Annual Report 2023-2024

Message from the CBA President

Serving as President this year has been the highlight of my long involvement with the Canadian Bar Association. Taking on the role was not something I ever envisioned for myself. That said, doing so has provided me with some of the most interesting and personally rewarding experiences in my legal and volunteer careers. I am filled with gratitude. Writing this message as one of my last acts in office is a bittersweet time of reflection. It is also a time of great optimism for the future of the CBA and its position as the voice of the legal profession in Canada.

The CBA is over 40,000 members strong. Our influence, and the strength and commitment of our members, span the country. The CBA is a respected and sought-after voice in legislatures and at policy tables nationwide. I am overwhelmed by the work of our many hundreds of volunteers in advancing our shared purpose. We make significant impacts in service of the law, for the public good, and for the interests of lawyers in Canada.

My first priority as President has been to promote and protect the rule of law, including judicial independence and access to justice. I have had the opportunity to speak with lawyers, jurists and the media on these issues across the country and internationally. The issues are pervasive across jurisdictions and greatly concerning. Elected officials need to be reminded of the importance of the rule of law in maintaining our democracy and institutions of justice, and Canada’s attractiveness to international investors; those things go hand in hand. This means respect for the separation of powers, proper resourcing of the courts and the rest of the justice system, an independent and self-regulated profession, and improved access to justice for all.

Even our “kinder, gentler” politics have become more divisive. In a world where the professional journalists who remain are under constant pressure, people get their information where they can find it. Misinformation is fueling distrust in bedrock institutions. Our courts and our judges need our collective voice to address unfair criticisms and interference that they cannot address directly. All members of the legal profession must remain vigilant, proactive and outspoken in support of the rule of law. If not us, then who?

My second priority was making the CBA a welcoming environment for all prospective members. The CBA should be a safe place for lawyers from all backgrounds and a place for dialogue and mutual respect. In a fragmented legal landscape, the CBA is a unifying force. Membership in the CBA adds value even for those who are members of other legal and industry groups. In championing the legal profession, the CBA advocates for our members from equity-seeking groups and their communities. The CBA aims to ensure that everyone’s rights are acknowledged and protected, in keeping with our commitment to equality and justice.

The CBA brings important issues to the forefront. We, as members, are a driving force for positive change — and we work against the forces that seek to erode the pillars of our legal system. We are determined to work together to build a stronger, more just Canada for all.

My third priority has been recognizing those who give back, as an encouragement to all of us to share the benefit of our privilege with our communities and to advance our profession. There are far too many of you to recognize here. Thank you to the outstanding staff at the CBA National Office. You have all contributed to making my role easier and much more effective. You are exceptional and dedicated professionals, doing the heavy lifting to reach the CBA’s goals. Thank you to the CBA’s skilled and supportive Board of Directors: each of you brought your talents. Equal thanks to the branch Presidents, Councils, Executive Directors and staff who keep our branches strong and active. Thank you to the leaders of our Sections, the lifeblood of the CBA, who take on professional development, foster collegiality, and advocate for legislative and policy change. Thank you to those who work as volunteers in Sections, committees, subcommittees, taskforces and branches. Thank you to all who support the CBA through your membership. Each of you advances the CBA’s mission and helps accomplish its goals for the collective benefit of all. It has been a blessing to serve you.

John Stefaniuk, K.C.
CBA President

Introduction

As the largest association for legal professionals in the country, we are proud to champion the legal profession and the rule of law in Canada. The Canadian Bar Association’s Annual Report 2023–2024 presents our achievements, results and activities to meet our vision and support our 40,000 members across the country.

The year included many highlights. We continued our important work to implement the CBA Strategy 2022–2027. Our work focused on advancing our four strategic pillars: meeting our members’ needs, expanding our membership, promoting equality and justice, and enhancing our internal cohesion.

We saw a surge of participation at our in-person conferences and events this year, which underscored the value of face-to-face opportunities to network, learn and collaborate across the profession. We released two essential studies on the legal landscape in Canada: one on the state of the Canadian law firm market and another on Canadian government lawyers. These reports will serve as benchmarks that allow us to follow the evolution of the legal market and advance innovative solutions to current challenges.

