Law Times

lAw Times • April 11, 2011 No vote, no matter Life benchers plan to play important role at Convocation BY OLIVIA D'ORAZIO For Law Times Banack, Gary Lloyd Gottlieb, Heather Ross, Clayton Ruby, Gerald Swaye, and Bradley Wright. As a result of governance reforms, T the fundamental diff erence between elected representatives and life bench- ers is the right to vote. While life benchers can attend and speak at Con- vocation, they can't vote on any issues raised there. Life benchers may also sit on committees where, conversely, they have the right to vote. Ross, a bencher since 1995, has sat on several committees. Currently, she's chairwoman of the Ontario Lawyers Gazette advisory board and sits on the audit committee. She's also involved in tribunals and professional develop- ment. Despite her loss of voting rights, Ross says she'll con- tinue to attend and participate when necessary at Convo- cation. "I'm interested in the development of policy as it af- fects the profession," she says. "And I bring institutional memory, which is sometimes helpful." Soon-to-be life bencher Swaye has also served the pro- fession as a bencher since 1995. Like Ross, Swaye has fi lled his time at the Law Society of Upper Canada with com- mittee work, including fi nance and heritage among others. He's also chairman of the specialist certifi cation board. Swaye also says his attendance at Osgoode Hall won't suff er. "I will attend Convocation regularly and I will at- tend committee regularly and I will assist in other duties, Graham Bennett Bencher Candidate for Central South Region Elect 'I plan to continue to be involved in the law society and to contribute my views,' says Gary Lloyd Gottlieb. his year, seven incumbents at Convocation will become life benchers: Bob Aaron, Larry particularly discipline, regularly," he says. "I will do whatever the treasurer decides he or she would like me to participate in." Fellow future life bencher Gottlieb is currently rounding out 16 years of service to the profession. Having been a member of a long list of commit- tees, he aspires to continue to have a place on some of them. "I hope to continue to serve on the heritage committee and on the professional development and competence [com- mittee]," he says. "I plan to continue to be involved in the law society and to contribute my views," Gottlieb adds. "I trust that, even though I don't have a vote, I will be given the same consideration and respect at Convocation that I am given now." Life benchers are confi dent they'll continue to play a role given the wis- dom that often comes from veterans' addresses to Convocation. "From my observations, the most signifi cant contribution that life benchers make is to the dynamism, to the discipline of Convocation," Ross says. In fact, incumbent bencher candidate Julian Porter says some of his favourite times in the past at Convocation came when listening to life benchers. "Some of the really important people in the room are the life benchers," he says. "When they speak, they have experience from times past and really have a perspective." Ross, speaking about life benchers' continuing role at Convocation, recalls a fi nal thought from the French nov- elist George Sand: "It is a mistake to regard age as a down- hill grade toward dissolution. Th e reverse is true. As one grows older, one climbs with surprising strides." Selected provisions of LSUC governance reforms Changes to the rules for who can serve at Convocation include: • End ex officio (life) bencher status for elect- ed benchers who have served 16 years as a bencher. • Grandfather all current life benchers and those who will qualify in the current bench- er term ending May 2011 and in the bench- er term ending May 2015 as ex officio life benchers. • Convocation put the maximum length of time that a person may serve as an elected bencher at 12 years. • Benchers serving 12 years who have com- pleted their terms become emeritus bench- ers. The 12 year emeritus benchers have no voting or attendance rights. • Convocation agreed to end ex officio bencher status for former treasurers as well as for former attorneys general. The LSUC will grandfather all current former attorneys general and the current attorney general when he no longer holds that position as ex officio benchers. The same applies to former treasurers. Source: Law Society of Upper Canada PAGE 13 www.grahambennettforbencher.ca ADVOC AT E FOR CHANGE Untitled-5 1 4/5/11 11:48:41 AM www.lawtimesnews.com Untitled-2 1 2/25/11 12:54:47 PM

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