35 Years, 35 Voices: Meet Theresa Brett
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 Theresa Brett, member since 2021.
Member Profile
Name: Theresa Brett
Firm: Bonn Law
Practising Since: 2021
Joined OTLA: 2021
We asked Theresa 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?
I joined OTLA during my first year as a law clerk, when I attended my first OTLA conference. At the time, I was still trying to find my footing in a new career and was not even sure whether it was a career I would continue. I had come to the profession later in life, after having children, and there was an enormous amount to learn. It was exciting, but also genuinely daunting.
If you’ve been a member for more than five years, what has inspired you to renew your membership?
Through OTLA, I have been able to grow my skills, gain practical advice when faced with difficult situations and build professional and personal friendships, including fellow OTLA member, Rose Jimenez, that have deepened my commitment to this career.
Do you have a memorable OTLA moment or story you’d like to share?
During a break at that first conference, I met Tiffany Lawand-Fraser, who was then Chair of the Law Clerks Track. Like me, Tiffany had entered the profession as a second career later in life after having children. She was warm, encouraging and incredibly generous with her time.
She offered to introduce me to other active OTLA members, connect me with clerks at other firms who had experience in areas I was struggling with, and pointed me toward resources I could use when I returned home. That simple conversation made a lasting impression on me.
What is something you learned at an OTLA event that you still use in your practice today?
The conferences have given me an invaluable opportunity to connect directly with the companies and professionals who support the work we do. For example, at the 2026 Spring Conference, I spent approximately 30 minutes speaking with the founder of an assessment company. That conversation gave me a much better understanding of the experts on their roster and which experts might be the best fit for the clients our firm was advocating for. It also made me much more comfortable reaching out when I have questions or a challenging case.
Since that conversation, I have worked with several of their experts, and the rapport I developed has made those interactions more comfortable and streamlined. More importantly, it has allowed me to better support the lawyers I work with and, ultimately, the clients we advocate for.
Have you made any meaningful professional connections through OTLA? If so, who or in what way?
Over the years, my friendship with Tiffany continued, and she encouraged me to become more involved with OTLA. Eventually, she introduced me to the OTLA Conference Planning Committee and told them I was interested in getting involved.
How has OTLA influenced your practice or contributed to your career growth?
That introduction opened the door to opportunities I could never have imagined during my first year. Since then, I have had the privilege of presenting at conferences, participating in a roundtable, serving on the CLE committee and eventually becoming Chair of the Law Clerks Section.
I have genuinely enjoyed every one of these roles and look forward to each new invitation OTLA graciously extends.
What advice would you give to new OTLA members or lawyers just starting out?
Don’t hesitate to reach out! OTLA has a very engaged community of individuals that are more than happy to share their knowledge and experiences. If you have a question, post on the Listserve. If you need want to know more about a specific issue, reach out to the OTLA staff. If you need advice, introduce yourself to the other members.
The OTLA community is vibrant and willing to help one another provide the very best of our clients, firms and members. Take advantage of all OTLA has to offer.
What does being part of the OTLA community mean to you?
Looking back, I think what I value most about OTLA is that it has given me a community of people who are willing to share their knowledge, open doors, answer questions and encourage one another. What began as a daunting second career has become a profession I am genuinely proud to be part of.