We were active and engaged across all areas of the CBA—fuelled by the energy and contributions of our CBA members and volunteers. From advocacy to professional development and everything in between, the CBA Board of Directors, Sections, committees, staff and volunteers achieved important results. Through the CBA Awards this year, we recognized exceptional leaders, people and organizations making valuable contributions to our Association and the legal landscape in Canada.

Year in Review

Leading change for Canada’s legal community

As the leading voice for Canada’s legal community, the Canadian Bar Association actively advanced important issues for our members and the rule of law in 2023–2024. Throughout the year, our President, Board of Directors and volunteers represented CBA members and the legal profession across Canada and internationally.

We hosted and attended important legal events, often led by our distinguished President John Stefaniuk, K.C. Here are some of the highlights:

CBA welcomes new leadership

Winnipeg lawyer John Stefaniuk began his year-long tenure as the 95th President of the Canadian Bar Association in September 2023. The official transfer of the CBA Chain of Office took place at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, with his partner, Lucy Byzio, and CBA Past President, Guy Joubert, undertaking the honours. Toronto’s Lynne M. J. Vicars began her term as Vice-President.

CBA on the world stage

The 17th Annual Bar Leaders’ Conference, hosted by the International Bar Association, took place in May 2024 in Bucharest, Romania. It was an important opportunity for President John Stefaniuk to represent the CBA on the world stage. The assembly explored trending issues for legal professionals worldwide, including the role of the bar in national elections, the impact of AI on legal practice, and the bar’s leadership role on climate change. Stefaniuk was joined by Erin Kleisinger, K.C., President of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.

CBA at the Supreme Court of Canada

In February 2024, the CBA President participated in Justice Mary T. Moreau’s welcome ceremony at the Supreme Court of Canada. John Stefaniuk delivered welcome remarks on behalf of the CBA. Justice Moreau, a francophone, served in the Alberta court system throughout her career, including as the head of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench.

CBA Annual General Meeting

The CBA Annual General Meeting (AGM) offers an important opportunity for members to network and shape the future of their association. The 106th CBA AGM took place in February 2024. We welcomed the Chief Justice of Canada, the Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C., who spoke about the CBA’s critical role in advocating for judicial independence and access to justice. The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Honourable Arif Virani, P.C., K.C., also delivered remarks to members.

Cross-Canada visits

During his term as CBA President, John Stefaniuk visited many of our branches across Canada. In March 2024, he travelled North to participate in the Northwest Territories Branch AGM in Yellowknife.

Featured Accomplishment

Reports on the State of the Legal Market in Canada

We surveyed hundreds of Canadian lawyers to identify critical gaps in the legal marketplace

We released two groundbreaking inaugural reports in March 2024 in partnership with the Thomson Reuters Institute: The State of the Canadian Law Firm Market Report and the Canadian Government Lawyers Benchmark Report. These reports help us understand how Canadian firms and government lawyers measure their performance in today’s legal landscape.

Research like this allows us to keep a pulse on industry trends and identify gaps in the marketplace. This is one of the many ways we support our members and the Canadian legal community. Here's what we found after surveying hundreds of lawyers across the country.

The State of the Canadian Law Firm Market

The State of the Canadian Law Firm Market Report found that Canadian lawyers are generally optimistic about their firms’ success and their prospects for continued growth and profitability. But despite a robust post-pandemic recovery, the marketplace remains uncertain for Canadian firms. The report highlights gaps in strategic planning amid rapid technological change, global volatility and domestic economic concerns.

The top challenges facing firms include:

• Attracting and retaining talent
• Keeping up with increased competition in the marketplace
• Spending too much time on administrative tasks versus high-value work
• Managing mental health issues
• Navigating the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the way firms operate

One key finding? The way firms define their success does not always align with how they measure it. Firms should explore this critical gap to better strategize for their future growth and success.

Canadian Government Lawyers Benchmark

Similarly, the Canadian Government Lawyers Benchmark Report reveals a disconnect between what government lawyers consider a success and what gets measured. It also highlights how government departments and agencies are struggling with hybrid working arrangements.

