William Kaplan has been appointed as the Law Society of Upper Canada’s newest bencher at today’s Convocation.
With just two months until the next election, he could be in for one of the shortest terms in the law society’s history.
Kaplan replaced Glenn Hainey in the Toronto region after he was appointed to the bench. The law society simply moves down the list from the last election in 2007 to select replacement benchers, but Kaplan’s name is not among those who put themselves forward for election in the list of candidates unveiled last week.
Kaplan, a Toronto lawyer, arbitrator, and mediator, can now add an extra line to an already bulging resumé. After collecting law degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School, the University of Toronto and Stanford Law School, he was a professor at the University of Ottawa. He has also written more than 15 books, including a biography of former Supreme Court justice Ivan Rand and another on the Airbus affair.
“Although I have to confess, I myself have only read two,” said Treasurer Laurie Pawlitza while welcoming him to the fold.
Hainey was appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto after just 2 1/2 years as a bencher. He filled the spot vacated by Derry Millar when he became treasurer in 2008. During his short time at the law society, he led the efforts that resulted in the civility protocols for judges and chaired the professional regulation committee.
“He will be sorely missed,” Pawlitza said. “In the relatively short time he was here, he contributed enormously to the work of the law society.”
