Canadian Bar Association

You can’t manage what you can’t measure Retired Ontario justice proposes tying court operational data reporting to the salaries of judges running the courts to improve access to justice

Here's one way to improve access to justice: Retired Ontario judge David Brown proposes tying court operational data reporting to the salaries of judges running the courts.Read more about why you can't manage what you can't measure: https://bit.ly/3Wvnoba

Want to know how to structure financing deals that work? Sign up for our Skilled Lawyers Series on October 9 to learn how to match deal architecture to client needs before any paper is drafted.

Don't delay! https://bit.ly/4nDedBu

And here's the CBA's pre-budget letter calling on the government to prioritize the resourcing of federal courts: bit.ly/46ylKeW

Carney government warned that funding shortfall putting federal court services at risk The warning is included in the federal Courts Administration Service's annual departmental plan that was published this summer.

Efficient, functional courts are not a luxury. Charlotte McDonald, chair of the CBA's IP Section, told the Toronto Star that court delays have real impacts on people's lives: bit.ly/3W8axMh

In case you missed it ➡️ Retired Ontario judge David Brown says access to court data means access to justice on the latest episode of Verdicts and Voices.

Listen now: bit.ly/3KsLGA4

How bad are delays in Canada's courts? Retired judge David Brown says we largely don't know -- and we should. Today, on a new Verdicts & Voices, why access to data means access to justice.

Listen now: http://bit.ly/3KsLGA4

How AI has made me more productive From faster research to sharper drafts, here’s how AI is changing the way legal writing gets done

"As a law professor and lawyer, I've recently crossed a threshold in my use of AI that feels like a genuine leap in productivity." Read more in this opinion piece by Robert Diab for why he says AI has made him more productive: https://bit.ly/4gDRKlb

Who was Clara Martin? Emily Murphy? Bertha Wilson?

To begin Women's History Month, CBA President Bianca Kratt encourages all lawyers to remember these and other trailblazers: http://bit.ly/3Iy6tSf

On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, CBA President Bianca Kratt calls on legal professionals "to examine our role in reconciliation and the responsibilities we hold in shaping a more just and equitable future."

Read the full statement: http://bit.ly/46EGYql

In case you missed it: Last week on Verdicts & Voices, host Alison Crawford welcomed award-winning journalist Karin Wells for a discussion about the women behind landmark cases in Canadian law.

🎧 Listen here: https://bit.ly/4nGACO0

The latest issue of the Canadian Bar Review is out now! https://bit.ly/46NpdWW

Women who woke up the law Season two of Verdicts and Voices kicks off with a look at the Canadian history-makers profiled in a new book by lawyer Karin Wells

In the new episode of Verdicts and Voices, author Karin Wells joins host Alison Crawford to discuss how the women who helped move the legal needle in Canada.

Read more and tune into the podcast ➡️ https://bit.ly/46AqoId

"One day, she just had enough."

Welcome to Season 2 of Verdicts and Voices. To start the new season, host Alison Crawford is joined by journalist Karin Wells for a discussion about the women behind landmark cases in Canadian law.

🎧 Listen here: https://bit.ly/4nGACO0

@secondstory.bsky.social

A coach in their corner More and more Canadians can’t afford the thousands of dollars typically required to hire a lawyer. Is legal coaching the solution?

Many Canadians can't afford the thousands of dollars typically required to hire a lawyer. Some say legal coaches are a solution.

Read more about the growing demand for coaches that support "do it yourself" clients: https://bit.ly/47W1dlM

Why Canada must legally recognize femicide It’s not only about punishing perpetrators, it’s about treating gender-based violence as a public health and mental health crisis

"Violence thrives in silence, and when legal systems fail to name gender-based killings for what they are, that silence becomes state-sanctioned." Read more about why Lais Gomes says Canada must legally recognize femicide in this opinion piece: https://bit.ly/4nIFVwz

From greenwashing to greenhushing Faced with consumer-protection provisions aimed at false corporate environmental claims, some companies have stopped making them entirely

Faced with consumer-protection provisions aimed at false corporate environmental claims, some companies have stopped making them entirely. Read more about the new corporate phenomenon of "greenhushing" in CBA National: https://bit.ly/46GnBON

Canada's bail system doesn't need reverse onus legislation that will further clog our courts. Instead, we should focus on streamlining processes so courts can prioritize high-risk cases.