The top challenges include:

• Managing the pace of legal and regulatory changes
• Streamlining administrative tasks
• Safeguarding lawyers’ mental well-being
• Recruiting and retaining talent

Thanks to our partner on this project

Thank you to the Thompson Reuters Institute for their expertise. They helped us gather and analyze the data in these reports.

These reports will serve as a benchmark for the legal profession. They will allow us to follow the evolution of the legal market more closely in years to come and advance innovative solutions to current and future challenges.

– John Stefaniuk, K.C., CBA President

Advocacy

Through our advocacy work, the CBA is a voice for change. CBA members and staff champion issues and bring lawyers’ perspectives to the public debate. This year, our advocacy work aimed to improve the law and the administration of justice in Canada, protect the legal profession’s core values, and promote equality and access to justice for all.

Through court interventions, resolutions, submissions and other activities, we engaged with governments, the courts and the justice system, advancing important causes and advocating on numerous public policy issues.

Submissions

Trust Accounts

With the new reporting requirements for trust accounts under the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act 2022, the CBA has continued to engage with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to advocate for clarity. In advance of the legislation, we recommended a general exemption for trust accounts held by lawyers or notaries in accordance with the rules of professional conduct that govern them. While a lawyer’s general trust account is exempt from the new requirements, client-specific trust accounts require the filing of annual tax returns as of the 2023 taxation year.

In March 2024, the CRA clarified that bare trusts are exempt from late filing penalties for the 2023 tax year, except in cases of gross negligence. We continue to engage with the CRA to influence the guidance material and forms they are developing as part of the new reporting obligations.

Caregivers Programs

After extensive advocacy work by the CBA’s Immigration Law Section, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced new pilot programs to support Canadian caregivers and families in June 2024. The immigration program for care workers was set to expire, which would have left thousands without a path to Canadian residency.

The new program will automatically provide permanent residency to people who come to Canada as caregivers upon their arrival in the country. The Minister unveiled plans to make the caregivers programs permanent.

Criminal Justice Reform

The Criminal Justice Section actively contributed to Bill C-40, the Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission Act, and provided extensive comment on it. Also known as David and Joyce Milgaard’s Law, it was introduced in February 2023 with many important CBA suggestions featured in the Bill.

The Section provided its expertise and contributed to the LaForme Westmoreland-Traoré consultations report and surrounding discussions, which served as a basis for the Bill. The CBA strongly supports the Bill, which “fundamentally alters the post-conviction review process in Canada,” and the creation of the Miscarriages of Justice Review Commission, in keeping with earlier recommendations on the subject.

Capital Gains Taxation

The federal Budget 2024 announced changes to capital gains taxation that would increase the inclusion rate from one-half to two-thirds for capital gains realized by corporations and trusts. The CBA’s Joint Committee of Taxation and the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada made submissions to the Department of Finance on several Budget 2024 issues, including the capital gains inclusion rate.

The Joint Committee called for the $250,000 threshold to be extended to corporations, noting that many Canadians operating through private corporations would unfairly lose access to the safe harbour, which does not align with the government’s policy intent. The Committee also suggested carrying forward unused safe harbour amounts under the $250,000 threshold.

Judicial Issues

The CBA’s Judicial Issues Subcommittee continued its work on judicial vacancies, examining how to streamline the application process in advance of the Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission in 2025. In the coming year, the CBA will have the opportunity to make submissions to the quadrennial Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission, which will hold an inquiry into the adequacy of salaries and benefits paid to Federal Court judges and prothonotaries.

Interventions

Court interventions offer an opportunity for the CBA to provide our perspective on issues undergoing appeal that are in the public interest or important to the legal profession. Noteworthy cases in 2023–2024 include:

Single Mothers’ Alliance v. BC

This constitutional challenge against the Province of British Columbia and the Legal Services Society was brought on by the Single Mothers’ Alliance, which argued that the province failed to provide adequate legal aid to women leaving abusive relationships and experiencing poverty. The CBA appeared as an intervenor in the case in January 2022, and the case was settled in February 2024.

