Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Advocacy | November 25, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of November 17
Province Targets Child Support from Impaired Drivers: Building on recent measures passed in the Safer Roads and Communities Act, 2024, the Ford government is developing new measures that would require impaired drivers to pay ongoing child support if they kill a child's parent or guardian. Attorney General Doug Downey explained in a statement that, "our government is looking at practical solutions that can ease their [surviving children's] burden in the wake of such tragedies and provide financial stability for children who are left behind."
Article | November 25, 2025
The Client Who Changed Me: A Lawyer’s Reflection on Parental Leave
Parental leave is often described as time away from one’s career, but for many lawyers, it becomes an unexpected chapter of growth, clarity, and transformation. In this candid reflection, Jessica Byles-Nolet shares how stepping back from practice during her first year of motherhood reshaped her understanding of identity, ambition, and balance. What began as a fear of losing her professional edge evolved into a profound realization: that legal skills can be strengthened outside the office, and that presence—both at home and at work—requires intention. Her story offers encouragement to lawyers navigating parental leave and redefining what it means to thrive.
Article | November 24, 2025
Think Bigger: Three Things I Wish I Could Tell My Younger Self
In this deeply personal reflection, Dr. Ningjing (Natalie) Zhang revisits her journey from living in a women’s shelter to becoming an immigration and refugee lawyer in Ontario. Inspired by a recent GROWL gathering, she shares three lessons she wishes she could give her younger self — lessons shaped by hardship, resilience, mentorship, and growth. This article invites lawyers, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, to rethink belonging, reject comparison, and embrace their unique stories as sources of strength.
Advocacy | November 14, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of November 10
Ontario Fall Economic Statement: The Ontario government tabled their Fall Economic Statement on Thursday providing updates on their plan to "Protect Ontario". The projected deficit is down by $1.1 billion compared to the projections in the 2025 budget, while the unemployment rate is expected to rise by 1%, to 7.8%. The government still plans to balance the books by 2027-28.
Legislative Update | November 07, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of November 3
Ontario Fall Economic Statement: The Ontario government tabled their Fall Economic Statement on Thursday providing updates on their plan to "Protect Ontario". The projected deficit is down by $1.1 billion compared to the projections in the 2025 budget, while the unemployment rate is expected to rise by 1%, to 7.8%. The government still plans to balance the books by 2027-28.
