Toronto (October 1, 2026) – Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) celebrates Kirsten Crain, partner and chair of the Partnership Board, as the 2026 recipient of the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation.
This award recognizes one individual each year who demonstrates outstanding oral and written advocacy skills, high professional standards, strong leadership within the Civil Litigation Bar and a deep commitment to the community.
“Kirsten represents the very best of the legal profession,” says David Di Paolo, national managing partner and CEO at BLG. “She is a phenomenal litigator, a dedicated mentor and a steadfast leader. Her commitment to our clients, her leadership as chair of our Partnership Board and her ongoing mentorship of junior lawyers make her highly deserving of this recognition.”
Kirsten has built a reputation as a trusted advocate in high-stakes commercial disputes, class action proceedings, health sector matters and administrative law proceedings. She has argued trials across the country. Her trial and appellate practice is extensive and her track record includes appearances before the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Court of Appeal of Québec, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.
"She is direct without being aggressive, thorough without losing sight of what matters and calm under the kind of pressure that tests even the most experienced counsel," says Guy J. Pratte, C.M., senior counsel at BLG. "These qualities shine in the courtroom, but they are equally evident in the preparation and strategy that take place long before counsel appear before a judge."
Kirsten, a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a former director of The Advocates’ Society, invests in the legal profession through professional involvement, speaking engagements and mentorship.
“Whether she's preparing for a Supreme Court of Canada argument, navigating a complex institutional hearing or mentoring a junior associate through their first significant file, she brings the same quality of attention and the same sense of responsibility to every context,” adds The Honourable Thomas A. Cromwell, C.C., senior counsel at BLG.
Kirsten will receive the award in January 2027.
To learn more about her practice, read Kirsten Crain's full professional biography and representative matters on BLG.com.