The outcome: The BC government invested $29.1 million to improve legal aid services for survivors of intimate partner violence. Even though gaps remain, this is a big step forward in improving access to justice and removing barriers to legal aid access for women and children experiencing violence.

R. v. Tayo Tompouba

The CBA intervened in a May 2024 appeal in which the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) allowed an appeal by a bilingual Francophone accused person who was not advised of his right to be tried in the official language of his choice. The SCC ruled that the first appearance judge’s failure to ensure that the accused person had been advised of his right to be tried in his official language of choice constituted an error of law warranting appellate intervention and a new trial.

The SCC’s decision provides a strong endorsement of official language rights and the need for access to justice in both official languages. The CBA’s intervention was instrumental in communicating the importance of a lawyer’s ethical duty to advise clients about their official language rights.

Federation of Law Societies of Canada v. Canada (Attorney General)

As part of our advocacy work to protect solicitor-client privilege and lawyers’ duty of commitment to their clients, the CBA Board of Directors approved an intervention at the Supreme Court of British Columbia. In 2023, the Federation challenged the constitutionality of amendments to the Income Tax Act requiring lawyers to report confidential information about client activities to the Canada Revenue Agency. We disagreed with the new mandatory disclosure rules and intervened in February 2024.

As of June 2024, the hearing was yet to be held. The intervention provides an opportunity for the CBA to present our views on the importance for both lawyers and the public to maintain the protection of solicitor-client privilege.

Member resources

As leaders in providing up-to-date and relevant resources to members, we delivered several new tools and guides this year.

The Ethics and Professional Responsibility Subcommittee hosted a webinar on Incorporating AI Technology into Your Corporate Legal Practice: Evaluating the Practical and Ethical Implications. There is also a new practice resource, the Toolkit on Ethical Legal Practice and the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence, to provide guidance on using AI and machine learning in client and compliance matters.

We published an updated edition of Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions: Considerations for Lawyers. The report helps lawyers and judges better understand the indirect effects of convictions on offenders in court.

During the summer of 2024, the Gender Diversity Advisory Committee will record two training modules on trans competency. They will be available at no cost to all CBA members. The Committee continues to look for opportunities to advocate for gender inclusion.

Professional Development & Sections

The CBA is proud to offer a full range of professional development opportunities for legal professionals every year. Through CBA Sections and active volunteerism, our members help drive the agenda and shape our programming, ensuring thoughtful, informative and topical PD programs and activities.

CBA professional development by the numbers

In 2023–2024, we delivered:

National Conferences and Online Symposia

We organized 14 national conferences on topics from intellectual property to tax law, legal ethics and wellbeing. The conferences covered a range of practice areas—such as competition law, immigration law, labour and employment law, and more—and attracted registrants from across the country.

The Immigration Law Conference, held in Montreal in May 2024, had record-breaking attendance. We were honoured to welcome distinguished speakers, the Honourable Louise Arbour, former Supreme Court of Canada justice and UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Marc Miller, P.C.

Other notable speakers at CBA conferences this year included the Honourable Thomas A. Cromwell, former Supreme Court of Canada justice; the former Chief Justice of Ontario, the Honourable George R. Strathy; and Jessica Gan Lee, the Head of Privacy Legal at OpenAI.

The CBA ran four online symposia and over 40 webinars on emerging trends and recent developments in the law.

Sections

CBA Sections are central to our success as a national association. About 25,000 committed CBA members actively contribute to these practice-focused and interest-based groups. They analyze trends, respond to emerging issues, prepare submissions and resolutions, and plan events and resources to support legal professionals.

We rely on Sections to help drive the CBA’s advocacy work, initiatives and professional development programs. Close to 1,000 volunteers dedicated their time and expertise to serve on the Sections’ executive committees this year.

CBA Sections by the numbers

In 2023–2024, CBA Sections led important initiatives and produced an impressive number of tools. Among the many highlights:

Constitutional Rights

The French-Speaking Common Law Members Section launched a funny, witty and informative video made by the French-Canadian group Improtéine. The video aims to inform Canadians that Canada’s Constitution is not officially bilingual, inviting them to write to their Members of Parliament and Senators to urge them to act on the issue.

