Law Times

www.lawtimesnews.com By anasTasiya Jogal Law Times olicitors aren't the only ones concerned about their level of representation at Convocation. A few young lawyers running in the election say they also want in with one of them starting a Twitter hashtag, #young- lawyerswantin, to press the issue. "A lot of young lawyers have felt for a number of years that the law society and the benchers who are elected to govern the profes- sion and make policy decisions in the public interest are very much distant and out of touch with the needs of young lawyers," says Re- natta Austin, a 28-year-old lawyer and bencher can- didate in Toronto. The 40 people elected to govern the profession are often "of the same or similar vintage, from similar so- cioeconomic backgrounds, with well established ca- reers, and they are very much far removed from the needs and the realities of young lawyers in the profes- sion who are increasingly young, increasingly female, increasingly racialized, increasingly sexually diverse, and diverse in a number of different areas including socioeconomic backgrounds," she adds. Another recent law school graduate, Toronto law- yer Morgan Sim, also feels young practitioners are facing significant new challenges. "These very, very senior lawyers are really the first to admit and to tell young lawyers that the circumstances of the profession have changed dramatically, par- ticularly for young lawyers, since they were young lawyers." Sim, who's voting in the bencher election for the first time and is only in her second year of practice as an associate at Pinto Wray James LLP, says she has al- ready become aware of the lack of diversity at Convocation. "I am hoping that all of this talk will materialize into votes," she says. Others, however, worry that while issues related to age and di- versity are important, the focus on them can some- times take away from a more important concern: im- partial and transparent governance of the profession. "I think it's a misapprehension of the role of the law society to say that their interests aren't represented," says Derry Millar, a former treasurer of the law so- ciety. "It's the public interest that needs to be repre- sented, but having said that I think that it would be best if the profession . . . [if ] Convocation had lawyers elected from all parts of the profession. I think Con- vocation ideally should reflect the profession within diversity with age, et cetera, but once you are there, you are there to regulate in the public's interest." LT young lawyers seek bigger presence at Convocation THE LAW SOCIETY OF UPPER CANADA BENCHER ELECTION 2015 Law Times • March 30, 2015 Page 17 X 2015 BENCHER ELECTION TANYA WALKER Experience will contribute to change. www.tcwalkerlawyers.com/bencher • Access to the Profession Efficiencies in the Judicial System • Fiscal Prudence • Diversity My focus is on raising new solutions to existing and emerging issues: Untitled-3 1 2015-03-10 2:08 PM lots of in-house counsel running in 2015 By Jennifer BroWn Law Times hile almost 100 lawyers have put their names for- ward to run for bencher of the Law Society of Up- per Canada, only a handful of them are in-house or public sector lawyers. But an ambitious few say it's time there was greater represen- tation from the in-house bar on the LSUC's governing body. "In-house lawyers have traditionally been underrepresented at Convocation. We need more in-house benchers," says Dan Revington, general counsel at the Workplace Safety & Insurance Appeals Tribunal. "Having practised both in a law firm and in-house, I believe in-house counsel have some significant advantages when it comes to being a bencher," says Revington. "Lawyers typically are not trained in management; however, in-house lawyers often find themselves assuming a managerial role on a day-to-day basis as well as having to constantly work in committees and with other departments." Kimberly Graber, head of legal services for DHL Canada, says in-house lawyers offer a perspective that comes from a dif- ferent lens than most of the benchers at Convocation. "The issues faced by Convocation in the coming term are varied and the decisions made will affect all members despite their individual roles," says Graber. "I have a particular interest in issues of access to justice, eq- uity and aboriginal issues, as well as the issue of inter-jurisdic- tional mobility," she says. Diversity and equity issues are a top concern for David Smagata, vice president for claims and underwriting and chief legal officer at DAS Canada. Smagata has served as chairman of the law society's equity advisory group. "I really enjoyed that work and running for bencher is something that's always been in the back of my mind. I know very few in-house counsel are benchers. I see that often a lot of lawyers who are in-house who don't feel represented and say they aren't voting," he says. Incumbent bencher candidate and public sector lawyer Jef- frey Lem says that for in-house lawyers, it can be difficult to carve out the time needed to be a dedicated bencher. "Of all of the lawyers out there, it is most difficult for in-house counsel and government lawyers to participate in the bencher process," says Lem. "In-house counsel are an integral part of the day-to-day busi- ness of their clients. I live government all day long." Lem says there's "tons" of work on 20 different committees and notes private practitioners have more flexibility to do it. "That's what makes it a tough time commitment," says Lem. "Our employers also tend not to see the value to the profession. Firms understand the value of having a bencher in the ranks. For a lawyer working in-house, it's a tougher sell." LT W S Renatta Austin hopes young lawyers will make gains in the upcoming bencher elections. Contact CarswellMedia@thomsonreuters.com for details. RECRUITING? POST YOUR POSITION ON GREAT RATES. GREAT REACH. GREAT RESULTS.

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