THUNDER BAY — It's only 2023, but Katy Commisso already knows she will become president of the Ontario Bar Association in 2025.
As the newly-elected second vice-president of the OBA, the Thunder Bay-based lawyer is in line to assume the top job in two years.
It will be the first time in more than 50 years that the association has been led by a lawyer from Northwestern Ontario.
"It's a huge accomplishment for me professionally... I'm thrilled to take on this new role," Commisso said in an interview with Dougall Media. "It's about time that there's a president from the Northwest."
Commisso, a litigation lawyer and partner at Buset LLP, graduated in the charter class of Lakehead University's Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, where she's also been a clinical instructor for 2nd year students since 2020.
"The practice of law is a very demanding career, and it's a constant adjustment. I can say from experience that being a member of organizations like the OBA provides such a vital support to lawyers in those challenges. I'm grateful to be able to take on more of a leadership role within that organization."
The Ontario Bar Association is the voice of the profession and has about 16,000 members.
Commisso said it provides numerous professional development opportunities, and also advocates various policy initiatives on behalf of the province's lawyers.
"Right now, the OBA is really active in areas like court modernization, access to justice, dealing with civil backlogs. So, really, we strive to help lawyers and to make sure we are supporting them in their professional lives."
She feels a personal commitment, she said, to supporting young lawyers and ensuring that the association maintains a strong leadership pipeline.
Commisso added that this an interesting time in the field of law, because "there's a lot going on in terms of innovation and artificial intelligence, and what that means for lawyers," so she expects that will be a focus of hers as well.
