The Community

Written by lawyers for lawyers, by its very nature JUST. is an extension of the OBA community. Learn how your peers are dealing with common challenges; read about the struggles and achievements of your favourite legal icons and hear what other lawyers have to say about the state of affairs within the legal profession.  This section is all about learning, sharing and exchanging, lawyer to lawyer.

Today
Today
Doug Downey

Attorney General Doug Downey – At Home at Queen’s Park

  • June 26, 2019
  • OBA Staff

With his June 20th appointment as Attorney General for Ontario, Downey assumes a critical role in cabinet, acting as Chief Law Officer of the Crown responsible for the administration of justice in the province. For those who’ve worked alongside him, his rapid rise comes as no surprise.

Black man staring off contemplatively

Why Vote in the Bencher Election?

  • March 14, 2019
  • Emily Sinkins

When voting opens for the 2019 Law Society of Ontario Bencher Election in mid-April, eligible voters will have a robust roster of 128 lawyer candidates, nearly half of whom are OBA members, from which to choose. With issues like access to justice, the articling crisis, and the competency and reputation of lawyers looming large, participating in the election is not only your opportunity to effect improvements, it is your responsibility.

Cartoon images of people with color swirls going from head to head

Where Goodwill Meets Great Will Interest

  • November 29, 2018

When trusts and estates lawyer Rebecca Fisch ventured outside her own neighbourhood to lead a Make a Will Month session in a traditionally underserved area, she discovered a community eager for legal resources and appreciative of the opportunity to better understand the importance of careful estate-planning.

Young lady standing confidently holding tablet

8 Essential Ingredients to Make the Most of First-Year Law School

  • November 28, 2018
  • Heather Donkers and Dana Lue

Heather Donkers and Dana Lue, chairs of the OBA’s Student Section and Young Lawyers Division - Central executives, respectively, offer advice from the other side about how to maximize the first-year experience while maintaining a healthy perspective.

RODA conference signboard

Seeing Diverse Lawyers Survive and Thrive

  • November 26, 2018
  • Sabrina A. Bandali

This year's RODA conference, held in partnership with the OBA, Accelerating a Culture Shift in the Legal Profession, took a fresh approach to advancing diversity by focusing on hot topics that have been making headlines in the media and waves in the legal profession.

Cartoon of Comedian holding a mike with spotlights

A Legal Career’s Comic Turn

  • August 23, 2018
  • Marcel Strigberger

A former lawyer, now fulltime humourist makes a case for laughter in the practice of law and the pursuit of a second act.