Ronald G. Renzini LL.B.

Partner - Paquette Renzini

I first became interested in becoming a lawyer at an early age. There wasn't any one defining moment, but by grade 12 at St. Charles College, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.

I wanted to get a head start at being a lawyer, so after my 3rd year at Law School at the University of Toronto, I obtained a summer job at a law firm. I learned to search titles at the Registry Office and file court documents and get a general sense of what being a lawyer was all about.

When I started practicing as a lawyer I sort of fell into litigation because the senior partner was an experienced commercial lawyer who did real estate and corporate work. The other partner was a general practitioner who also did criminal law so I gravitated towards doing the litigation for the senior partner and assisting the other partner in his criminal cases. Over time, I developed a substantial criminal practice on my own together with my civil practice.

My main mentor was the senior partner in the firm. I learned that being a lawyer was a serious responsibility as you were dealing with important matters for your clients. I learned to be professional and careful in my dealings with clients and especially, to pay attention to detail in my work as a lawyer. I also was influenced by two lawyers who were members of the Federal and Provincial Parliament. One lawyer, James Jerome, eventually became Speaker of the House in Ottawa. The other lawyer/politician was Elmer Sopha, who was a member of the Provincial Parliament.

I believe that a lawyer learns by the example of senior practitioners. You see their professionalism in court and how they interact with their clients. Because of them, I recognized at an early stage in my career that the power of one was important and that your personality and dealings with clients made a difference.

Most lawyers try to give back to their profession. I was involved in the Sudbury and District Law Association for several years and I was President of the Law Association for one year. I have been a member of the Legal Aid Committee for many years including acting as Chairman of the Committee. This is a voluntary panel that hears appeals and listens to persons who have been denied legal aid. I always found this work rewarding and interesting.

I have had several court cases that have been reported in the Ontario Reports, a legal publication that is sent to all lawyers in Ontario. I believe that a lawyer is most proud of achieving the best result for his client and completing the work on behalf of a client. A lot of times, there can be negotiation and a resolution early in the dispute that saves the client money and stress.

I would hope to be known as a professional person who is honest and forthright with not only his clients but with the other counsel and the court. I am proud to be a lawyer and I believe that it's an honourable profession.