The Law Society Benchers have appointed Herman Van Ommen, KC as Tribunal Chair effective January 1, 2023. Earlier this year, the Benchers agreed to enhance the independence of the Tribunal by providing for a Tribunal Chair who is not a current Bencher.
Van Ommen was called to the bar in 1985 and was a litigator and senior partner at McCarthy Tétrault until he retired from the firm in 2018. He has extensive knowledge and experience with the tribunal process, both as counsel and as President of the Law Society in 2017. While serving as a Bencher, he chaired working groups that developed the Code of Professional and Ethical Responsibilities for Tribunal Adjudicators, as well as the abeyance guidelines.