Law Times

PAGE 6 COMMENT AUGUST 25 / September 1, 2008 • Law times Law Times Group Publisher ....... Karen Lorimer Associate Publisher ...... Gail J. Cohen Editor ............ Gretchen Drummie Associate Editor ......... Robert Todd Copy Editor ............ Matt LaForge CaseLaw Editor ...... Jennifer Wright Art Director .......... Alicia Adamson Production Co-ordinator . . Catherine Giles Electronic Production Specialist ............. Derek Welford Advertising Sales .... Kimberlee Pascoe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Liotta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rose Noonan Sales Co-ordinator ......... Sandy Shutt ©Law Times Inc. 2008 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or stored in a retrieval system without written permission. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily those of the publisher. Information presented is compiled from sources believed to be accurate, however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Law Times Inc. disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication. Editorial Obiter Technology: not just for the pups way. To wit, our experience at the recent Canadian Bar Association/Canadian Corporate Counsel annual meetings and judicial forum. CLB Media is "going video" in a big C way. To that end, we gamely offered to be a guinea pig and take along a new mini-cam to Quebec City where the lawyers and judges were gathering. It was to be the Editor's Vlog (video blog), using, as some dubbed it, the Gretch- cam; the tool with which we would show our readers the inside story. For the news, of course one would still turn to Law Times pages. But, our project would be gathering the scoop on what typically gets left out for space, married to a visual perspective. Kind've a mirror image of the same event. Let's be clear: it's a daunting pros- pect for this old dog, who was trained to report armed with a Bic pen and a notebook, with only rain or frigid an you teach an old dog new tricks? Yes, but not without some rough bumps along the climes playing havoc with the ink . . . and for that there's always pencil. For two days, the Gretchcam in tow, we diligently created a diary of our travels for those who couldn't be there. Familiar faces like past law soci- ety treasurer Gavin MacKenzie paused for a chat. We captured some of the glistening eyes of those who heard the inspiring words of Maya Angelou. Via the nifty device we were taking you to the opening ceremonies at the lovely Musée National des Beaux-arts. Legal Expo exhibitors proudly strutted their stuff for our flirtatious Cyclops. We even caught up with former prime minister Jean Chrétien, who looked into Gretchcam's eye and took that now-notorious swat at Prime Min- ister Stephen Harper for his decision to give the Olympics a pass. Then, our new best friend winked at Justice Minister Rob Nicholson while lawyers lined up in a Q & A to pitch him some great questions. As the videos mounted, it was like a visual banquet of smiling faces: our "stars" were naturals before this tiny, unobtrusive camera. We became smug at the ease with which we'd adopted this newfound tal- ent. And with "guides" taking us inside the conferences — intrepid reporter Robert Todd and account manager Kimberlee Pascoe — the grizzled cam operator could stay behind the scenes. And then, on the final night, disas- ter. Gretchcam ate her work. Everything was deleted in a blink. If there's a word worse than devastation, that's it. (The fact that it was mid way through the round of traditional law firm receptions is purely coincidental.) This was the first time this old dog has lost the content of an assignment. It was like losing the reporter's note- book; you just don't do it. But, after a brief mourning period, we decided to get back to it and sal- vage something. Isn't that what it's all about? The new vlog would be trun- cated, but it would tell a story just the same, simply a different perspective. Take a read of Todd's story on page 5, where he writes about one of the CBA workshops in which a pair of Ontario judges point to technology as a partial solution to access to justice issues — with a simple trip to your neighbourhood electronics store. Technology is a fantastic thing. Many of the Expo booths were touting amaz- ing new products to make lawyers' lives easier. Heck, lawyers and journalists have a lot in common; technology is invading our lives at warp speed. And so, while some old dogs can certainly be absolved for initial heebie- jeebies, they can, and should, learn new tricks. Even if it means doing something twice. — Gretchen Drummie Ed Note: On www.lawtimesnews.com take a peek at the salvaged Editor's Vlog. Our apologies go out to those who par- ticipated in the project, but fell victim to the hungry Gretchcam. "Mr. Amyot, we didn't warn you that you may be put on the spot by the benchers. You are free to answer that if you wish." my remarks and question after Bernard Amyot, then president of the Canadian Bar Association, addressed a recent Convocation. You see, I never forget why T I am