Transition Supervisory Officer Biography
Paul Boniferro is an insightful, courageous and trusted executive leader and advisor, known for his political acumen, negotiations skills, stellar reputation, and his ability to drive solutions through both technology and talent management. A labour and employment lawyer with executive-level experience in both the private and public sector, he has lead teams of up to 8,000 people and overseen budgets in the order of $2 billion.
Most recently, Paul was Ontario’s Deputy Attorney General, where he carefully managed the relationships with significant and complex stakeholders, developed and implemented a multi-year strategy aimed at operational efficiencies within the Ministry, and was the Senior Crown Law Advisor to Government on all matters. His responsibilities included the administration of all adjudicative tribunals, the administration of criminal, civil and family courts, and legal and legislative drafting for all Government and key provincial agencies such as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission, Legal Aid Ontario and the Human Rights Commission. In addition, his team provided legal services across Government and was responsible for administering various statutes within over 30 ministries and agencies. Key accomplishments in this role included leading the Government’s approach to the legalization of cannabis, the revisioning of civilian oversight in Ontario policing through the Ontario Police Services Act, 2019, and the representation of Ontario in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. He was also the legal lead on the constitutional challenge resulting from the Better Local Government Act, 2018, which saw the provincial government reduce the size of Toronto City Council.
Prior to being appointed Deputy Attorney General, Paul was the National Leader of People and Practices and served on the Board of Partners at McCarthy Tétrault, Canada’s premier full-service law firm, where he practiced for over 22 years. In this role, he co-managed the 600-lawyer firm with the CEO and was responsible for all practice groups and people development issues including recruitment and retention, compensation structures, disputes, and the allocation of profits. In addition, he worked closely with the senior executive team on long-term strategic planning, performance management, marketing and crisis management, financial planning, and budgeting. Paul led the firm’s Labour and Employment practice group in this area and was involved in some of the country’s highest profile collective bargaining and other negotiations both in the private and public sector including the LCBO, Hydro One, Cadillac Fairview, and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
A proud native of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Paul holds a Bachelor of Public Administration Policy from Western University, and a law degree from Osgoode Hall. He is called to the bar in both Ontario and Alberta. Committed to the community and giving back, he has also been on the Algoma University Board of Governors, Capital Campaign Board of Casey House, Fit Spirit Foundation Board, and the Board of Directors at Friends of Ruby (previously Egale Youth Services).
