LAWPRO - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Member of the Chair of the Board
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Counsel With Ross & McBride LLP
Andrew is counsel with Ross & McBride LLP. He received his LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School, and his B.A. and M.A. from York University. He has appeared in all levels of Court in Ontario. His practice is focused on mediation and dispute resolution. He frequently speaks at legal education events relating to advocacy, tort, insurance, civil procedure, and legal ethics.
Andrew is a past President of the Hamilton Law Association, a former Director of the Advocates Society, and a recipient of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association's: Distinguished Service Award. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Western University and a Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Risk Committee
- Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and of the Casualty Actuarial Society
Anne-Marie is a consultant with broad general insurance experience as a Senior Executive and Chief Actuary. More recently she served as Executive Director and Chief Actuary of Aviva Canada and as the Chief Property and Casualty Actuary for RBC Insurance. She is a strategic thinker with expertise in risk management, capital modeling, financial reporting and regulatory issues. She currently works as a consulting actuary providing actuarial advisory services and audit support.
Anne-Marie has board experience and serves as an independent director for Gore Mutual Insurance and as a Departmental audit committee member for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, and is the Chair of the Rainbow Railroad Risk Management Committee.
She is passionate about community service, diversity and inclusion and mentoring of emerging leaders. In 2013, she received a Professional Leadership Award (Out on Bay Street) recognizing her as an experienced senior professional who has shown exceptional ability, has a strong track record of leadership and professional excellence, and is publicly recognized as a role-model by LGBTQ community. In 2020, she was recognized as a Leader of Change by Insurance Business Canada - a trailblazer promoting inclusion through action and driving change in the insurance industry.
Anne-Marie is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and of the Casualty Actuarial Society and holds a Chartered Director designation from the Directors College. She graduated from Laval University with a Bachelor of Actuarial Science and received an MBA from the Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Director
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
Binah Nathan is an experienced and accredited corporate director. She is a former senior capital markets professional who has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Ms. Nathan's expertise includes investment management, risk management and mergers and acquisitions.
In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of LAWPRO, Ms. Nathan serves on the Board and is Chair of the Audit Committee at Pro-Demnity Insurance Company She is also on an expert task force reviewing professional liability insurance for the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario. Ms. Nathan is also a Lay Member of the Competition Tribunal (A Governor in Council Appointment).
Ms. Nathan holds an ICD.D designation offered through the Institute of Corporate Directors in partnership with University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and has an MBA from the University of Windsor and an Honours BSc in Biochemistry from McMaster University.
Job Titles:
- General Practitioner
- Member of the Governance Committee
- Member of the Risk Committee
- Principal, Clare a. Brunetta
Clare A. Brunetta is a general practitioner whose office is located in Fort Frances. Primarily serving the District of Rainy River in northwestern Ontario, he practises with his son Paul Brunetta. Mr. Brunetta is former President of the Rainy River Law Library Association, a Charter Member of the Canadian Italian Advocates Society, a past member of the Law Society of Ontario Joint Working Group on Real Estate, a past Chair of the Real Estate committee of the County and District Law Presidents Association (formerly CDLPA now FOLA), and past Co-Chair of the Working Group on Lawyers and Real Estate. He has been a Deputy Judge of the Small Claims Court since 1991.
Mr. Brunetta serves on the LAWPRO Governance and Risk committees.
Clare Sellers joined the Board of Directors of LAWPRO as of September 11, 2020.
Ms. Sellers also serves as a Lay Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario, as a public representative for the regulatory body overseeing over 55,000 lawyers and 7,000 paralegal licensees in the province and is a member of its Audit & Finance, Futures Committee and Compensation Fund committees.
