35 Years, 35 Voices highlights the members who have contributed to the Ontario Trial Lawyers Associations (OTLA) growth, strengthened access to justice and supported a collaborative plaintiff-side community across Ontario over the past 35 years.
Meet Barbara Legate, OTLA Past President and member since 1991.
Member Profile
Name: Barbara Legate
Firm: Legate Injury Lawyers
Year called to the bar: 1981
Joined OTLA: 1991
We asked Barbara to reflect on her time with OTLA, the role the Association has played in her career and what being part of the OTLA community means to her.
What motivated you to join?
A very persuasive colleague of mine invited me to join OTLA, so I decided to check it out. When I did, I learned that this Association was going to teach me my craft while supporting me without jealousy and competitiveness. I was practicing without a mentor and OTLA filled that gap in my career.
If you’ve been a member for more than five years, what has inspired you to renew your membership?
My membership fees with OTLA have been paid back to me in so many ways. Whether I am connecting with lawyers that are facing the same issues as me, discovering issues that I didn’t even know existed in my practice or learning how to approach a jury, every one of these experiences has been invaluable.
Do you have a memorable OTLA moment or story you’d like to share?
So many! I attended the first OTLA Conference in February 1993 with my six-month-old infant, (who is now a practicing lawyer). During that conference, Howard Nations was presenting. He was a past president of the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA)) and a formidable lawyer. That didn’t faze my baby Annie. She howled through his presentation. I beat a hasty retreat after the novelty of the baby wore off and the daggers in his eyes told me that was quite enough.
Soon after that, I was presenting at a later conference, still very small, maybe 50 registrants. I was so nervous I could barely speak. The chair took pity on me and gave me the hook. But I persevered with presentations and learned the skills that would take me to the podium and the courtroom with confidence. For those invaluable opportunities to learn and grow, I am deeply grateful.
What is something you learned at an OTLA event that you still use in your practice today?
Just about everything. Less is more. Be prepared for anything, anticipate the issues that can come up in a trial and meet them head on. Don’t hide from the flaws in your case, deal with them.
Have you made any meaningful professional connections through OTLA? If so, who or in what way?
I have made life-long friendships and have too many colleagues I can call on to count. High on that list are Tom Connolly and Richard Halpern, who are honest with me and generous with their help. There is also Maria Damiano who makes me feel special, even though I am not! I hesitate to continue because the list would go on too long!
How has OTLA influenced your practice or contributed to your career growth?
I have said this before because it is true: I would not be where I am today without this organization. As someone who practiced on my own for many years, especially early on, OTLA gave me the confidence and skills I needed to succeed.
What advice would you give to new OTLA members or lawyers just starting out?
Get involved with the organization beyond passively coming to conferences. You will meet terrific people who understand that if you do well, I do well. Volunteering to co-chair a conference will guarantee you will learn about things that are going on legally that could be trip wires in your practice.
What does being part of the OTLA community mean to you?
To me, it has been finding my community and supporters.
