Law Times

Law Times • February 22, 2016 Page 3 www.lawtimesnews.com LSUC establishes new mentoring program NEIL ETIENNE Law Times T he Law Society of Upper Canada has approved a major mentoring and ca- reer-coaching program. The Law Practice Coach and Advisor Initiative, launched in 2013, received final approval during Convocation in the final days of January. "It's not intended that this is going to be a kind of box that we fill at the beginning and leave it in place; it's going to develop or- ganically from a very slow start and we're going to kind of feel our way along as we go," said Peter Wardle, chairman of the LSUC Mentoring and Advisory Services Proposal Task Force that led the initiative. To kick-start the program, the society will establish a separate coach and advisor unit within its Professional Development and Competence department. A lead co-ordinator will be hired by April, according to the final report to Convocation. Wardle said the initiative will cost $250,000 for 2016. He said it was not included in the 2016 budget cycle, so the funding re- quired to get the program started this year will have to come from the budget's $1-million contin- gency fund. As part of getting the program established, the task force did a review of mentoring and advisory programs already available in the province, not just by the LSUC, said chairwoman Jacqueline Hor- vat. She said the review focused on fellow legal organizations to determine what gaps may exist or where there may be duplication. "There is ample evidence to support the need and the desire for a more coherent professions- wide commitment to enhancing coaching and advising for law- yers and paralegals throughout the province," Horvat said. She said the law society's role will not focus on being the sole provider of mentoring supports but to help facilitate a more "sys- temic province- and practice-ar- eas-wide approach" in partnership with other legal organizations. A list of volunteer advisors and coaches from the LSUC ros- ter as well as from peer organi- zations will be created, and the LSUC will act as the facilitator in connecting lawyers and parale- gals with those groups. The primary focus in the first few years will be in assist- ing sole or small practitioners, racialized and young licensees, and those looking to create a succession plan, said Horvat. Professionals in the areas of fam- ily, criminal, real estate, civil liti- gation, and wills and estates will also be the key focus at the start, although as Wardle pointed out, "This is not intended in any way to restrict us from being inclusive and being open to moving into new areas as needs arise." Wardle told Convocation that costs for the program are not fi- nalized. He said funding for the first year includes $200,000 to hire a staff member to lead and develop the support systems, training modules, and coaching content. An additional $50,000 will help cover training coaches, setting up the required technology, and cov- ering advisor or coach expenses. In the second year, it's fore- casted that the program will cost an estimated $490,000, to cover additional staff and increased programming. By 2018, it's ex- pected the program will cost $600,000, including costs for an- other administrator to be added. Wardle explained costs will increase as the program develops, but those costs will be included in the regular budget cycle come the 2017 financial year. "We may be back to you in the future with a request for more money, but this, at this point in time, is what we think is realistic to develop the project and start laying it out," Wardle said. Horvat said the program will work with mentoring programs already in place, like those pro- vided by organizations such as the Advocates' Society, the Ontario Bar Association, the Criminal Lawyers Association, and others. Short-term advisor supports available to lawyers and parale- gals through the program include access to professionals who can respond to immediate questions, such as file-specific questions or ethical dilemmas, Horvat said. Longer-term coaching sup- ports will focus more on men- toring and helping new lawyers learn best practices and access networking opportunities. Any coaches or advisors who volunteer to take part will be eli- gible to claim a portion or up to their entire 12 required annual continuing professional develop- ment hours. Wardle added one of the great strengths of the initiative will be the f lexibility through technol- ogy, meaning the coaches or pro- tégés can meet remotely rather than being forced to come to downtown Toronto. He said the use of technology will allow for f lexible meetings, such as having one coach for a group of younger lawyers on a specific issue via webcast. There will also be periodic reviews of how the initiative is working, Wardle said. Ryan Campbell, a law society Early Career Roundtable mem- ber and associate with DLA Piper (Canada) LLP who was called to the bar in 2011, says the plan is an important one in providing access to coaching and advice for younger lawyers, especially those in more remote locations. "I think some of the proposals are positive steps to improve the access to mentorship for younger lawyers," he says. "The implementation of this is going to be a continuing learn- ing experience; it's clear there will need to be further dialogue and constant reassessment as the pro- gram is implemented, to ensure it is meeting its desired objective." LT NEWS The Law Society of Upper Canada, founded in 1797, is the oldest and largest of all Canadian law societies. As a self-governing regulator funded through annual lawyer and paralegal fees, the Law Society has a duty to regulate the legal professions in the public interest, to maintain and advance the cause of justice and the rule of law, to facilitate access to justice for the people of Ontario, and to act in a timely, open and efficient manner. Today, the Law Society of Upper Canada regulates, licenses and disciplines Ontario's 48,000+ lawyers and over 6,000 licensed paralegals. Central to the Law Society's primary responsibility for public protection is the effective management of processes of service-related complaints, received from the public and the courts, and the timely investigation and prosecution of more serious regulatory matters concerning unethical/dishonest conduct, competency and capacity. As Executive Director of Professional Regulation, you report to the Chief Executive Officer and are responsible for the strategic leadership and operational management of a sizable staff complement. You are licensed to practice law in Canada, and if licensed outside the Province of Ontario, you are eligible to be licensed to practice law in Ontario under current law society mobility agreements. You have a background in regulatory prosecution and have an impressive track record evidencing strong technical expertise, credibility and trust, and exemplary judgement, communication and interpersonal skills. You have a passion for the law and are attuned to emerging issues, challenges and vulnerabilities of the profession. With a continuous improvement lens, you have an eye to efficient and effective processes, building high performance teams, and engaging diverse stakeholders with openness and transparency. Your accomplishments have demonstrated your ability to successfully lead and manage change in a complex environment. You are able to bring substantive thought leadership to a vision of the future of professional regulation. Please reply in confidence, with a cover letter and current resume referencing the position, to Chris Sawyer, Principal at csawyer@amropknightsbridge.com. We appreciate your interest and will directly contact candidates under consideration. The Law Society of Upper Canada is an equal opportunity employer striving to reflect the population of Ontario. The Law Society welcomes applicants from persons representing the diversity of the legal profession and community. Executive Director, Professional Regulation The future of self-governing professional regulation amropknightsbridge.com To r o n t o M o n t r e a l H a l i f a x Untitled-2 1 2016-02-17 9:55 AM We're listening… The TitlePLUS ® program is now able to meet your higher value residential needs. 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