Criminal Convictions

The Criminal Justice Section released a revised edition of Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions, a must-read for legal professionals working on criminal cases. This report provides enhanced clarity on how criminal convictions can impact clients before sentencing takes place.

Competition Law Podcast

The Competition Law and Foreign Investment Section continued producing its podcast, Counterfactual. The program informs and entertains people about topics crucial to the constantly evolving profession of competition law and its related policies.

Immigration Pro-Bono Services

The Immigration Law Section continued to provide pro-bono legal consultations for hundreds of Afghan and Ukrainian refugees in Canada. They extended their offerings in 2023–2024 by launching an initiative to provide pro-bono services to people directly affected by the crises in Sudan and Israel–Palestine.

Strategic Initiatives

CBA initiatives are projects that advocate for change in the legal profession, offering innovative strategies, plans and tools to advance legal practice. This year, our volunteers and employees worked on many impactful endeavours. Here are the highlights.

Strategic initiatives by the numbers

CBA Truth and Reconciliation

The Path

The journey to reconciliation starts with greater awareness of Indigenous Canada. We launched the updated Indigenous cultural awareness course, The Path: Your Journey through Indigenous Canada, in January 2024. This six-module online program focuses on Indigenous issues in the legal profession.

This training program was one of the commitments made by the CBA Truth and Reconciliation Taskforce. The Path was created and updated by NVision Insight Group, a majority Indigenous-owned company, and was developed with First Nations, Inuit and Métis advisors and reviewers. The updated program was vetted by an Indigenous lawyer for accuracy related to legal references.

The new version includes interactive software to create a richer learning experience for participants. Plus, 25% additional content was added, including new information on land acknowledgements, stereotypes and misconceptions, and urban Indigenous realities. The Path now features examples of how First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, communities and governments are leading reconciliation efforts in different sectors. It also includes new information on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Persons (UNDRIP), which is now in force in Canada.

Building Indigenous Intercultural Capacity Lecture Series for Staff

In partnership with NVision Insight Group, the CBA launched Building Indigenous Intercultural Capacity anti-bias training in March 2024. This webinar series was delivered live in both English and French in three parts:

• Race and culture
• Bias and stereotypes
• Building Indigenous intercultural capacity

Participants told us they appreciated the live format of this series. It created a safe space where they could comfortably ask questions to the Indigenous moderator.

CBA Well-Being

Individual initiatives under the Well-Being Initiative are led by the CBA Well‑Being Subcommittee.

CBA National Conference on Well‑Being

On November 7, 2023, we hosted the CBA Conference on Well-Being live in Toronto and online. Thought leaders gathered from across Canada to share strategies and perspectives on creating healthier legal workplaces.

The former Chief Justice of Ontario, the Honourable George R. Strathy, delivered the keynote address on Creating Healthy Organizations. Dr. Nathalie Cadieux provided a highly anticipated review of the National Study on Well‑Being in the Legal Profession. Plus, registrants participated in sessions, panels and breakouts on topics from building diverse and inclusive workplaces to managing change.

The conference attracted over 125 in-person and virtual attendees. The event’s success highlights the CBA’s commitment to our Well‑Being Initiative—a topic critical to the future of our profession.

CBA Roundtable Well-Being Meetings

As a follow-up to the CBA Conference on Well-Being, we presented six virtual roundtable sessions in November 2023. The sessions attracted 85 attendees who joined thought-provoking conversations on how to implement well-being best practices in the workplace.

In honour of Mental Health Week, we held another roundtable in May 2024. The sessions were very well-received by attendees.

The Well-Being Hour

This year, we produced six new Well-Being Hour programs. This powerful series of on-demand video conversations focuses on legal professionals’ current challenges and overall well-being. New sessions in 2023 and 2024 include:

• Burned out: What happens when law firms fail to retain female lawyers due to well-being challenges?
• Beyond mindfulness: What can the legal profession learn from the medical profession?
• Be an ally: How can non-Indigenous lawyers help better the working environment for Indigenous legal professionals?
• Take care: What can Indigenous legal professionals do to support their well-being within the existing firm structure?
• Women in the Legal Profession: What happens when law firms fail to retain female lawyers due to well-being challenges?

