Law Times

lAw Times • April 16, 2012 NEWS New coaching program 'really filling a gap' Return to practice A BY MEREDITH MORRISON For Law Times new career-coaching program for female lawyers gap for women," according to a member of the Women' sociation of Ontario board. "It' is an active step," says association s a very purposeful step, this vice president Kathryn Hendrikx of the new Law Society of Upper Canada program launched this month. Th e program off ers six hours of coaching by professional career counsellors to women who are practising law at small fi rms with fi ve lawyers or less or have a sole practice. Th e hours break down into two before going on leave, two during, and two aſt er they come back. Th e extended leave refers to maternity or compassionate care leave. Th e coaching is free and confi - dential. "Although the law society is paying for the coaching, the relationship and the confi den- tiality is between the coach and the woman lawyer, Symes, a law society bencher and co-chairwoman of the return to practice working group. "So there is no concern, then, that what the woman is saying about how she is struggling or her uncertainty or whatever is ever going to get back to the law society or is ever going to get back to her employer. It' " says Beth not going to happen." Th e coaches are all s just something Symes says wasn't a conscious decision. "Th at' the program has found coaches in all corners of the province who can provide service in both French and English. Th is new eff ort will cost the LSUC an estimated $126,000 per year, according to law society communications adviser Denise McCourtie. Th e LSUC expects about 60 applied," she notes. In addition, female, s who "I believe executor insurance should now be recommended for every estate. It's smart security for both executor and the lawyer." Ian M. Hull Hull & Hull LLP leave is "really fi lling a s Law As- on extended are aren't specifi c to lawyers. Th e LSUC program has expensive, however, and been in the works for ap- proximately three years, says Symes. She and her colleagues involved in the working group went around the province ask- ing female lawyers what kind of support they wished they had and what they think they could benefi t from. Th ey also discussed the problems they face when going on an extend- ed leave from legal practice. Many lawyers noted they had the most diffi culty with time management. "It' age your time in a targeted way so that you can be a great lawyer and a great parent," says Hendrikx. "Otherwise, you fl ounder, you fl ounder around fi guring out how to do both." Gaynor Roger, a partner at Shibley Righton LLP who has s about learning to man- The new program ensures confidentiality, says Beth Symes. experienced maternity leave and handles some of the human re- sources duties there, says there' also the uncertainty around the s workload lawyers are coming back to. "Oſt en, it' up because your fi les have been redistributed or your clients have not been able to deal with a vacancy there or you come back and it' s either slow to start whelming because there hasn't been anybody to deal with your work while you've been away. It always seems to be one or the other and trying to fi t that in with the whole parenting thing can oſt en be diffi cult." Other issues experienced s completely over- six hours of career coaching to fe- male lawyers for about fi ve years. Th e LSUC adopted the six hours gram comes from a more estab- lished version of it in Manitoba. Th e regulator there has off ered by women lawyers included decreased confi dence in their abilities and loss of knowledge and networks, says Symes. Th e model for the new pro- because the program seemed to be working there and addressed the three stages of a leave. "It is designed to empower women by providing advice be- fore, during, and aſt er their leaves and assisting in maintaining the viability of small fi rms and sole practices, which are the primary gateway to the justice system for most Ontarians," says McCourtie of the new LSUC eff ort. Women in law oſt en fi nd it hard to stay in the fi eld and many exit the profession when they have their second child, says Symes. Hendrikx, however, says it' important to help women stay in the legal fi eld because "there are issues that are served well by men and there are issues that are served well by women. Th ere needs to be a representation within the pro- fession. Only women can have children, so the biological neces- sity shouldn't take women out of the professional pool. s " LT PAGE 3 www.ERASSURE.com women will be eligible for the pro- gram this year, Bencher Janet Mi- nor noted in a recent news release. Th ere are other programs that aim to help female professionals reintegrate into their fi elds aſt er a leave. Th ey include ReConnect at the Richard Ivey School of Busi- ness at the University of Western Ontario. Many of the programs The new best practice in estate law Protect yourself by protecting your clients with ERASSURE Executor Insurance. The legal climate is changing in Canada, putting your executor clients at increased risk of being sued. As an estate lawyer, you consequently face greater risk as well in two main ways: 1. If the executor does not have adequate resources or insurance to cover their liability, you and your professional E&O coverage could be the next target for a claim from the beneficiaries. 2. If you have failed to communicate to your executor clients about their personal liability and the availability of executor insurance, they could sue you if they have an uninsured claim for damages. Put ERASSURE® between your client and your professional E&O coverage – on every estate. Call 1-855-636-3777 to book a 10-minute orientation about implementing this best practice today. ERASSURE is the exclusive Preferred Supplier of executor insurance for Canadian Bar Association members. trademark of Estate Risk Protection Plan Inc. ERASSURE® is a registered Untitled-1 1 www.lawtimesnews.com 12-02-07 9:38 AM

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