She also has been on the Board of Directors of the SickKids Foundation since June 2016, serving formerly as Chair of Governance & Nominating Committee and currently as the Chair of the Development Committee, focused on its brand management and fundraising activities resulting in the successful completion in March 2023 of Canada's largest health care campaign to raise $1.6 billion to help build a new hospital supporting the health of children and their families. Formerly, she served as a Trustee of Over the Wall, an organization that runs residential camps for children in the United Kingdom affected by serious and life-threatening illnesses. Previous professional roles in the financial services sector in both Canada and the UK include working as the Managing Director for Investment 2020, the Director & Chief Operating Officer at ABN AMRO Rothschild and as Vice-President, Corporate Finance at Midland Walwyn. She also served for 8 years as a Trustee with the University of Western Ontario United Kingdom Foundation. Ms. Sellers is a graduate of the Master's program at the Ivey Business School, a Chartered Financial Analyst and holds the ICD.D designation.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President
- Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management
- in 2001 As Director
Dan is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management and is a prolific writer, speaker and blogger on risk management, legal technology and law practice management issues. He has given hundreds of presentations throughout North America and has chaired more than a dozen major conferences.
Dan was the President of the National Association of Bar-Affiliated Insurance Companies (NABRICO) in 2019. He has been very active in the American Bar Association's Law Practice Division and was a long-time member of the ABA Legal Professional Liability Standing Committee. He was Chair of ABA TECHSHOW 2007 and Editor-In-Chief of Law Practice magazine from 2009-2012. He co-authored The Busy Lawyer's Guide to Success: Essential Tips to Power Your Practice and made several contributions to other books published by the ABA Law Practice Management section. Dan has also been active over the years in a variety of roles for the Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations.
Daniel E. Pinnington was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of LAWPRO in 2018. From 2012 to 2018, he served as Vice President, Claims Prevention and Stakeholder Relations, overseeing LAWPRO's claims prevention and outreach initiatives.
Dan joined LAWPRO in 2001 as Director, practicePRO and was the driving force behind the practicePRO program - LAWPRO's innovative and internationally recognized claims prevention initiative. He used his unique combination of practice experience and technology expertise to provide lawyers with tools and resources to assist them in avoiding malpractice claims and succeeding in the practice of law.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
- President and CEO, BRJO Investments Ltd
David Oliver has extensive leadership experience on corporate boards and in the investment management industry, currently serving as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer at BRJO Investments Ltd. Previously, he held the position of Vice President and National Lead at MD Financial Management, heading MD Private Investment Counsel and MD Management Limited. Prior to joining MD Financial Management, Mr. Oliver was the Chief Portfolio Manager, Vice President and Executive Director at CIBC, as well as Vice President and Portfolio Manager at TD.
In addition to serving on the Board of Directors at LAWPRO, David Oliver serves on several other Boards, including the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation, BRJO Investments Ltd., CDSPI, and the Auto Sector Retiree Health Care Trust. Previously, he served on the Board of Directors of the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority and North York Arts, and was a Member of the Canadian Medical Association Pension Plan Investment Committee.
David Oliver graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master's Degree in Economics. He holds the Corporate Director Certificate from Harvard Business School, plus the Chartered Director and Chartered Financial Analyst designations. Most recently, Mr. Oliver completed the Investment Strategies and Portfolio Management Executive Program at The Wharton School.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Business Executive
- Chief Executive Officer, Law Society of Ontario
- Law Society of Ontario in 2001 As the Executive Director
Diana joined the Law Society of Ontario in 2001 as the Executive Director of Professional Development and Competence. She has since held numerous positions in the organization in addition to the competence portfolio, including Executive Director of Organizational Strategy, of Communications and of Professional Regulation. Diana was appointed Acting CEO in September 2017 and CEO in March 2018.
Throughout her career at the Law Society, Diana has provided proactive and effective policy-oriented leadership to the Board while overseeing significant operational portfolios. Her responsibilities have included strategic and operational planning, financial management, governance assessment, board education, creation of defensible and valid licensure systems, provision of resources and supports for legal practitioners, and the development of progressive regulation, risk management and quality assurance for lawyer and paralegal licensees and their legal practices.
