I cannot imagine a better family judicial appointment than that of our former intern and mediate393 roster mediator, Justice Victoria Starr.
I first met Victoria when she was an articling student and I was a young family lawyer. Victoria proved that you can always have influence, no matter how young and inexperienced you can be. She was smart, passionate, committed and “real”. She helped me in my fledgling family law practice enormously.
Victoria started her family law practice in earnest right after that and she never looked back. Justice Starr has practised exclusively in family law and child protection. For the past seven years, she has managed her own firm, Starr Family Law, Barristers and Solicitors. She is also a certified collaborative family law lawyer, accredited mediator and arbitrator.
Justice Starr was one of our best roster mediators at mediate393, where she provided her expert dispute resolution services to our free and subsidized mediation program. She was a frequent and generous speaker and teacher to mediators in training. To say she will be missed is a huge understatement.
Justice Starr’s commitment to justice has been exemplified through her work as a panel member for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, representing children in child protection cases. She has also taught at Centennial College, and been a spokesperson for the Alliance for Sustainable Legal Aid. Justice Starr has volunteered with the Halton Women’s Centre, speaking on a range of topics including youth and the law, conflict resolution, violence against women, and family law.
Justice Starr’s contributions to the legal profession are further demonstrated through her role as past chair of the Family Lawyers Association and vice-chair of the Ontario Bar Association’s Family Law Section. I am certain that her energy, commitment and ability to get things done will be sorely missed by many.
However, the bench is the place for people like Victoria Starr. That is where she will make her greatest contributions. While we will miss Justice Starr’s integrity and perseverance as a roster mediator at mediate393, we are sure she will bring these qualities and more to her well-deserved judgeship. We wish her all the best at the OCJ.
