June

Stephen Rotstein, President of the Canadian Bar Association wishes to extend his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Julia Ferguson who was attacked and stabbed while at work at a Toronto law firm on September 2. She has since succumbed to her injuries.

The CBA’s Access to Justice Subcommittee has selected Madeleine Brown as the winner of its 2021 Volunteer in Profile Award.

Blast Email - September 2021

Blast Email - September 2021

September 2021 Blast Email

Stephen Rotstein of Toronto begins his year-long tenure as President of the Canadian Bar Association today, taking the helm of the 125-year-old Association of over 36,000 lawyers, notaries, law teachers and law students across Canada. He succeeds Bradley D. Regehr, the first Indigenous person to serve as CBA President. Steeves Bujold of Montreal begins his term as Vice-President.

The Canadian Bar Association is deeply concerned about the rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban take control of the country. The fundamental human rights of all Afghans – particularly women, girls and LGBTQI+ populations – are at risk.

The American Bar Association’s Hybrid Annual Meeting in Chicago in August was a great opportunity for Canadian Bar Association President Bradley D. Regehr and CBA Interim CEO Paul D. Paton, Q.C., to celebrate the long history of collaboration between our two associations.

Lawyers have many ways to distinguish themselves within a dynamic and competitive legal marketplace. But none is more important than expertise. Staying ahead of the curve is key to career success and client satisfaction. Easier said than done, especially for busy lawyers. Fortunately, the Canadian Bar Association and its provincial branches are giving members a leg up with leading-edge professional development (PD) programs and resources that will propel you forward.

Last year my predecessor as Canadian Bar Association president, Vivene Salmon, marked Emancipation Day by asking lawyers to “reflect on how the law was complicit in upholding slavery, and to think critically about how the legacy of slavery lingers in our legal, social and economic systems.”