Law Times

Law Times • augusT 10/17, 2009 NEWS PAGE 5 Robinson headlines annual CBA legal conference BY ROBERT TODD Law Times Ireland leader Mary Robinson highlights the speakers' list at this year's Canadian Bar Associa- tion legal conference. Robinson will provide the key- C note address for the conference being held in Dublin, Ireland, running from Aug. 16 through Aug. 18. Th e former Irish leader served as the country's seventh president from 1990 to 1997. She was the fi rst woman to hold the post. After leaving public life in Ireland, Robinson took up with the United Nations as high commissioner for human rights. "Th ings are gearing up quite nicely and we are happy with the results," says CBA president Guy Joubert. "We have an excellent lineup of speakers so it promises to be a typical Canadian Bar Asso- ciation Canadian legal conference in that sense. We'll have quality speakers and excellent programs." Additional speakers at this year's conference include legal in- dustry soothsayer Richard Suss- kind, whose cautionary tale Th e End of Lawyers? has caused a buzz the legal world over. Calgary-born, Osgoode Hall-trained Leonard Brody, a technology entrepreneur, business adviser, and author helps to round out the speakers' list highlighted by Robinson. "We are so excited to have her come speak and very excited to come speak to us," says con- ference chairwoman Sheilagh Murphy. "I know people who are attending the conference just based on the speakers alone." Robinson has never been one to shy away from controversial stands. As UN high commis- sioner she made headlines for travelling to Tibet, and criticiz- ing the United States for human rights abuses in the war on ter- rorism and capital punishment. She also took her own country to task on the Irish system of per- mits for non-European Union immigrants as similar to "bonded labour." Robinson stepped down from her post in 2002 amid pres- sure from the U.S. Nelson Mandela named her along with Bishop Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, and former U.S. president Jimmy Carter as members of the Elders — a group of world leaders to con- tribute their wisdom, indepen- dent leadership, and integrity to tackle some of the world's toughest problems. Robinson is also a member of the distinguished Club of Ma- drid, which lists a roster of mem- bers that includes former-Soviet ontroversial internation- al human rights advocate and former Republic of premier Mikhail Gorbachev, former U.S. president Bill Clin- ton, and former Canadian prime minister Kim Campbell. Most recently President Ba- rack Obama's administration announced it planned to honour the former Irish leader with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the U.S. However, that announce- totally consistent on this, that human rights is not on the side of either the Israelis or the Pal- estinians — it's on the side of both," she said. "If you're a hu- man rights person, you have to be fair, you have to be unbiased when you're addressing situa- tions of human rights violations. Th at's the pledge of my life and that's what I live by." exceeded expectations. Murphy says the higher than anticipated attendance fi gures are due in part to the yeoman's work done by the CBA national offi ce. When the conferences are held in Canada they have the benefi t of local bar associations to assist. Be- cause the conference is being held in Ireland they were forced to rely on the national offi ce. "But it is also an opportunity for the members of the legal pro- fession to connect with other col- leagues internationally because what is going on in Canada is not only limited to Canada." Th e conference will also be the fi nal event with Joubert as president. Kevin Carroll will take over as president. Th e part- ner at Barrie, Ont.'s Carroll I have made it absolutely clear and I've been totally consistent on this, that human rights is not on the side of either the Israelis or the Palestinians — it's on the side of both. ment raised the ire of various Jewish groups in the U.S. with the American Israel Public Af- fairs Committee saying in a statement to the Jerusalem Post, "AIPAC respectfully calls on the [Obama] administration to fi rmly, fully, and publicly repu- diate her views on Israel and her long public record of hostility and one-sided bias against the Jewish state." In response Robinson told the Irish Times, "I have made it absolutely clear and I've been Th is year's conference is being held outside North America for only the second time. In 1990, Canadian lawyers converged on London, England and based on that experience they decided to take the conference off shore again, says Murphy. In total the CBA expects 800 members of the various bars in Canada to attend the conference. While the attendance numbers may be lower than those for last year's event held in Quebec City, Murphy says registrations have Aside from speakers, the con- ference will also focus on con- tinuing legal education. Seminars will be held with an international fl avour including international minority rights, global immigra- tion strategies, and global anti- corruption compliance. "We are pleased that we are going to Ireland," says Joubert. "Th ese things are planned years and years in ahead of time and it is unfortunate that it has come at a time when there is an economic downturn. Heyd Chown LLP has served as CBA fi rst vice president for the past year. For Joubert the conference is a culmination of a year in offi ce and in the end it will be "bittersweet," however, he says there are still projects he will be part of with the CBA through the next year. "It is my swan song so to speak," says Joubert. "But I'll continue as past-president for the next year so they won't be able to get rid of me quite yet." LT Starting from $62.50 per month More value for your money! 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