The Law Society of Ontario has selected Ottawa-based partner François Baril as a recipient of the Law Society Medal for 2023.

The Law Society Medal recognizes individuals for "outstanding service within the profession, where the service is in accordance with the highest ideals of the legal profession."

A leader in the Franco-Ontarian legal community, François has been a strong and effective proponent on issues related to access to justice in French. He served for over a decade on the Board of the Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario (AJEFO), including as President from 2014 to 2016. In 2019, he was awarded AJEFO's Order of Merit in recognition of his commitment and dedication to advocacy on language issues and his mentorship of the next generation of francophone lawyers.

François has been with Gowling WLG for more than 25 years. He focuses his practice largely on the health care sector, advising on issues of professional liability, professional discipline and regulatory compliance. He also advises both foreign and Canadian clients on all aspects of competition law, including merger clearance, distribution issues, pricing issues, investigations and enforcement actions.

"The Law Society Medal is a true reflection of François' lifelong devotion to the legal profession," said Wayne Warren, managing partner of Gowling WLG's Ottawa office. "Throughout his career, he has demonstrated tremendous commitment to his clients, his colleagues and our firm, and we are extremely proud of him for this remarkable achievement."

"I feel honoured that the Law Society of Ontario has selected me for this distinction," said François. "I am grateful for the unwavering support of my colleagues over the years and believe that if you surround yourself with great people, good things will happen."