Prior to joining the Law Society, Diana was the Chief Operating Officer of a large Toronto law firm and in that capacity supported business development, client services, firm administration, strategic planning and financial accountability.
Diana has been a business executive for over 25 years, and has certifications from Rotman, Ivey, Smith and Harvard Schools of Business on a range of strategy, financial, leadership and management topics. She has extensive governance and board experience, is a Chartered Director (CDir), and has worked with private and not-for-profit boards as a board member and governance facilitator in the education, energy, health care, insurance and professional services sectors.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President, Claims
Domenic Bellacicco was appointed Vice President, Claims in 2018. He provides strategic leadership, overseeing best practices in claims handling, planning, product development and risk management initiatives.
Domenic started at LAWPRO in 2004 as a Claims Counsel. He later served in leadership roles as Senior Claims Counsel and Unit Director & Counsel. He contributes regularly to LAWPRO Magazine, and is a frequent presenter at continuing professional development programs on the topic of risk management.
Prior to joining LAWPRO, he practised civil litigation for 11 years and gained extensive experience in various areas of law. Domenic was called to the Ontario bar in 1993 after completing a LL.B. at Western University.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Vice Chair of Board
- Vice Chair of the Board
Fred Gorbet has extensive experience in public policy advice and formulation, particularly regarding financial institutions and energy policy. Following a 25-year career in the Canadian public service, where he served as Associate Secretary to the Cabinet and as Deputy Minister of Finance for Canada, Mr. Gorbet has held several senior executive positions in the life insurance industry and in academe, serving for many years as the CIT Chair in Financial Services and Director of the Financial Services Program at the Schulich School of Business (York University).
A member of the LAWPRO Board of Directors since 2004, Mr. Gorbet currently chairs the audit committee and is a member of the Conduct Review, Governance and Risk committees as well as the Executive Committee.
Since leaving government service, he has continued his involvement with public policy by serving as the Executive Director of the MacKay Task Force on the future of the financial services sector of Canada, the Executive Director of the Saucier Task Force on Corporate Governance, the Senior Policy Advisor to the Credit Union Central of Canada on the National Initiative, and the founding Chair of the Market Surveillance Panel for administered electricity markets in Ontario. He also served as Chair of the Task Force on Auto Insurance Fraud in Ontario.
Mr. Gorbet has served as a corporate director of many firms in the private and public sectors, and has served as Board Chair of Assuris, as well as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). He currently chairs the Departmental Audit Committee for the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Audit Committee
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Human Resources
- Vice President, Human Resources & Administration
Karen Wood is Vice President, Human Resources & Administration. She provides strategic human resources and administration services including undertaking responsibility for risk management and compliance related to employee relations.
Prior to joining LAWPRO, Karen headed up the Human Resources function at the Ontario Real Estate Association. In addition to her experience as a human resources professional, Karen has had management roles covering a broad range of responsibilities including facilities, health and safety, labour relations, compliance and event management during her career.
Karen holds an MBA in Strategic Management as well as a Post-MBA Certificate in Advanced Management in Marketing from York University/Schulich School of Business, and a B.A. (Hons) in Psychology from York University. She also holds a CHRL designation from the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario.
Krista Franklin joined LAWPRO as Chief Financial Officer in March 2020.
She is a seasoned finance executive with over two decades of experience within the insurance industry, holding senior roles in both insurance companies and intermediaries. Krista possesses expertise in strategic planning, financial and risk management, and operational excellence.
Prior to joining LAWPRO, she was CFO & COO of a national insurance brokerage, with responsibility for the overall financial management strategy, as well as senior leadership of human resources, Information Technology and Operations. Krista has prior experience with two global insurance companies, Aviva Canada and RSA Canada, in several financial and risk roles. She started her career at KPMG Audit, followed by KPMG Corporate Finance.
