Articles 2019

Internationally trained lawyers have different job search challenges than Canadian law students. While Canadian JD candidates have the support of their law school’s career development centre and also go through more formal student recruitment processes, internationally trained lawyers have to rely on their contacts and creativity to find a position at a firm. Here are some tips to help you in that process.

We all know that a healthy lifestyle involves lots of exercise. But no matter how hard we try to manage our time wisely, there are simply not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything we wanted to do. Naturally, when things get busy, exercising becomes the easiest thing to give up. But if you are determined to become more active, here are a few tips and tricks that I frequently use to incorporate exercise into my daily routine.

Learning the ropes of the courtroom as a junior lawyer can be an intimidating experience. With all the rest of the pressure, it's never fun to make a legal faux pas and be called out on it by the presiding judge in open court (potentially in front of your client, other lawyers, court staff and members of the public). To help you avoid these cringeworthy experiences, the Young Lawyers Division of the Ontario Bar Association was polled and came up with the following tips.

On March 23, 2016, the Ontario Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division East partnered with Dress for Success and Banana Republic to host an event at Banana Republic (Rideau Centre) entitled “A Night of Networking and Empowerment”.

On a chilly day in January, we walked along Richmond Street in Toronto’s Financial District on our way to an immigration law office. Our pace was quick due to our overwhelming excitement – on this day we would meet Yara and Lea, the Syrian refugee family we had been working for months to bring to Canada.

The Ontario provincial government recently made another set of drastic changes to the basic auto insurance coverage mandated in Ontario. The government justified this under the auspices of providing increased “choice to the consumer”. However, less than 1% of motorists in Ontario opt for additional benefits, despite the fact that the cost is relatively minor. This is important, not only for you as a lawyer, but also as a user of that insurance.

Part 1: Insurance Matters- The importance of insurance in personal injury and motor vehicle litigation cannot be understated. Insurance is the means by which an injured person is compensated for their injuries and losses. Without it, an injured person has very few (if any) alternatives. The purpose of this article is to identify what potential insurance coverage exists and how it can be accessed.

Teaching college-level legal studies is just one alternative to traditional legal practice. It can also be a rewarding way to supplement your career as a practicing lawyer. It is a career that has real value not only for the educator and future participants in the legal industry, but for the legal profession in general. What could be more rewarding than that?

A panel of four Ottawa lawyers shared their stories on how they ended up working outside of firms and offered their best advice for young lawyers who are considering an alternative legal career. The panel members included Audrey Barrett (National Judicial Institute), Deborah Bayley (Privy Council Office, Government of Canada), Erin McNamara (Scotiabank) and Stefano Taucer (Rogers Communications). Below is an overview of some of what each shared with those in attendance.

How running St. John's Bakery allowed me to expand my comfort zone.