in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 19 ,2 02 1 | 12 ON NOW AT THE BRICK!ON NOW AT THE BRICK! SAVING YOU MORESAVING YOU MORE SAVING YOU MORE SAVING YOU MORE SAVING YOU MORE For more details go instore or online @thebrick.com. NICE TO MEET YOU -- ADVERTORIAL -- John David (left) and Crystal Sutherland Personalized legal services Sutherland Marshall Professional Corporation is an award-winning law firm that offers a personalized approach to each client. Founder John David Sutherland and his team provide specialized services in real estate law, wills and estates, family law and corporate law. After being called to the bar in 2014, Sutherland began practising as a sole practitioner in downtown Toronto. In 2017, he moved his practice to Oakville - where he resides with his family. After continuous growth and success, he founded John David Sutherland Professional Corporation in 2019. That year, his wife, Crystal Sutherland joined the practice, specializing in family law and civil litigation. Crystal brings a multi- jurisdictional approach to the practice as she has dual-licensing inOntario andMichigan. In just one year, the firm earned Diamond status for Best Real Estate Law Firm in the Oakville Beaver Readers' Choice Awards. Sutherland himself won Diamond Status for Best Real Estate Lawyer in 2020. This year, Sutherlandmerged his practice with the highly accredited Oakville-based firm, The Law Offices of Thomas H. Marshall, Q.C. and Sutherland Marshall Professional Corporation came to be. Sutherland explains that the firm's approach to law is based on client trust. "We recognize that our clients are trusting us to help them with some of the most important decisions and transactions of their lives," he explains. "Even though we are a busy firm, we try to get to know our clients personally to be able to give them the best possible advice and representation." Sutherland says he's inspired every day by knowing he's built a law firm where he can provide the opportunity to help people in his community. "Be it closing a real estate deal for someone purchasing their dream home, drafting a will to give someone peace of mind that their family will be taken care of once they are gone, or helping someone with a family law issue." There is no case too big or small for Sutherland. He's committed to helping his clients and taking care of their legal needs. "Every morning when I walk into my office, I know I get to spend the day doing something that can make a difference in peoples' lives," he explains. "I find that inspiring." 344 Lakeshore Rd E., Suite D, Oakville 906-844-0464 oakvillefamilylawyer.ca complimentary 30 minute consultation 2012 Paralympics, Hawtin was told she would need surgery. Her recovery pre- vented her from training in her race wheelchair be- cause of the need to lean for- ward. Wanting to remain ac- tive and able to sit more up- right in a basketball chair, she took Chandler up on his offer. Within two years, Hawtin made the national Canada once dominated wheelchair basketball, win- ning three straight Para- lympic gold medals be- tween 1992 and 2000. Mela- nie Hawtin hopes to return Canada to its place atop the podium. Hawtin is one of five players returning from the team that finished fifth in Rio in 2016. A national team veteran, Hawtin rarely played basketball until 2012. Burlington Vipers coach Chris Chandler tried to get her to play basketball. But Hawtin had her sights set on making the Paralympics in track. Hawtin had been racing since she was five years old and qualified for the na- tional championships at 10. She was racking up medals and accolades on her way to national titles in the 100- metre, 400-metre and 1,500- metre races and re- presenting Canada at the world junior champion- ships. But months before the team and helped Canada win a gold medal at the world championships. A year later, she earned a sil- ver medal at the ParaPan- Am Games in Toronto. An injury kept Hawtin out of the 2019 ParaPan-Am Games in Peru, where Can- ada upset the United States, the reigning Paralympic champions, to take the gold. Now Hawtin and the Ca- nadian team will head to Tokyo, looking for a repeat performance. Melanie Hawtin competes against Great Britain at the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation Women's World Championships in Germany. Wheelchair Basketball Canada photo PARALYMPICS 2021 HERB GARBUTT hgarbutt@metroland.com HAWTIN SHOOTING FOR GOLD SCAN FOR MORE For more on Melanie Hawtin, scan this code.