2023 TLA HONSBERGER AWARD RECIPIENT REBECCA DURCAN |
2024 TLA The 2024 Honsberger Award Recipient - Rebecca Durcan
Rebecca Durcan is to receive the Toronto Lawyers’ Association Honsberger Award on February 29, 2024, at Ricarda’s in Toronto.
The Toronto Lawyers Association’s Honsberger Award is awarded each year to a Toronto lawyer in recognition of a single unique accomplishment or ongoing contributions to the legal community and the community at large, exemplifying the TLA’s three pillars: Knowledge, Community and Advocacy.
We are pleased to announce that Rebecca Durcan will be the recipient of this prestigious award for 2024.
The Award will be bestowed on her at the TLA’s Awards Gala to be held on February 29, 2024, at Ricarda’s at 134 Peter Street.
Rebecca is the Co-Managing Partner at Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc where she acts as general counsel, prosecution counsel and independent legal counsel to numerous Ontario regulators.
When acting as prosecution counsel, she exemplifies the pillar of Advocacy by effectively prosecuting in the public interest on behalf of many of Ontario’s professional regulators. In her advocacy work, she holds tight to the principles of integrity, honesty, diligence, and fairness which is evidenced by the fact that she has been thanked for her kindness and professionalism by licensees she has prosecuted.
When acting as general counsel, Rebecca brings an informed and nuanced perspective to regulatory issues, providing advice to regulatory staff and committees in an effective, efficient manner, relayed in language that laypersons can easily understand. In this work, she reflects the pillar of Knowledge.
Rebecca was recently elected as a Bencher with the Law Society of Ontario, running on a platform of bringing good governance back to the legal profession’s regulator. In this role, she exemplifies the pillars of Knowledge and Community in her tireless work to entrench best practices in governance at the Law Society.
Rebecca also exemplifies the pillar of Community characterization through the generosity and benevolence that she demonstrates throughout her life, including in the countless hours she has spent mentoring young lawyers.
She has focused her career exclusively on professional regulation and has become a much sought-after adviser to regulators and a much-invited presenter at conferences, both national and international. She has co-authored three books relating to the regulation of professionals as well as countless articles and blogs, all aimed at sharing her knowledge of professional regulation with regulators, adjudicators and lawyers who appear before regulators.
Rebecca has used her position working with Ontario regulators to ensure that the public interest is at the forefront of the work they do. She is known not only for her comprehensive, timely, nuanced advice to regulators but also for the enthusiasm she brings to training the staff and Council/Committee members of those regulators.
Rebecca has set a tremendous example to future generations of lawyers in the province through her respectful, courteous, and gracious manner. She has become one of the foremost experts in her field in Ontario and her opinion about important matters impacting regulators is sought out constantly.
Rebecca’s contributions to law, professional regulation, and mentorship will ensure she leaves a lasting legacy.
She is a member of the TLA and is a Toronto lawyer who has been in practice in the areas of health and regulatory law since being called to the Bar in 2002.
A leading member of the health and regulatory bar, Rebecca is a tenacious advocate and also known for bringing fairness and empathy to her work as a prosecutor, and knowledge and wisdom to her work as ILC. While possessing an impressive depth of legal knowledge, she also exhibits a genuine passion for advocating for justice and ensuring the best possible outcomes for her clients.
In addition to Rebecca’s legal prowess, she consistently displays remarkable integrity, ethical conduct, and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of the legal profession. Rebecca is committed to educating colleagues and clients in the area of professional regulation, contributing frequently to her firm's blog and teaching numerous courses in the area. She has also been an invaluable mentor to aspiring lawyers, generously sharing her knowledge and experience to shape the next generation of legal professionals.
Rebecca obtained a master’s in health law from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2006 as well as a Certificate in Risk Management from the University of Toronto in 2016. Rebecca co-authored the Annotated Statutory Powers Procedure Act with her partner Julie Maciura in 2016 and co-authored the text Prosecuting and Defending Professional Regulation Cases with Robin McKechney in 2019. She frequently speaks on regulatory issues at conferences of the Canadian Network of Agencies for Regulation (CNAR), Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR), the Ontario Bar Association, The Advocates' Society and Continuing Legal Education of British Columbia. Rebecca is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.
She also served as a Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario in 2018-2019 and was recently elected as part of the Good Governance Coalition.
With a reputation for going above and beyond for her clients and colleagues, Rebecca is truly deserving of this important recognition.
“The respect and admiration Rebecca earns from her peers and clients confirms her legal skills and selfless commitment to serving others in working to ensure fair outcomes and the clear passage of justice,” said Aitan Lerner, President, TLA.
“The TLA could scarcely choose a better candidate on whom to bestow this honour. Rebecca exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding lawyer and is highly deserving of this recognition.”