AWARDS
A Real Virtual Law Firm
Nicole Garton-Jones of Heritage Law was one of four inspiring nominees for the CBABC Second Annual Work Life Balance Award last month. Nicole, her three fellow lawyers and their six support staff at Heritage Law have all achieved great balance – time for their families, health and fitness, AND community involvement – by structuring themselves as a “virtual” law firm.

How does it all work? Heritage uses practice management software to manage all firm information and documents centrally. All staff log into one remote secure server over the Internet which is the repository for all firm data and software applications. Their VOIP phone system allows ten staff in ten different locations to use the same phone line and system, and they have a remote answering service to answer and route client calls during the business day appropriately.

How close is your firm to that elusive dream of the “paperless” office?

Photo caption: From left to right, Karen Redmond, Tanya Murray and Nicole Garton-Jones.

Seeking Nominees for WLF Awards
The CBABC Women Lawyers Forum is seeking nominees for two Awards: the Award of Excellence and the new Debra Van Ginkel, QC Mentoring Award. Please find the criteria and nomination forms at: www.cba.org/bc (see CBA Initiatives, CBA & CBABC Awards). Deadline for Nominations: Sept. 30, 2009.

COMMITTEE NEWS
Court Services Committee
In 2008, the CBABC Court Services Committee generated a Masters Report and a Best Practices Report (can be viewed at www.cba.org/bc). The Masters Report was presented to the Provincial Council Meeting March 7, 2009 when it was resolved to send the report to the Attorney General for consideration. The committee is pleased that the report is generating debate and, after Chief Justice Brenner heard a presentation on the report and discussed the issue with Nanaimo council members, a Master was reinstated in Nanaimo on a three month trial basis.

In December, committee members met with Assistant Deputy Minister of the Court Services Branch, Rob Wood, and provided him with a copy of the Best Practices Report. Like our committee, Mr. Wood and his Branch are motivated to establish service standards, and he reported on the process having already begun in Supreme Court. Mr. Wood and the committee have committed to continue meeting on a regular basis to move forward with this objective and to liaise on all points of interest common to the Court Services Branch, the public and our profession.

The committee invites any members with comments on any issues related to court services in their area to pass them along to www.cba.org/bc.

CONTEST
BarTalk Cover Art Competition
The first annual BarTalk Cover Art Competition gave Grade 11 and 12 students throughout the Lower Mainland the opportunity to share their opinion about the justice system in British Columbia. The competition encourage youths to learn more about justice in British Columbia while using creativity to share their understanding.

Organized as a part of Law Week 2009, the contest required students to produce cover art that followed the Law Week 2009 theme Public Confidence in the Justice System.

The winner of the competition was Heidi Wu of Little Flower Academy with her piece entitled The Scale. Ms. Wu received an iPod Shuffle as well as the publication of her portrayal of the Scales of Justice on the CBABC website. This year’s runner up, with her piece entitled Strength of Canadian Justice, was Evanna Chiew.

Photo caption: Left to right: Law 12 Teacher, Erika Ullrich; winner, Heidi Wu; runner up, Evanna Chiew; BarTalk Senior Editor, Jesse Tarbotton.

NATIONAL NEWS
Beyond Our Borders: International Focus on Access to Justice
The CBA’s International Development Committee has begun a two-year program dedicated to improving access to justice in South-East Asia and East Africa. This program will focus on key stakeholders, including the legal profession, as they address gender issues, and on increased collaboration among stakeholders.

Building on recent CBA efforts which first began in South-East Asia and East Africa in the mid-1990s, the new initiative will involve seven target countries:

Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The CBA’s international programs are funded by the federal government through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

East Africa: www.cba.org/CBA/IDP/programs/eastafrica.aspx
South-East Asia: www.cba.org/CBA/idp/programs/southeastasia.aspx

Expanded Practice Resource
CBA PracticeLink launched a brand new look that includes enhanced content and navigation for young lawyers, solo and small firm practitioners and law firm leaders. With links to our podcasts and the new Work-Life Balance Resource Centre, the redesigned site offers a more in-depth treatment of the issues that matter in your practice.

