The Law Foundation of Ontario is pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Bowker to the Class Proceedings Committee.
Elizabeth is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer and a Partner at Stieber Berlach LLP. She has argued at the Supreme Court of Canada, the Courts of Appeal in Ontario and New Brunswick, Ontario courts, and multiple administrative tribunals. She represents clients involved in wide-ranging issues including class actions, professional liability, products liability, medical malpractice, municipal liability, employment practices, and insurance coverage.
“We are very pleased to welcome Elizabeth to the Class Proceedings Committee,” says John Brown, the Committee’s Chair and the Legal and Strategic Advisor, Indigenous Initiatives at McCarthy Tétrault. “The Committee, and our access to justice mandate broadly, will benefit from Elizabeth’s measured approach and her diverse and complex litigation experience.”
Elizabeth received a JD from the University of Toronto and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2002. Prior to articling, she was a legal intern with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She is a frequent speaker at conferences for professional organizations and insurance companies. She chairs the boards of both a not-for-profit corporation and a charitable organization. Away from the law, Elizabeth performs with and choreographs for a Toronto dance company.
Elizabeth joins the Committee, replacing Wendy Earle who stepped down in 2023. The Foundation and Committee thank Wendy for her significant contribution over her 17 years of service as a former Chair and member of the Committee.
The Class Proceedings Committee is responsible for making decisions about whether applicant class action plaintiffs will receive support from the Class Proceedings Fund. Both the Fund and Committee were established in 1992 as an amendment under the Law Society Act. The Fund provides financial support to approved class action plaintiffs for legal disbursements and indemnifies plaintiffs for costs that may be awarded against them in funded proceedings. The Fund promotes access to justice by enabling plaintiffs to fully pursue their claims.
The Law Foundation of Ontario provided a $500,000 endowment to establish the Class Proceedings Fund and supports the work of the Class Proceedings Committee by administering the Class Proceedings Fund. The Class Proceedings Committee has five members, one appointed by each of The Law Foundation of Ontario and the Attorney General of Ontario, and three appointed jointly.