Krista has a CPA, CA designation, as well an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. She did her undergraduate degree in Economics at the University of Western Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Investment Committee
- Member of the Risk Committee
Mark Tamminga provides strategic, design and practical advice on innovation in the context of law firm operations and service delivery.
He has pioneered the use of practice automation and matter management software tools for lawyers, having designed, built, and implemented a number of practice systems in the areas of mortgage debt recovery, debt collection, commercial loan placement and civil litigation.
Mark was in various management roles at Gowling WLG until his retirement from practice in March 2023, including acting as managing partner of the Hamilton office from 2008-2012 and Leader, Innovation Initiatives, where he was instrumental in the firm's transformational process improvement and project management program.
He is a regular presenter on the subject of automation in legal practice and has participated in numerous technology conferences in Canada and the United States. He has chaired the American Bar Association's Techshow legal technology conference and co-chaired the College of Law Practice Management's Futures Conference.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, TitlePLUS
March Huttram joined LAWPRO in 2023 to lead the TitlePLUS title insurance team. He provides direction on strategy, operations, budgeting, marketing, and stakeholder relations for TitlePLUS.
Mark brings deep industry knowledge and a wealth of experience in the legal, banking, real estate and insurance fields. Prior to joining LAWPRO, he held Senior Executive roles at organizations such as ESC Corporate Services, Teranet, First Canadian Title and Davis +Henderson.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Governance Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Officer
Mike joined LAWPRO in 2022 to lead the technology transition of the TitlePLUS upgrade project. He began serving as Chief Information Officer the following year. Mike has overall responsibility for the strategic planning, operation, maintenance and development of LAWPRO's computer systems.
Mike's varied work experience includes working in private practice, program innovation and development, and as a College Instructor. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School.
N.B. The Chair and Vice-Chair of LAWPRO are ex-officio members of all committees, by resolution of the Board.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Naomi Dummett was appointed Director of Communications in 2013. She directs external and internal communications for LAWPRO and provides leadership in the direction and implementation of communication strategies, programs and materials.
Prior to joining LAWPRO, she worked in communications and marketing roles at a large commercial insurer and programmed arts experiences for a Board of Education in Ontario. She has also managed educational programs with symphony orchestras in Canada and the U.S. Naomi holds a B.A. (Hons) in Arts Administration from the University of Toronto and a post-graduate certificate in Corporate Communications from Centennial College.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President Public Affairs
Ray Leclair was appointed Vice President, Public Affairs in 2012. He provides input on, implements and reports on all government relations and public affairs-related functions.
Ray started at LAWPRO in 2008 as Vice President, TitlePLUS. Prior to joining LAWPRO, Ray was General Counsel for the Kanata Research Park Corporation and has practised in both major national law firms and as a sole practitioner, and was a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa Law School and Cité Collégiale. Ray was called to the Ontario Bar in 1984 after completing an LL.B. at the University of Ottawa.
Ray frequently speaks on risk management and other legal practice topics in French and English.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Risk Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Governance Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
- Member of the Risk Committee
- President, R. Hoff Financial Management Ltd
Rita Hoff had a long and distinguished career in the investment industry, where she broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first female CEO of a member firm - First Canada Securities, which she co-founded. She merged the firm with Canaccord Capital where she served as Vice-President and Director, Debt Capital Markets, retiring in 2009.
Her 30 years of Board experience was shaped by serving with a variety of organizations in the private sector, on Advisory Boards and on Associations, most notably The Investment Dealers Association of Canada and CAA, Central Ontario.
Ms. Hoff has served on the LAWPRO Board for many years and is chair of the Investment committee and is a member of the Governance and Risk committees. She also serves as a Director of Operation Eyesight Universal, an international development organization working to eliminate avoidable blindness and restore eyesight in developing countries.
Spending the winters in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Ms. Hoff is actively engaged with her Condominium Board as Treasurer, as well as on her Community Association's Board focusing on challenging illegal development and ensuring preservation of green spaces.
