The next Law Society bencher election is in April 2023!
April 19 to April 28, 2023: Voting occurs
May 1, 2023: Results announced
May 25, 2023: Benchers officially “take office” at meeting of Convocation
Voting procedures for the 2023 Bencher Election
The procedures provide information on the conduct of the election such as voter eligibility and anonymity, casting votes online or by phone and the announcement of results.
What better way to get all your local Bencher candidates together to hear about where they stand on the issues than to host a Bencher Candidate event at your Law Association?
You could host a debate, a panel forum, or even a meet and greet.
And don't forget to inform the local press.
FOLA'S CANDIDATE SURVEY
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CANDIDATES AND PARTIAL SURVEY RESPONSES
In advance of the bencher election set for April 28, 2023, FOLA is working to provide Law Association members with an easy way to identify “FOLA Friendly” candidates who complete our survey
Our survey focuses on the following priority topics:
For transparency, all candidate responses received by our deadline of March 22, 2023 at 5pm (Eastern Time) will be published online, in full, with candidate profiles. Responses will not be edited in any way unless they exceed our word limit. We will also indicate if a candidate did not respond by the deadline. We reserve the right to excerpt portions of any responses provided to us, for our ongoing use during the election.
Our bencher election committee will also review all responses and may use those responses to identify “FOLA-Friendly” candidates – i.e., those that most closely align with the priorities of county and district law associations and their members.
Current Member, Victoria Haliburton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
YES
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should be reduced
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, York Region Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
NO
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Not a Current Member of his Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
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Current Bencher
info
CLICK HERE (Coming soon)
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Current Bencher
Current Member, Lincoln County Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Lincoln County Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Hamilton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Hamilton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
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Current Member, Waterloo Region Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Hamilton Law Association
Past Chair, FOLA
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
CLICK HERE (Coming soon)
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Current Bencher
Current Member, Peel Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
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Current Bencher
info
CLICK HERE (Coming soon)
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Current Member, Prescott & Russell Law Association and Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, County of Carleton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, County of Carleton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Hastings & Prince Edward County Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
NO
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Current Bencher
Current Member, County of Carleton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
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Current Member, County of Carleton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
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Former Bencher
Current Member, Carleton County Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
info
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CLICK HERE (Coming soon)
Current Bencher
Current Member, Thunder Bay Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No - it should be reduced
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Thunder Bay Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member & Past President, Kenora District Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
CLICK HERE (Coming soon)
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Current Member, Lambton Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should be reduced
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher
Current Member, Essex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No, it should be reduced
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Bencher, Treasurer
Current Member, Essex Law Association and the Toronto Lawyers' Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Past President, Middlesex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
YES
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
Yes, the Law Society should look for additional areas to expand paralegal scope of practice
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Past Member, Essex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Essex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
YES
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
No further than the FLSP
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
info
Current Bencher
Current Member, Essex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
NO
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
Current Member, Middlesex Law Association
Q: Will you support maintaining current funding for LiRN?
NO
Q: Do you support offloading funding for LiRN/law libraries to the Law Foundation of Ontario?
NO
Q: Will you advocate for LAO funding?
YES
Q: Should paralegals’ scope of practice be expanded?
YES
Q: Should paralegals pay an annual competency levy?
YES
CLICK HERE (Coming soon)
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Article written by Cheryl Siran, Bencher from Kenora, ON on what being a Bencher is really all about. Jan 2023
WELLNESS: SOMETIMES LOSING IS WINNING
An article written by Darryl Singer, who ran - and lost - for Bencher in 2019
THE LAW SOCIETY SHOULD NOT ADOPT A PARTY SYSTEM
An article by Bencher Joseph Groia in Canadian Lawyer
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