The Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) was formed in 1991 by lawyers acting for plaintiffs. Our purpose is to promote access to justice for all Ontarians, preserve and improve the civil justice system, and advocate for the rights of those who have suffered injury and losses as the result of wrongdoing by others, while at the same time advocating strongly for safety initiatives.
Our mandate is:
To fearlessly champion, through the pursuit of the highest standards of advocacy, the cause of those who have suffered injury or injustice.
As an association of lawyers acting for plaintiffs, our organization has over 1,400 members who are dedicated to our work across the province and country. OTLA is comprised of lawyers, law clerks, articling students and law students from Ontario. We also have out-of-province members who are lawyers from Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, along with the United States. Together we work in our local communities to ensure equal accessibility to justice, full and fair protection of the rights of those who have suffered injury and the safety of all.