The Art of Practice

For lawyers with a higher calling, effective practice is an art. Check in for regular case summaries, practice points, client service tips and more.

Today
Today
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Practice Motivation for Solo Practitioners

  • March 13, 2024
  • Rajen Akalu

Solo practitioners tend to be motivated self-starters; however, given the demands of working at personal capacity, they are often acutely aware of their limitations. By way of encouragement, Rajen Akalu offers sole practitioners a reminder of why they should be respected by the legal profession and selected by clients in the market for legal services.

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Enhancing Client Service and Lawyer Wellness through Trauma-Informed Lawyering

  • November 30, 2023
  • Jakob Wenzel

Understanding and addressing the impact of trauma on clients and practitioners is crucial for compassionate and effective representation. In a recent program jointly hosted by the OBA’s Elder Law Section and Family Law Section, experts in the fields of law, mental health and academia offered valuable insights and strategies to enrich legal services with a trauma-informed approach.

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Build as You Go – and Four Other things you Should Know Before Opening Your Firm

  • November 30, 2023
  • Emily Sinkins

No firm is the same, but there are common keys to establishing a successful enterprise uniquely yours while building a solid reputation and stepping up client service. Sparing would-be sole and small-firm practitioners potential missteps or missed opportunities, OBA members from a variety of practice areas share what they wish they'd known before setting out on their own.

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Name and Gender Marker Changes In Ontario: A primer for lawyers

  • November 30, 2023
  • Amy Chen (she/her), Rachel Allen (she/her)

Those looking to change their name and gender markers often face hurdles that cannot be navigated without lawyers. Underscoring the importance of Trans ID clinics, this article offers an introduction to a lawyer's involvement in assisting individuals with their change of name or change of gender marker applications for Ontario documentation.

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Recent Amendments to Canada’s Official Languages Act

  • November 30, 2023
  • Kenza Salah

On June 20, 2023, amendments to the Official Languages Act received Royal Assent as part of Bill C-13. Kenza Salah provides a high-level overview of some of the new provisions that should be of interest to lawyers.

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Ransomware Attack Readiness in the Public Sector

  • August 31, 2023
  • James Kosa and Natalie Bravo

With cybercrime on the rise and its perpetrators increasingly savvy and difficult to catch, organizations must take a multi-pronged approach to protecting themselves. For public-sector entities, the threat of ransomware attacks, a cybercrime that can create considerable harm, not only demands constant vigilance but poses unique considerations in terms of prevention and response.

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Good Legal Writing: What’s the Point?

  • August 30, 2023
  • Shelley Appleby-Ostroff

For more than 20 years, point-first writing has been touted as one of the most powerful legal writing techniques. But, what does it really mean to write point first – and why should you do it?

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The Benefits of Using a Life Care Plan Report in Estate Planning and Litigations

  • August 30, 2023
  • Sponsored article by Galit Liffshiz MA OT Reg.(Ont), certified life care planner/designated capacity assessor

When advising clients whose families include special needs beneficiaries on establishing a Will or getting insurance coverage, there may be obligations to make special considerations, such as homecare services requirements, in which cases life care planners can be a good addition to the team of advisors.