repeatedly elected as a bencher and the milieu in which I practise. In Toronto there are so many lawyers that I often deal with colleagues I have never met before, and most of them are sole practitioners like me, or are from small firms. Invariably, be- fore we deal with the matter at hand, they ask me about the law society and thank me for the sole practice and small-firm perspec- tive I bring to Osgoode Hall. And so, the speech the CBA hat comment by then- treasurer Gavin MacKenzie was precipitated by president gave to Convocation left me cold. He mentioned as- sociate retention, the need to re- inforce the independence of the bar, the request for clear guide- lines on ethical issues, and the erosion of respect for the law. He talked of the respective roles of the law society and the bar asso- ciation, the image of lawyers, how new structures in England have impinged on the bar's independ- ence, the CBA's task force on con- flicts of interest, and assaults on the rule of law here and abroad. Undoubtedly all these issues are important, but for me Amyot may as well have talked about "shoes and ships and sealing wax and cabbages and kings, and why the sea is boiling hot and whether pigs have wings" (from The Walrus and the Carpenter, by Lewis Carroll). In my own comments I ac- knowledged that the CBA, along with its Ontario branch, is a fine and valuable organization. Many Remember the little guy Bencher's Diary By Gary Lloyd Gottlieb sole practitioners and small-firm lawyers lead lives of professional isolation and the bar association, with its various sections, national and provincial, and programs, provides valuable networking op- portunities and legal education. Indeed, one of my many re- grets is not having joined the CBA earlier in my career. There are many lawyers, however, mostly sole and small-firm prac- titioners, who do not belong. So I simply wanted to know what the CBA and its Ontario branch are doing to reach out to these lawyers. What are they doing to make themselves more economically accessible www.lawtimesnews.com Law Times Inc. 240 Edward Street, Aurora, ON • L4G 3S9 Tel: 905-841-6481 • Fax: 905-727-0017 www.lawtimesnews.com President: Stuart J. Morrison Publications Mail Agreement Number 40762529 • ISSN 0847-5083 Law Times is published 40 times a year by Law Times Inc. 240 Edward St., Aurora, Ont. L4G 3S9 905-841-6481. lawtimes@clbmedia.ca CIRCULATIONS & SUBSCRIPTIONS $141.75 per year in Canada (GST incl., GST Reg. #R121351134) and US$266.25 for foreign addresses. Single copies are $3.55 Circulation inquiries, postal returns and address changes should include a copy of the mailing label(s) and should be sent to Law Times Inc. 240 Edward St., Aurora, Ont. L4G 3S9. Return postage guaranteed. Contact Helen Steenkamer at: hsteenkamer@clbmedia.ca or Tel: 905-713-4376 • Toll free: 1-888-743-3551 or Fax: 905-841-4357. ADVERTISING Advertising inquiries and materials should be directed to Sales, Law Times, 240 Edward St., Aurora, Ont. L4G 3S9 or call Karen Lorimer at 905-713-4339 klorimer@clbmedia.ca, Kimberlee Pascoe at 905- 713-4342 kpascoe@clbmedia.ca, or Kathy Liotta at 905-713- 4340 kliotta@clbmedia.ca or Sandy Shutt at 905-713-4337 sshutt@clbmedia.ca or Rose Noonan at 905-726-5444 rnoonan@clbmedia.ca Law Times is printed on newsprint containing 25-30 per cent post-consumer recycled materials. Please recycle this newspaper. to lawyers who cannot afford the expense of joining? Over six years ago I wrote about this issue ("CBA mem- bership: too rich for my blood." Bencher's Diary, Law Times, Jan. 7, 2002). What I said then still holds true today, even more so. In 2002 it cost $465.09 to belong to the CBA, now it's $634.83, with the lion's share ($501.90 plus GST) going to the national organization. That is still only a down payment. There are additional fees to join sec- tions you are interested in, as well as the cost of attending various programs, dinners, and meet- ings. For many of us attending the CBA's annual conference, worthwhile as it may be, is also beyond our economic reach. In 2002, CBA membership was already becoming unafford- able to lawyers in the trenches. I told the CBA executive loud and clear that if they have not already priced their membership out of the range of the ordinary lawyer, they will do it for sure if they continue to raise their fees. There is an economic pyramid in our profession, with sole prac- titioners and small-firm lawyers forming the bulk of those at the bottom. The research of the law so- ciety's task force on sole and small- firm practitioners recognized this already anecdotally known truth. The law society has reduced fees for certain categories of members, and LawPro has a structure allowing certain law- yers to pay a reduced premium. It is time for the CBA to step up to the plate and make its membership economically ac- cessible to lawyers who cannot afford to belong. LT Gary Lloyd Gottlieb, a Toronto sole practitioner, is a Law Society of Upper Canada bencher. His e-mail address is glgqc@interlog.com.

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