Whether you’re a lawyer concerned about growing your practice, riding out the recession, going solo, making partner, dealing with clients, or leading law firm change, you’re sure to find the strategies and advice that can benefit you.

Visit CBA PracticeLink: www.cba.org/cba/PracticeLink/Home

Identity Theft Legislation: CBA Supports the Aims of Bill S-4
The CBA supports Bill S-4’s efforts to address identity theft and related criminal activity, and recommends clarification in some of the language of the legislation. “Identity theft is a serious and growing challenge for individuals and for society as a whole,” said Daniel MacRury, Treasurer of the CBA’s National Criminal Justice Section. “We welcome the creation of new offences to help combat this difficult problem.”

To further advance the Bill’s objectives, the CBA recommends that the proposal to prohibit unauthorized possession of identity information be clarified: for example, around the word “reckless,” which has been open to some interpretive difficulty. Daniel MacRury presented the submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on June 3.

News release: www.cba.org/CBA/News/2009_Releases/2009-06-03-Identity-Theft.aspx
Submission: www.cba.org/CBA/submissions/pdf/09-31-eng.pdf

Human Rights Award
The deadline for nominations for the Tarnopolsky award is August 15. Named in honour of the late Walter S. Tarnopolsky, a talented human rights advocate and scholar, the award recognizes a resident of Canada who has made an outstanding contribution to domestic or international human rights.

Details: www.cba.org/CBA/Awards/walter_human_rights

Minimum Sentences for Drug Offences Opposed
The CBA opposes Bill C-15, amendments to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, arguing that the legislation would create a complicated system of escalating mandatory minimum sentences for drug-related offences that would not be an effective deterrent to crime.

“The CBA suggests that public safety concerns can be met with existing laws,” explained Sarah Inness of Winnipeg, member of the CBA’s National Criminal Justice Section. “The Bill could create unjust and disproportionate sentences and ultimately would not achieve its intended goal of greater public safety.”

Sarah Inness presented the CBA submission to the Standing committee on Justice and Human Rights on May 13.

News release: www.cba.org/CBA/News/2009_Releases/2009-05-13-Bill-C-15.aspx
Submission: www.cba.org/CBA/submissions/pdf/09-27-eng.pdf

PROGRAM
CBA Mentorship Program Helps Law Students
The CBA Mentorship Program is both a great way for lawyers to get involved in the community and for law students to gain an inside perspective on the legal profession. As a mentor, you will be matched with a student who is interested in your area of practice. You are encouraged to interact with each other in the manner that best suits you both, which could include discussing files, observing court appearances or talking about the life and work balance in the legal profession. From gaining a new perspective and appreciation for the practice of law and fostering long-lasting professional relationships and networks with future colleagues, both mentors and mentees enjoy benefits from participating in the Mentorship Program.

Interested lawyers can contact the CBA Student Reps: Joanna Dawson at ubc.mentorship@bccba.org or Paul Evans at uvic.mentorship@bccba.org. This is a fantastic opportunity to help out aspiring lawyers and to encourage CBA membership.

SERVICE
Lawyer Referral Service
“Something happened and it’s bad. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know who to talk to.”

Often when a legal problem arises, many people have no idea where to turn, let alone which lawyer to turn to. That’s where the Lawyer Referral Service steps in. People are referred to a lawyer for a $25 half-hour consultation. It may not seem like a lot, but for many people it’s the only way they’ll ever get before a lawyer and learn what rights they have in their situation. After the initial half hour, standard rates apply, but the job of the Lawyer Referral Service is done – a client is matched with a competent lawyer.

The Lawyer Referral Service welcomes CBA members and non-members to join. Call Lorna O’Grady at 604-646-7858.

STATS
Articles Registry
AS OF MAY 26, 2009
Number of Firms with available Articles: 5
Number of Students looking for Articles: 248
Total number of Firms to date: 94
Total number of Students to date: 365

AS OF NOVEMBER 19, 2008
Number of Firms with available Articles: 13
Number of Students looking for Articles: 127

Find the Articles Registry on the home pages of CBABC and LSBC websites.

These articles were published in the August 2009 issue of BarTalk. © 2009 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.