The winners were honoured for their outstanding work Thursday evening at Toronto’s Liberty Grand
Lexpert has announced the 2025 winners of the annual Lexpert Rising Stars Awards – a cohort of lawyers aged 40 and under who have made extraordinary contributions to the legal profession via their work at law firms, legal departments, and organizations.
The winners were first revealed Thursday evening at the Liberty Grand in Toronto, where nearly 500 guests registered to fête their peers and colleagues. Jennifer Hsiung, co-anchor of CP24 Breakfast, Toronto’s most-watched morning show, hosted the celebrations.
View the list of Lexpert Rising Stars winners here.
Reflecting on his win, OPTrust associate general counsel Aaron Sigal told Lexpert, “It is such an honour to be recognized by Lexpert as a Rising Star in the Canadian legal community, especially alongside exceptional peers and leading lawyers in their fields.
“This is particularly true for lawyers like myself in the in-house space – it [is] gratifying that our work is being appreciated as cutting-edge and complex as we work closely with our colleagues in private practice to advance our organizations’ goals,” Sigal added. “It isn’t normally my style to focus on awards, but I am extremely grateful to have been acknowledged amongst this group.”
The success of this year’s awards is thanks in no small part to our sponsors, which include some of Canada’s most prominent law and professional services firms.
“At Cassels, we know the legal industry's future depends on nurturing diverse and talented professionals,” said Kristin Taylor, managing partner at silver sponsor Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. “We value Lexpert’s recognition of the Canadian legal leaders of tomorrow through the Rising Star awards – and we are proud to take part in celebrating their achievements each year.”
Shara Roy, chief legal counsel at EY Canada, said, “We are proud to support the Lexpert Rising Stars Awards this year as they celebrate the next generation of legal leaders who are driving innovation and excellence in the profession, particularly in the in-house community.
Roy added, “Recognizing emerging talent aligns with our commitment to fostering diverse perspectives and building a stronger, more inclusive legal community.”
Lexpert and Canadian Lawyer extend a warm thank you to our other sponsors, including event partner Dye & Durham and gold sponsor Langlois Lawyers.
The Lexpert Rising Stars Awards were also supported by silver sponsors Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, McMillan LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright, and Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP, education partner Osgoode Hall Law School, and our media partners and supporting organizations: Black Law Students Association, Korean Canadian Lawyers Association, and South Asian Bar Association.
