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20 www.canadianlawyermag.com TOP 25 MOST INFLUENTIAL LAWYERS 2024 THE 15TH EDITION of Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers celebrates the most deserving legal professionals making immense contributions nationwide through their leadership in 2024. From a qualified nominee pool of 114 and 12,647 votes cast, the publication's rigorous selection process revealed a profound truth. There isn't a single set of qualities that will make a lawyer influential in Canada in 2024, and multiple paths can lead to signif- icant influence in Canadian law. "What strikes me about the people who end up on the list is that they're a uniquely diverse group doing exceptional work in many fields and from many platforms," says Janice Rubin, a former Most Influen- tial Lawyer award winner and partner at Rubin Thomlinson LPP, whose valuable input helped choose this year's honorees as a member of CL's editorial panel. As in years past, readers' votes of support determined a short list of candi- dates presented to editorial board members tasked with casting a vote for a maximum of five winners who demonstrated extraor- dinary impact within the past 18 months in their respective categories: COUNSEL OF CHAMPIONS • changemakers • human rights, advocacy, and criminal law • business • in-house • government, non-profits, associations, judiciary Regarding the nominations for the Most Influential Lawyers list, Rubin points out the genuine and sustained annual interest and participation within the country's legal community. Veteran editorial board member Lorne O'Reilly, lead counsel at Dow Canada, emphasizes that it's essential to recognize "I strongly advocate for my client and also recognize I'm not the smartest in the room. You get further by working collaboratively with others" David Sowemimo, WatchMaker Injury Law the people who do make their mark. He notes that, at its base, the winners' leadership skills are the foundation for influence, along with: • expertise, knowledge, and reputation • innovation and idea advocacy • presence and style • involvement in causes • being thought leaders and doers "Each year, there is consistency in quality and contributions," he says. "The influen- tial lawyers are impacting national issues, contributing to education and mentorship, SPECIAL REPORT