Features
What’s my coverage when working pro bono?
In Ontario there is a pressing need for legal services that can be accessed by low-income and disadvantaged persons. Many lawyers are stepping up and trying to address this gap through free services, discounted fees, or providing legal education to members of the public. Whenever legal services are being provided to the public, however, it… Read More »
Categories: 2016 September A2J, Access to Justice, Articles, Features, LAWPRO policy, Pro bonoSo you want to start an A2J initiative? Here’s what you need to know about insurance
Lawyers and others in Ontario continue to conceive and champion initiatives aimed at bringing justice into the public’s reach. LawPRO is committed to supporting that innovation, and is eager to participate in the A2J conversation. This article outlines our perspective. Why an insurance perspective? Crucial for many A2J initiatives is finding lawyers who want to… Read More »
Categories: 2016 September A2J, Access to Justice, Articles, Features, LAWPRO policyArtificial intelligence and the “self-driving” lawyer
We all look forward to the day when we can jump in a vehicle that will drive itself to our desired destination. And while self-driving vehicles have been in our imaginations for many decades, vehicles from Tesla and others with driving-assistance technology suggest fully autonomous self-driving cars will be a reality in the not too… Read More »
Categories: 2016 September A2J, Articles, Features, Future of law, Legal TechnologyLimited scope representation: With the right safeguards, possibilities abound
A self-represented family law litigant anxiously prepares for a hearing, which can resolve months, if not years, of anxiety, and determine the litigant’s financial and family affairs in the near future. Retaining a lawyer from cradle to grave is out of budget for this litigant. What to do? Relief is around the corner – a… Read More »
Categories: 2016 September A2J, Access to Justice, Articles, Civil Litigation, Communications Errors, Family, Features, Inadequate Investigation, Limited scope retainer/unbundlingAlternative fee arrangements in litigation
In recent years more focus has turned to alternative fee arrangements as a way to offer clients more predictable costs and affordable legal services. Hughes Amys LLP, based out of Hamilton and Toronto, offers alternative fee arrangements which have proven successful for them. Here is a look at how they’ve done it. “We’ve been doing… Read More »
Categories: 2016 September A2J, Articles, Civil Litigation, Features, Finances, RetainersProviding high quality service to Indigenous clients
Just as the final research for this article was being completed in November, newly-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his Cabinet, including the appointment of Jody Wilson-Raybould as Minister of Justice and Attorney General. The next morning, a cautiously hopeful mood filled the room as a group of Aboriginal lawyers gathered at the Law Society… Read More »
Categories: 2016 January Indigenous, Aboriginal, Articles, Communications Errors, Dabbling, Diversity, Failure to Know The Law, Features, Inadequate Investigation, Indigenous clientsPotential claims related to serving Indigenous clients
We hope that January 2016 issue of LAWPRO Magazine has contributed to your understanding of the incredible breadth and complexity of “Aboriginal law.” We would not be fulfilling our risk management mandate, however, if we didn’t contribute our own perspective as claims prevention specialists. To avoid claims, lawyers need to know how they develop. What… Read More »
Categories: 2016 January Indigenous, Aboriginal, Articles, Communications Errors, Failure to Know The Law, Features, Inadequate Investigation, Indigenous clients, Practice TipsThe clock is ticking on Rule 48 dismissals
Pre-2012 matters not set down will be automatically dismissed January 1, 2017 As we begin the New Year, it’s a good time to review your litigation files and make sure they are proceeding as appropriate. The clock is ticking! Remember, under the new Rule 48.14 of the Rules of Civil Procedure, matters commenced before January… Read More »
Categories: 2016 January Indigenous, Admin dismissals/Rule 48, Articles, Civil Litigation, Features, Time ManagementFrom crisis to innovation: 20 years of LAWPRO professional liability insurance
Twenty years ago, an investigative task force appointed by the Law Society of Upper Canada made a sobering discovery: the fund established to pay for professional indemnity claims against Ontario lawyers was underfunded by over $200 million dollars. The resulting crisis presented the bar in Ontario with one of the most serious challenges in its history…. Read More »
Categories: 2015 February - LAWPRO 20th, Articles, Errors & Omissions, Features, LAWPRO policyPast 40 years marked by a changing mix of lawyers
Ontario’s legal profession has experienced significant changes over the last 40 years. In the mid-1970s a critical mass of women began joining the profession in record numbers. Then, in the 1980s, lawyers from Aboriginal, Francophone and equality-seeking communities began entering the profession. Today, the province’s legal profession continues to grow and evolve at a rapid… Read More »
Categories: 2014 September Diversity, Articles, Diversity, Features