LAO announces winners of expanded Sidney B. Linden Access to Justice Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award — Richard Pharand, KC

Richard Pharand, KC, is the inaugural recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his remarkable 57-year career advancing access to justice in Northern Ontario.

A graduate of the University of Ottawa, Richard joined the Legal Aid panel in 1968 and served as area director for Sudbury and Manitoulin from 1980 to 2010. Colleagues describe him as a skilled litigator, a generous mentor, and a constant champion for vulnerable clients.

He is known for being the first lawyer in Ontario to conduct a trial in both French and English, for offering free legal support to striking steelworkers over a 15-year period, and for his elected service on two school boards.

One community member recalls how Richard stepped in pro bono when her son could not afford a lawyer, successfully securing the withdrawal of charges: “a kind-hearted, generous man and a very knowledgeable and skilled lawyer.”

As Sudbury lawyer MacGregor Sinclair notes: “He has devoted his career to representing and protecting members of our community with professionalism and genuine care.”

Changemaker Award — Sandra Ka Hon Chu

Sandra Ka Hon Chu receives the inaugural Changemaker Award for her visionary leadership in driving systemic social justice and human rights reform.

As co-executive director of the HIV Legal Network, where she has held senior roles since 2007, Sandra has advanced human rights cases across multiple countries. Her advocacy on HIV nondisclosure, harm reduction, immigration law, and opposition to anti-LGBTQ legislation, has led international bodies to recommend limits on HIV criminalization, implement harm reduction measures, and reform drug laws.

Sandra also played a key role in supporting a Charter challenge opposing legislation that would have forced supervised consumption sites in Ontario to close. Her colleagues describe her as indispensable — moving “seamlessly between legal research and vast case knowledge.”

As Jenn Clamen of the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform writes: “Sandra embodies the spirit of this award — advancing access to justice through solidarity, courage, and an unrelenting commitment to equality.”

Rising Leader Award — Douglas Varrette

Douglas Varrette is the inaugural recipient of the Rising Leader Award, recognizing his exceptional early career contributions to legal aid and access to justice.

A staff lawyer at Mississauga Community Legal Services since 2022, Douglas is described by Executive Director Sabrina Karmali as an “innovative, principled, and fearless advocate” whose work shows “a level of legal sophistication well beyond his years.”

The Income Security Advocacy Centre highlights his unparalleled dedication to clients facing severe financial insecurity: “His work has profoundly impacted countless lives, allowing clients to put food on the table with dignity.”

Student Award — Jamie Holmes

Jamie Holmes receives the inaugural Student Award for her outstanding promise as a future leader in access to justice and Indigenous legal services.

An articling student in LAO’s Indigenous Services Department and a Master of Laws candidate at the University of Windsor, Jamie focuses her work on improving legal services for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis parents, children, and families.

She is also conducting research with the Law Foundation of Ontario on legal education reform related to Indigenous parents involved in the child welfare system. Her thesis explores how legal education and services can better meet the needs of Indigenous communities.

A Mohawk woman of the Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River, Jamie is praised for her dedication, intellect, and humility. Professor Gemma Smyth calls her “one of the strongest students I have ever worked with.”