2026 Annual Mary Lou Benotto Award for Excellence in Family Law

Aaron M Franks has been named the 2026 recipient of the Annual Mary Lou Benotto Award for Excellence in Family Law.  

This award was established by the Honourable Michael Tulloch, the Chief Justice of Ontario, in recognition of the Honourable Mary Lou Benotto for her exceptional contributions to family law and process innovations.

Each year, this award will be presented to an Ontario lawyer who has distinguished themselves in family law, including but not limited to the context of separation/divorce, adoption, and child protection.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Criteria for selecting the recipient the recipient of the award will include a demonstrated commitment to:

• family law process innovation;
• skillful advocacy either in litigation or in an alternative dispute resolution context;
• civility and professionalism;
• the importance of giving back to the profession and the community by teaching, mentoring and/or pro bono work.

We are very happy to celebrate Aaron's well-deserved recognition!