Ms. Hoff has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Bombay, India. Continuing her education in the investment industry, she earned many designations from the Canadian Securities Institute.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- General Counsel
Stephen Freedman was appointed Executive Vice President in 2018 and also serves as General Counsel. He is responsible for LAWPRO's corporate legal affairs and provides overall direction for and management of legal affairs and non-financial compliance including strategy, budgeting, operations, and stakeholder relations.
Stephen joined LAWPRO in 2001 and has served in leadership roles as Legal Counsel, TitlePLUS and Director, Compliance Risk & Chief Privacy Officer. Prior to joining LAWPRO, Stephen practised real estate law and litigation. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1996. He received an LL.M in e-Business law from Osgoode Hall Law School and taught as an instructor at the Ontario Bar Admission Course.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer of the Lawyers Indemnity Fund
Su Forbes is the Chief Operating Officer of the Lawyers Indemnity Fund ("LIF"), the division of the Law Society of British Columbia that operates the program that provides professional liability and theft indemnity coverage and cyber insurance for BC lawyers. Su joined the program in 1987 and since being appointed COO in 1998, has had responsibility for all aspects of it including underwriting, policy wording, reinsurance procurement, claims management, and loss prevention and risk management services for law firms.
Su has been a lawyer since 1982 and practised in a broad range of areas, including professional liability defence, before joining LIF. Su has presented and spoken extensively (and passionately) about the program and how to manage the risks of practice to a variety of audiences, including the Canadian Bar Association, BC Continuing Legal Education, UBC Faculty of Law, American Bar Association, LawASIA, and the International Association of Defence Counsel. She received her King's Counsel designation in 2002. She currently serves on the boards of the Canadian Lawyers' Insurance Association and the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Insurance Corporation, and has twice been the President of the National Association of Bar-Related Insurance Companies.
Su lives and works (and plays!) in Vancouver.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Governance Committee
- Member of the Risk Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Audit Committee
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Governance Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
- Retired Financial Services Executive
Sue Armstrong is a retired financial services executive, having served most recently as President & CEO of CDSPI, an organization providing advisory, wealth management, insurance, and health and wellness services to the Canadian dental community.
During her career, she also served as Senior Vice-President of Swiss Reinsurance Company Canada, with previous roles at CIBC Insurance and Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company. Prior to her senior executive roles, Sue was a senior manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers' (PwC).
Sue currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of OMA Insurance, a subsidiary of the Ontario Medical Association. She previously served on the Boards of Directors of Securian Canada (formerly Canadian Premier Life Insurance Company and Canadian Premier General Insurance Company) and McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, a public company in the educational publishing industry.
Sue has made a significant volunteer commitment to the Canadian healthcare sector. She is currently Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Sue has previously served on the Boards of Directors of Michael Garron Hospital, having served as Chair for two years, West Park Healthcare Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and the George Hull Centre for Children and Families, a children's mental health agency, which she chaired for three years.
Sue has been recognized by Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario with the distinction of the FCPA designation for her corporate and community service. She also holds the ICD.D. designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President, Underwriting & Customer Service and Secretary
Victoria Crewe-Nelson was appointed Vice President, Underwriting & Customer Service and Secretary for the board in 2018. She is responsible for the preparation, placement, and maintenance of reinsurance and corporate insurance. She provides leadership in the analysis of program changes and improvements and ensures adherence to regulatory, program and underwriting requirements.
Victoria started at LAWPRO in 2012 as Assistant Vice President, Underwriting. Before joining LAWPRO, Victoria gained experience in practice areas including corporate/commercial, litigation, estates and trusts, real estate, and admiralty law. A past instructor with the Bar Admission Course, Victoria has been published on topics including professional liability, the Limitations Act, class actions, family law and parental responsibility. Victoria was called to the Ontario bar in 2003 after completing a B.A. and LL.B. at the universities of Toronto, Ottawa and Edinburgh.