Articles 2019

Technology is everywhere and is changing how we communicate and carry on our daily lives. This article highlights three technology issues that are changing the legal landscape.

On January 24th at the Alt Hotel, the Ontario Bar Association organized “Career Transitions” – an event where young lawyers had the opportunity to hear from three panelists on their individual career transitions within the practice of law.

It is never too early to start thinking about business development. Although young lawyers often see a connection between business development and advancement, few can identify concrete steps that will lead to actual revenue for their firms. Unfortunately, in our increasingly competitive industry, it is no longer good enough to do top quality legal work. The successful young lawyer must think about promoting themselves to progress through the ranks and make their pitch towards partnership.

On February 8, 2018, the Young Lawyers Division of the Ontario Bar Association hosted a CPD Program titled “How to Thrive as a Young Lawyer in Today’s Market”. This article summarizes the tips and strategies discussed at the event.

Everyone loves making resolutions for the new year— eating better, working out, and staying organized to name a few. But how about New Years resolutions for your legal practice? We have rounded up a few resolutions we recommend our young OBA-YLD lawyers to take on this year, which will kick off their career on the right foot for 2018.

There are many reasons a young lawyer may refer a file to another colleague – perhaps because the matter falls outside his or her area of expertise, involves a different jurisdiction, is the subject of a conflict, or simply cannot be taken on due to workload issues. This article provides some pointers for young lawyer on referring a file.

This spring, the Ontario Bar Association will host the 36th annual Law Day, an opportunity to educate the public about the role lawyers and the judiciary serve to guarantee an open, independent and unbiased judicial system. The OBA is looking for lawyers across Ontario to volunteer as advisors and/or judges for Law Day. As a volunteer, you will join a network of hundreds of peers to educate the public, encourage students to take on a legal profession and give back to your local community.

In Merrifield v The Attorney General, the Ontario Superior Court recognized that harassment, including workplace harassment, is an independent cause of action and awarded a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police member $140,000 in general and special damages. In her decision, Justice Vallee accepted the plaintiff's position that harassment is a tort upon which a civil claim can be commenced and set out the legal test for claims of this nature to be met.

It seems as though everybody is talking about digital currency, so we figured we would give our readers a brief overview of what all the hype is about. Lawyers should be paying attention to these developments, as opportunities abound for business development as the financial world continues its migration online.

This article discusses pursuing a career in politics and public policy, the day to day work of a political staffer, and how a career in policy differs from law.