By creating relevant programs like these, we deliver on our promise to help lawyers lead healthy, happy lives.

CBA Mental Health First Aid Course

In partnership with the Mental Health Commission of Canada, we presented a Mental Health First Aid Course in Toronto on November 8, 2023. This vital course was created to improve mental health literacy, a topic that needs more understanding and awareness. Participants left with the tools they need to seek mental health help for themselves or provide support to the people in their lives.

Dear Advy

We continued our work on Dear Advy, a monthly advice column that tackles anonymous questions about well-being in the legal profession. Popular topics this year included:

• Setting healthy boundaries as a young lawyer
• Networking tips for solo lawyers
• Being upfront about mental health days
• And more

Other Well-Being Activities

We also undertook the following legal well-being activities in 2023–2024:

• Offered free mindfulness sessions for CBA members during Mental Health Week in May 2024
• Discussed ways to collaborate with other CBA Sections next fiscal year
• Promoted the Lawyer Assistance Programs and the free Mental Health and Wellness in the Legal Profession course

CBA Legal Futures Initiative

Individual activities under the Legal Futures Initiative are led by the CBA Legal Futures Subcommittee.

CBA AI Technologies in Practice

We launched an AI Technologies in Practice webinar series in June 2024. The series focuses on the practical applications of AI for lawyers and law firms. It brings together top legal and tech experts to weigh in on three key topics:

• AI-powered legal research
• AI-powered legal writing
• AI predictive analytics for law

The webinar launch was a notable success, with 722 attendees. As our industry experiences massive digital transformation, we will continue to create content like this to guide our members.

CBA Fireside Futures

This year, we launched an exciting addition to the popular Fireside Futures series, called Forecasting the Future:

• Part 1 explores what the legal profession will look like in 10 years
• Part 2 examines what’s in store for future legal education and articling programs

These on-demand videos feature forward-thinking industry experts who provide participants with valuable takeaways. In 2024, we will launch a session on why young lawyers are leaving the profession.

Other Legal Futures Projects

We look forward to continuing our work on the Legal Futures Initiative.

What’s next?

We’ve reached out to other CBA Sections for potential collaborations. Plus, in the next fiscal year, we plan to work with external organizations focused on legal research and data on the profession.

CBA President's Award

The Honourable Rosalie Silberman Abella

For a significant contribution of a Canadian jurist to the legal profession, the CBA or the public.

The Honourable Rosalie Silberman Abella, our 2024 CBA President’s Award recipient, has had a distinguished career on the bench. She was the youngest judge appointed in Canadian history and became the first Jewish woman and refugee appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC).

Over the course of her 50-year trailblazing career, Justice Abella earned international recognition as an expert on human rights law. She established the concept of employment equity and developed theories of equality and discrimination that were adopted by the SCC long before her appointment.

Her contributions and unwavering commitment to leadership shaped the profession, including the SCC’s historic first decision on equality rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. CBA President John Stefaniuk, K.C. presented the award to Justice Abella.

CBA Awards of Excellence

Louis St-Laurent Award of Excellence

Melanie Bueckert

The CBA’s highest award, recognizing a lifetime of outstanding service.

The 2024 honoree for this distinguished award is Melanie Bueckert, Legal Research Counsel with the Manitoba Court of Appeal. Melanie has made extensive contributions to the profession and legal education as an instructor at the University of Manitoba and a devoted leader at the Manitoba Bar Association. She has become highly recognized for her legal expertise as the author of countless papers, book reviews and textbooks on critical topics ranging from criminal law to administrative law, civil procedure and beyond.

Douglas Miller Rising Star Award

Afifa Hashimi

For outstanding service, dedication and team spirit toward the profession and CBA by a CBA member.

Afifa Hashimi, an associate at Moore Edgar Lyster LLP in Vancouver, was recognized as a rising star within the CBA. Called to the bar in 2021 after graduating from the University of Victoria Faculty of Law, Afifa is now an active leader at the BC Branch. She serves as the co-chair of the Human Rights Law Section. Afifa specializes in union-based labour, human rights, employment and administrative law. She contributes many hours to pro bono work and volunteerism with civil rights organizations.

Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Law

Naiomi Metallic

For outstanding contributions in law reform, legal scholarship and/or legal research.

Schulich School of Law Associate Professor Naiomi Sara Walqwan Metallic won this year’s award for her outstanding contributions to law reform, research and legal scholarship. As the Chancellor’s Chair in Aboriginal Law and Policy at Dalhousie University, she has been instrumental in developing the law school’s offerings in Aboriginal and Indigenous law and revitalizing Indigenous laws at large. Naiomi’s work in law reform and advancing the rule of law has been widely cited by the courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Touchstone Award

Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers British Columbia

For the promotion of equality in the legal profession, the judiciary or the legal community.

As the largest equity-seeking bar organization in BC, the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers British Columbia (FACL BC)’s work aims to promote equity, justice and opportunity for Asian Canadian legal professionals and the community at large. The FACL BC actively fosters and advances advocacy and legal scholarship. Its award-winning documentary, But I Look Like a Lawyer, is a prime example of the FACL BC’s innovative and groundbreaking work.

Jack Innes Award

Carolyn Lefebvre

For outstanding contributions of leadership and commitment to the CBA by a current staff member.

Carolyn Lefebvre is the Senior Director of Membership, Engagement and Strategy at the CBA’s BC Branch. Since joining the Association in 2017, she has been a devoted leader and made lasting contributions. She introduced innovative processes that have greatly improved teamwork, efficiency and member support. Her work has had a positive ripple effect on CBA National and our branches across the country.

Member Services

The CBA Member Services team recognizes the essential work that our members do every day as they serve at the frontlines of Canada’s justice system. As our membership continues to grow year over year, our association is richer thanks to the diversity of voices our membership represents. In 2023–2024, our membership included:

The CBA is the largest professional association for lawyers in Canada. Membership is voluntary in all provinces and territories. New Brunswick is the exception, where participation is mandatory through an agreement with the Law Society of New Brunswick.

As of June 2024, our membership totals by region, practice type and category included:

Members by province or region

Members by practice type

Members by membership category

Communication, Marketing & Business Development

The CBA provides our members with valuable resources, information and opportunities for professional development and networking. Through our communications channels this year, we shared relevant news, insights and best practices to help members stay informed and engaged.

Our marketing strategies focused on offering early-bird incentives to promote in-person national conferences. We used proven tactics to increase our registration numbers and technology tools to execute events and measure our progress.

This was an outstanding year for CBA Business Development, even in the face of challenging market conditions. We surpassed our overall revenue target of $1,844,250, reaching more than $1,985,000* in revenue for the 2023–2024 fiscal year. Our professional development sponsorships were a significant contributor to this revenue. We exceeded our ambitious target of $355,000 in this category by 23%, despite hosting fewer in-person events than originally planned. We also exceeded our advertising sales target by 45%.

*As of July 1^st, 2024

Business development by the numbers

We welcomed new suppliers to the CBA Advantage program, a notable achievement for our team. Enterprise Holdings—the parent company for Alamo, Enterprise and National—joined as our new rental car supplier after our previous supplier reduced compensation and service standards. AV-CANADA also became our new audio-visual supplier. In addition to the CBA member discount, they are offering a 25% discount to employees at CBA branches and National Office. We are on track to achieve CBA Advantage targets.

On top of our accomplishments this year, we forged a new partnership with Dell Technologies to deliver a three-part webinar series on cybersecurity. This initiative not only generated revenue and addressed a gap in our educational expertise, but also provided free CPD-accredited webinars to CBA members. Dell reported a record number of registrants for this program, with almost 700 CBA member sign-ups.

Our reach and impact

CBA website

We continued our work on the new CBA.org website, including site design, development and content migration. The website will feature a more modern interface and content that’s easier to find. Our members will enjoy a better user experience and improved content integration from across the CBA. During the year, our website had 3.1 million views and a total of 901,503 visitors.

Newsletters

Our online newsletters remain an incredibly effective way to reach our membership. Our members receive vital, curated information based on their interests and preferred law sections. Some issues have reached as many as 30,000 members in both official languages.

