Reflecting on 2025: Gratitude, Growth, and What's Emerging

Now that 2025 has closed, I find myself pausing to reflect—not just on what we accomplished this year, but on the relationships and trust that made all of it possible.

To every client who walked through our doors (virtual or otherwise) this year: thank you. Thank you for trusting us with your stories, your fears, your fights. The work we do at Bird Bolt Law exists because of you; because you chose to stand up, to push back, to demand better from your workplaces and institutions. That takes courage. We don't take lightly the honour of standing beside you.

What Grew This Year

This year, we saw what's possible when we move at the speed of trust.

We achieved favourable decisions at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, moments that remind us why this work matters. We reached settlements and resolutions that gave our clients what they needed to move forward, to heal, to close painful chapters. Every single one of those outcomes was built on collaboration: with our clients, with their support systems, and sometimes even with opposing parties willing to do the right thing.

We also deepened our commitment to challenging unjust laws. Bird Bolt Law currently has three active Charter litigation files—cases that challenge laws breaching the equality rights of Ontarians and Canadians. This work is slow and demanding, but we believe that small, persistent actions create ripples. We'll be pushing these cases forward in 2026, and we're honoured to be part of this larger movement for justice.

What's Emerging

I'm thrilled to share some news: Bird Bolt Law has found its nest.

This spring, we'll be moving into our own brick-and-mortar space in downtown Hamilton. We take possession on March 1st, and we'll share more details in the coming months. But here's what I can tell you now: this space will be more than an office. It will be a place to build and nurture a feminist, social justice community right here in Hamilton. A gathering place. A space for conversation, education, and collective action.

We'll also be growing our team shortly - more on that soon. What you pay attention to grows, and we've been paying attention to building something sustainable, something rooted in care.

Community as the Centre

One of the things I'm most proud of is the community work that happens alongside—and because of—the legal work.

Many of you may not know that I serve as Chair of LEAF Hamilton, the local branch of the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund. LEAF is a national organisation that uses litigation, law reform, and public education to advance the rights of women and gender-diverse people in Canada. Here in Hamilton, we hold community events that educate and bring people together to discuss injustice, plan action, and improve access to justice. These conversations matter. They're where movements begin.

I also serve on the Board of Directors of YWCA Hamilton, an organisation doing critical work for women and families in our community. This coming May, Bird Bolt Law will once again sponsor the Public Service Award at YWCA Hamilton's Women of Distinction Awards—our second year as the sole sponsor of this category.

Why this award? Because public service is often invisible labour. It's the people who show up for their communities without recognition, without platforms, without applause. It's the advocates, the organisers, the quiet leaders making change in ways that don't make headlines. Honouring that work aligns with everything we believe at Bird Bolt Law: that justice is collective, that the people closest to the problem are closest to the solution, and that the contributions that matter most are often the ones we don't see.

Looking Ahead

As we step into 2026, I'm filled with gratitude and with possibility.

We don't know exactly what this year will bring. But we trust the process. We trust that the relationships we've built will guide us toward the work that needs doing. We trust that small, intentional steps will continue to create meaningful change.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Thank you for trusting Bird Bolt Law. Thank you for believing, as we do, that the law can be a tool for empathy, for justice, for transformation.

Here's to what emerges next.

With warmth and gratitude,

Nicole Biros-Bolton
Principal Lawyer, Bird Bolt Law