20 Years and 20 Stories | Steve Coroza

“Do not be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and try doing a variety of work during your legal career. Variety in practice allows you to see other points of view.”

I was appointed to the Superior Court of Justice in July of 2013. I also served with the Ontario Court of Justice (St. Catharines) for three years when I was appointed to that Court in December of 2009. Prior to my appointment to the bench, I was a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice and Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

Each judge brings to the job his or her unique perspective. My parents who immigrated here in 1969 from the Philippines have shaped my perspective. They have motivated me to work hard, respect others and persistence. I have also been fortunate to have a number of mentors in the bar and on the bench who have given me many opportunities to succeed and share the same values that my parents instilled in me.

I have my LLM from OsgoodePD, and have been involved with The Osgoode Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop (ITAW) for a number of years. At the end of the course, participants conduct a trial before a judge with a jury (selected from friends and families). As a judge who has presided over these final trials, I find the comments provided by the jurors to be the most rewarding and informative. I am always amazed at how much you learn from the jurors who are listening to the presentations by the lawyers. I am also inspired and impressed by the quality of the participants who take the course. I learn just as much from them as I do teaching with other very good instructors.

There is nothing more rewarding than receiving a note or message from a participant who has told you that you have made a difference or that a connection has been made and that he or she is able to take a point or two from the course.