Social media

This year, we made it a priority to improve our social media strategy and share high-quality, engaging content in both English and French on all CBA social channels. We continued to see substantial growth in followers and audience engagement, with growing audiences on all platforms.

CBA posts related to government submissions, national conferences and media statements were among the most viewed topics across all channels. We ended the year with a total of over 95,300 followers, up 12% over the previous year, and a total of 4.7 million impressions. 

Podcasts

We continued to bring CBA members and the public into important conversations through our podcasts. With over 30 episodes released, we broached relevant and sometimes difficult topics. Popular conversations included access to justice, artificial intelligence and the state of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

One highlight was our special podcast mini-series to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the CBA Touchstones for Change, Equality, Diversity and Accountability Report. The lead author and some of the original task force members joined us to discuss the context and history of this groundbreaking publication. 

CBA National Magazine

In keeping with our promise of being a trusted source to make sense of trends and developments affecting the legal profession, we published over 200 articles in CBA National this year. The magazine acts as an important amplifier of the CBA’s policy and advocacy work to a national audience. It continues to bridge the gap between complex issues and the public by providing expert analysis of topics such as law reform, innovation, reconciliation and access to justice. Every year, CBA National features an average of 400 members, showcasing their expertise, thought leadership and achievements.

Canadian Bar Review

The Canadian Bar Review celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2023. Since its founding, it has stood as a trusted publisher of the highest quality legal scholarship. The publication plays an instrumental role in Canada’s legal circles, shaping discussions on important issues. The Canadian Bar Review is the CBA’s bilingual, open-access and peer-reviewed journal. It aims to serve the profession, the bench, the bar and the academic community.

Our reach and impact by the numbers

Administration, Information Technology & Finance

Human Resources (Administration)

In 2023–2024, our Department of Human Resources (HR) achieved important milestones in onboarding, training and labour relations, among other work. The team developed and implemented a manager onboarding and training program to upscale skills and capacity to meet the needs of CBA National Office.

The team evolved the HR function to a business partner model, which will provide value-added decision-making to senior leadership. The HR Business Partner helps senior leaders identify and mitigate potential risks related to compliance, employee relations and talent management. This new role is also responsible for employee engagement and development strategies.

In addition, we completed collective bargaining. A three-year collective agreement for CBA employees was ratified.

Information Technology (IT)

New Association Management System (AMS)

We are working with a consulting firm to define the CBA’s requirements and develop a design for a new AMS solution. The project will establish the level of customization needed and allow the CBA to obtain fixed-fee proposals for the AMS implementation.

Association Data Analytics

We are deploying Association Analytics, a data analytics platform built exclusively for associations, to obtain improved reporting and more accurate business insights. The platform will identify our most engaged members, at-risk members, potential event attendees, new revenue opportunities and more.

Upgraded and Enhanced CBA Websites

We have created 15 new websites (CBA National, branches and CCCA). Data migration is nearly complete, with a planned launch for many sites during the fall. The go-live date for each branch site will depend on readiness from a content and support perspective at each branch.

Finance

The CBA reported total revenue from all sources of $15.3 million, total expenses of $16.8 million and a net loss from operations of $1.47 million for the year ending August 31, 2023.

For the 2023–2024 fiscal year, the CBA used its surplus to offer additional value to members through in-person PD programs and special events. To better control expenses, the CBA has since taken corrective measures, converting meetings and conferences to online events wherever feasible and streamlining processes to realize efficiencies.

Directory

CBA National Board of Directors 2023-2024

President: John D. Stefaniuk, K.C.
Vice President: Lynne M.J. Vicars

Members

Kenneth Armstrong, K.C. – British Columbia
Audrey Boctor – Québec
Jordan KM Brown – Prince Edward Island
Loreley Chekay, K.C. – Saskatchewan
Bianca Kratt, K.C. – Alberta
Ken G. Mandzuik, K.C. – Manitoba
Kelly L. McLaughlin – Northwest Territories
Carley J. Parish, K.C. – New Brunswick
Thomas E. Ullyett – Yukon
Shirley A. Walsh – Newfoundland and Labrador
Tuma Young – Nova Scotia