Law Times

W ith the media facing diffi cult times, the fact that a publica- tion like Law Times continues to thrive a er 25 years is some- thing to celebrate. So on the next few pages, you'll fi nd what's hopefully an eye-opening and engaging look back at 25 years of this paper. It's been fascinating to read the past issues. What's clear is it was always a great paper. With a mix of news stories about the profession you likely wouldn't fi nd elsewhere and extensive coverage of the cases lawyers need to know about, Law Times has long been a great read. A er all, as you'll see on these pages, we were the pub- lication that told you about former attorney general How- ard Hampton's battles with then-deputy attorney general Mary Hogan. And, of course, we always covered the big ap- peal cases, the latest from the various Ontario courts, and the laws and rules aff ecting the profession. e aim is to cover the stories lawyers are talking about as well as the ones you need to know about for your practice. Hopefully, the in- formation assists you in your work. Taking a look back is both comforting and sometimes sobering. As you'll see, many things haven't changed, such as the fact the profession con- tinues to worry about the retention of women lawyers in private practice. But while many of those things need to change, it's somewhat comfort- ing to know we're in many ways still the same despite all of the advancements in technology we think have fundamentally altered our society. As for Law Times itself, many things have changed. e paper was o en much thicker, which makes me won- der how the editors managed to get it out each week with manual production systems and things like hard-copy photos. At the same time, some aspects of the work have gotten more diffi cult. People like Hogan regularly gave in- terviews with the paper and it was actually possible to talk to some of the people who ran the justice system rather than relying on government spokespeople whose role hardly seems to be to promote openness and transparency. at's not their fault as it's ob- vious the head bureaucrats and politicians have made that decision, but it's too bad. Gov- ernments should recognize constituents have a right to know about what they do and that the information they hold isn't theirs (subject, of course, to legitimate privacy and other considerations). Regardless of those challenges, it's still our job to fi nd a way to get the stories you want and need to know about. What has remained consis- tent is the profession's willing- ness to engage with Law Times. Lawyers have long made themselves available to talk to us, a fact that still amazes me given how busy they are. It helps us bring the news to you, and we thank you for that and for continuing to read Law Times in our various formats. How we deliver the news to you may change — whether it's in real time on our blog with analysis later in print on or via our various digital channels — but we'll keep bringing you the stories you want and need to know about. LT L aw school tuition may be higher, gay marriage is now legal, and lawyers — including those who do legal aid work — may earn more per hour, but it's clear lots of the issues and concerns that were on the agenda during the early years of Law Times remain relevant today. Take the status of women in the legal profession. " ey are bright. ey are ethi- cal. ey are hardworking. Everything a client would want in a lawyer. So why has a sociologist, a er interviewing 30 women practising law in the Toronto area, been le feeling that too many are being driven out of the profession?" at was from a Law Times story in See Judges, page 10 See Legal, page 18 l aw TIMes Celebrating 25 years The more things change... WHAT'S INSIDE The rise of the boutique law firm Page 11 Big events in key practice areas Page 12 Remember when? A look at some of the major stories and scandals since 1990 Page 16 The more they stay the same O ne of the interesting things about looking back at Law Times over the last 25 years was how little many things have changed. While many of the is- sues people were talking about in 1990 have remained on the agenda, some of the fi ner points about how lawyers, law fi rms, and the justice system operate have evolved. Take technology, for instance. A cute anecdote was the battle between Toronto fi rm Ruby & Edwardh over faxes sent by the Department of Justice. In late 1990, Melvyn Green of the fi rm sent the federal department a note telling it to stop sending Legendary attorney general Ian Scott, pictured in the Feb. 5, 1990, edition, accepts a Law Times T-shirt at a brunch launching Ontario's newest legal publication. With him was the then-publisher of Law Times, Stuart Morrison. l aw TIMes Then and now: Our photo archives show how some prominent people have changed over the years Page 9 By Glenn Kauth By Glenn Kauth By Glenn Kauth

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