35 Years, 35 Voices: Meet Steven Rastin
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 Steven Rastin, OTLA Past President and member since 1997.
Member Profile
Name: Michael (Steven) Rastin
Firm: Rastin Gluckstein Personal Injury Lawyers
Year called to the bar: 1995
Joined OTLA: 1997
We asked Steven to reflect on his time with OTLA, the role the association has played in his career and what being part of the OTLA community means to him.
What motivated you to join OTLA?
I joined OTLA in 1997, when I started working at a personal injury law firm. OTLA had the reputation for providing the best support, legal education and mentorship to young lawyers.
If you’ve been a member for more than five years, what has inspired you to renew your membership?
I have renewed my membership for the last 29 years because I truly believe that OTLA is the preeminent organization in Ontario fighting for justice and fair compensation for injury victims through government lobbying, interventions and continuing legal education.
Do you have a memorable OTLA moment or story you’d like to share?
A memorable moment for me was the day we presented our findings to the public from two economists who wrote a report for OTLA outlining how the Ontario Insurance Industry was systematically overcharging consumers. The press conference went viral, and the story was reported on multiple radio stations, newspapers and TV stations including national coverage on the Amanda Lang show on CBC.
What is something you learned at an OTLA event that you still use in your practice today?
OTLA conferences feature senior speakers like Barb Legate and John McLeish. I often bring tips, tricks and best practices from these sessions back to the office to share with the entire team. More than once, we have changed our internal practices based on information learned at conferences.
Have you made any meaningful professional connections through OTLA? If so, who or in what way?
My closest professional relationships were made through OTLA. I have been privileged to co-counsel with leading lawyers like Paul Harte, Ron Bohm and Duncan Embury, all who I met through OTLA. I intervene on cases for OTLA regularly with Alex Voudouris and Stanley Pasternak who are not just colleagues, but also good friends.
How has OTLA influenced your practice or contributed to your career growth?
OTLA has made me a better lawyer. I would not have been as successful, as connected or as impactful as a lawyer without OTLA and all the benefits it provides.
What advice would you give to new OTLA members or lawyers just starting out?
My advice to new OTLA members is to get involved. Find out what is important to you and then find out how your OTLA membership can help to make it happen. You will be a better lawyer and a better person for having done it.
What does being part of the OTLA community mean to you?
Being a part of the OTLA community has made my professional life more meaningful. OTLA has given me friends and connections. It has given me access to the best education, mentorship and connections. As a lawyer practising in a small town, I am sure that my career would have been smaller and more isolated without OTLA.