The legal profession in Canada is in a period of major change. Once insulated, law has become one of the most competitive markets in the new normal.[1] In today’s evolving legal market, lawyers will require a new type of training to develop the skill set required to seize and participate confidently in this ‘new normal’…
If there is one unfortunate corporate theme for defining the first 16 years of this Century, it may well be corporate greed, negligence and malfeasance[1]. Many of the biggest corporate scandals in history happened during this time period, including: Enron (2001), HIH Insurance (2001), WorldCom (2002), Freddie Mac mortgage scandal (2003), AIG accounting scandal (2005),…
Leadership matters. In nearly every aspect of public and private life, the ability to inspire others to work towards positive and ethical change is critical to the success of organizations, businesses, political and governmental institutions, and communities. People want to believe in the ability of their leaders to guide change and achieve success. The same…
We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. ― Winston Churchill 10. Turkey – frontline personnel: 410,500; budget: $18.2 billion. 9. United Kingdom – frontline personnel: 146,980; budget: $60.5 billion. 8. Italy – frontline personnel: 320,000; budget: $34 billion. 7. South…
Surveys continue to find “overwhelming evidence that stress, anxiety and burnout are the most prevalent issues affecting the legal profession”, and that work life balance “remains a key issue for lawyers”.[1] Five early signs of chronic stress include:[2] Overreacting and snapping at people. Losing your sense of humour. Thinking about work 24/7. Decreased satisfaction. Life…
I was recently speaking with a good friend and respected civil trial lawyer. During our conversation we talked about litigation generally and trials and administrative hearings specifically. The discussion came around to the topic of whether some novice and intermediate litigation lawyers may be actively avoiding trials (to the detriment of their clients in some…
To be a lawyer in the legal profession is a privilege. Nevertheless, the profession of law is challenging. Deadlines are relentless and constant, and the hours long and taxing. There are demanding clients, partners, colleagues, opposing counsel and judges. Female lawyers may “face their own particular set of challenges. Even with the changing role of…
Our family loves pizza. Not Neapolitan pizza, or hipster pizza, or the latest pizza of the month. Real pizza, or what is often affectionately referred to as old school pizza. Fully loaded pepperoni and cheese (although we traditionalists won’t say no to adding mushroom and bacon). The secret to a good pizza is in the…
The Canadian Universities Reciprocal Insurance Exchange (CURIE) is an insurer for universities in Canada. CURIE provides universities with insurance coverage, risk management services, and essential knowledge sharing and insight. Coverage includes legal liability and defence costs.[1] Universities are covered for professional liability, which is a sophisticated way of saying they have insurance for legal claims…
There is no typical lawyer. With specialization there are substantial differences in workload, client interaction, work environment, compensation and overall quality of life. In addition, the legal profession and economy has changed substantially even since I was called to the Bar in 1990. There are no guarantees today to a successful practice, a job, or…
