Ontario Bar Association Wins International Award for Effective Use of Technology

  • July 28, 2016

Institute 2016 AwardThe Ontario Bar Association (OBA), representing more than 16,000 lawyers working in the province, has won an international award for its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to the legal profession. OBA Institute 2016, the association’s signature CPD event has been recognized with an Award of Outstanding Achievement in the “Technology” category from the Association For Continuing Legal Education (ACLEA).

OBA Institute 2016, ran from February 2 – 6 as Canada’s largest annual legal gathering. Technology was successfully used this year to bring approximately 2,000 lawyers from across the province together for a week of high quality continuing professional development and networking.

“I am thrilled with this acknowledgement,” says OBA President Ed Upenieks. “For its 41st year, we knew that a greater use of technology was the key to ensuring OBA Institute would remain accessible, convenient, useful and relevant to lawyers throughout Ontario.”

Holding live in-person programs in two places at the same time, fully interactive two-way hubs allowed speakers and participants to be in Toronto and Ottawa for the same program. They were also able to meet, exchange ideas, share diverse perspectives, and discuss the most recent legal issues in addition to networking in person with local lawyers.

Through the use of technology, the 410 kilometres between the two venues disappeared, merging them into one dynamic conversation. All 33 programs during the event were webcast with live chat resulting in the programming being accessible to all lawyers in Ontario and beyond. This also allowed webcast participants to hear from, and ask questions of, speakers presenting in both Ottawa and Toronto. Visit OBA Institute 2016 to learn more

This use of technology will be applied to future CPD programs including the upcoming Ottawa/Toronto Construction Lien Law Evening and OBA Institute 2017 in February 2017. Learn more at OBA.org/PD.

ACLEA’s awards program recognizes and celebrates the contributions of professional member organizations.  The award was presented on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at ACLEA’s Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA.

The Ontario Bar Association, a branch of the Canadian Bar Association, is the largest voluntary legal association in Ontario and represents more than 16,000 members from across the province.

For more information:

Gordon Smith, OBA Manager, Media Relations and Communications

416-869-1047 x 364 or gsmith@oba.org