Together Leading for the Future

by Miriam Maisonville

Advocacy for the profession is one of the most fundamental roles the CBA performs. But what exactly does that mean? A prime example of the culmination of years of advocacy occurred on November 2, 2008 when Premier Campbell announced that the Provincial government will be acting on the CBABC’s recommendation that RRSPs, RRIFs and similar retirement savings instruments be protected from seizure by creditors. Numerous people worked hard and helped see this idea to fruition. But that was all it took initially – the idea and the CBABC. Those ideas and looking to the future are what we need. Grass roots or central, sole practitioner or large firm – we want your ideas because it is through our ideas and the work toward them now, that we can continue to make this profession better for the future.

In the short time I have been President I have been contacted with a number of ideas by enthusiastic members and I hope, in earnest, those ideas will keep coming.

The CBABC, however, is more than a place to have input on ideas – stewardship of ideas and initiatives, the continuation of work on those ideas set in motion is an integral part of the process. Stewardship includes carrying through with the ideas of those members that may take years to accomplish, for it is very rare that in the space of one year an idea can be followed through. This ensures that great ideas continue to be worked on, promoted and advanced.

What are some of those ideas right now? Interest relief for students’ loans going through to cover the articling year is one example. We know from our members that some are graduating from Law Faculties under crushing student loans, some as high as $100,000 and beyond. The effect of this is felt throughout the profession because many graduates do not feel it is an option to consider accepting anything but the highest paying jobs which are usually in the urban centres. More frequently than not these gains by the larger centres are the rural area’s losses.

Our goal is to think into the future – to try to identify ways to help the profession before a crisis is upon us.

In my travels throughout the province I have heard the concerns of many of the lawyers in the smaller centres. Upon retirement they are not getting the younger lawyers to replace them. Yet the work is there and potential clients search for legal assistance. Many in rural area practices are turning away work.

What can we, the CBABC do to help? We can continue to come up with ideas and ways to help attract junior lawyers to smaller centres, people who may not have considered work and a life in a smaller centre. One ideal way of demonstrating to our young lawyers that life outside the bigger centres can be wonderful is to have a taste of that lifestyle. What better way to do that than through the articling year spent in a smaller centre. Now with the Shared Articling Registry developed by the CBABC with wonderful support from the Law Society of B.C. (www.lawsociety.bc.ca), practitioners in the smaller centres who never thought their practices were sufficiently varied or large enough to have an articled student can now have an articled student for a determined period of time enabling the student to complete the articling process in a community that before may not have had enough practitioners able to offer articles.

I ask you to consider getting involved. Join a Section, join a committee – share your ideas, those great ones you can be sure the CBABC will take up and follow them through.

This article was published in the December 2008 issue of BarTalk. © 2008 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.