Read the CBA's letter to the Justice Minister: http://bit.ly/4mtyCI2

"When we support each other and lead with courage and conviction, no challenge is too daunting."

Kicking off her mandate earlier this month, CBA President Bianca Kratt K.C. shared why building resilience in the legal profession is a priority for the year ahead: bit.ly/3Kdct32

A cybersecurity bill with built-in vulnerabilities While changes have been made to improve clarity and transparency in the government’s latest proposed cyber legislation, questions and criticisms remain

While changes have been made to improve clarity and transparency in the federal government's latest proposed cyber legislation, questions and criticisms remain. Learn more in CBA National: https://bit.ly/41Z2yV2

The CBA is deeply saddened by the passing of the Hon. Bryan Williams, K.C., former CBA president. He leaves behind a profound and enduring legacy in the legal profession.

Read the full statement by current CBA President Bianca Kratt, K.C.: https://bit.ly/3K8EDwb

"If you want to find a way to enjoy your work again, you will have to make finding it a project you intentionally take on."

In September's column, Dear Advy helps a reader who, after decades in private practice, has lost their passion for work: https://bit.ly/42perDM

An essential access to justice ‘stopgap’ With legal services financially out of reach for most, Norton Rose Fulbright lawyers worked with Pro Bono Ontario again this summer

With legal services financially out of reach for most, Norton Rose Fulbright lawyers worked with Pro Bono Ontario again this summer. Read more about the program that offers free advice on civil matters: https://bit.ly/4pnvdNt

"Democracy is not a thing we possess or a stage we attain, but a process we engage in."

Read the full statement by CBA President Bianca Kratt marking the International Day of Democracy: http://bit.ly/3Kpcz7K

Throughout Parliament's fall sitting, which starts today, the CBA will advocate for the rule of law and an effective justice system. Our pre-budget submission proposes concrete ideas to relieve capacity pressures on our courts: http://bit.ly/3K1ViSc

The CBA’s head cheerleader New VP Loreley Chekay says her longtime involvement with the Association has made her a better person and lawyer

New VP Loreley Chekay says her longtime involvement with the CBA has made her a better person and lawyer. Read more about Loreley in CBA National: https://bit.ly/46byQ0g

"Every lawyer — especially every woman who has ever felt unseen or underestimated — deserves a profession that supports them, values them, and lifts them up." CBA President Bianca Kratt began her mandate with a commitment to support women in the law: bit.ly/3Kdct32

Why every law school should teach prison law Just as no legal education is complete without learning about criminal justice, no education in criminal justice is complete without learning about prison law

Just as no legal education is complete without learning about criminal justice, no education in criminal justice is complete without learning about prison law. Read more from this opinion piece in CBA National: https://bit.ly/3V8tEVO

The new CBA President Bianca Kratt, K.C. received the Chain of Office during a ceremony in Calgary on Thursday and unveiled her priorities for 2025-2026. Read more: https://bit.ly/47p7JRI

"Learning to say "no" when you need to say "no" is a skill you'll need to learn, and re-learn, and re-re-learn over the course of your career."

In last month's column, Dear Advy helped a lawyer set work boundaries at a small firm: https://bit.ly/4pcTCFE

With Canada's sovereignty and most trusted institutions facing pressure, new CBA President Bianca Kratt says the legal profession must stand firm, adapt to emerging challenges, and be equipped to safeguard the rule of law.

Read more in the Q&A with CBA National: https://bit.ly/3I4jXoi