News

Immigration Section lawyers stepped up in the midst of the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, offering their pro bono services to help refugees, and working with the University of Ottawa’s refugee hub to help families and sponsors navigate the red tape standing between refugees and safety.

After an historically long election campaign, we’re just four days from voting day. The CBA’s own #whataboutalex campaign was a good version 1.0 of this type of outreach, providing us with a baseline of where we can take similar debates in the future. For now, remember to get out and vote on Oct. 19.

If your section, committee or forum is resolved to present a resolution at the 2016 Mid-Winter Council meeting, now’s the time to start gathering your arguments. The deadline for submitting a resolution is Dec. 7, 2015.

ubmissions and letters to government since August have run the gamut from comments on proposed intellectual property guidelines to remediation of hazards related to shipwrecks, to an offer to provide emergency pro bono services if the government agrees to expedite the processing of Syrian refugee claims.

Every fall a new executive lineup takes the helm at most of the CBA’s 31 sections and 10 forums. Here’s a little primer on what sections and forums are, what they do, and why you should get involved.

The Intervention Policy Review Committee tabled its report in June and the CBA Board has approved an interim policy based on its recommendations which will serve until Council gets a chance to officially adopt it in February.

Summer’s not even over, but already the Intellectual Property Section is looking ahead to the 8th annual IP Day, next May in Ottawa.

The CBA Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee has released updates to its guidelines for meeting ethical obligations while using technology. Legal Ethics in a Digital World provides a guide for managing the risks inherent in using technology in your practice.

The Write Your Wrong campaign, launched by the National Women Lawyers’ Forum, SOGIC and the Equality Committee, has received a number of stories from lawyers who’ve experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. It has also received a number of questions from members about the need for such a campaign.

Did you know the federal government is considering adding a voluntary supplement to the Canada Pension Plan? Or that the Ontario Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act received Royal Assent in May 2015? The CBA Pensions and Benefits Law Section has prepared an at-a-glance, one-stop summary of legal developments both at the federal and provincial level.