FOLA's Fall 2022 Plenary was held in November 2022 in Niagara Falls, ON.
View our Fall 2022 Plenary videos here (all in one handy playlist)!
Click here for photos & click here for our Post Plenary Report.
FOLA's Spring 2022 Plenary was held on May 12th via Zoom.
Read our Post Plenary Report here.
View our all our recorded presentation on our Spring 2022 Plenary Video Playlist
FOLA's Fall 2021 was held via Zoom on November 18th with a theme of "Diversity in the Legal Profession".
FOLA's Fall Plenary contained 3 Hours of EDI and 1.5 Hours of Professional Content!
Click here for our Fall 2021 Plenary videos.
FOLA's November Plenary was accredited for 3 hours and 5 minutes of CPD and our Plenary videos from our Plenary contain 2 hours and 5 minutes of Professional Content. All sessions (except for Hadiya Roderique's presentation on diversity in the legal profession, which was accredited for 1 hour of EDI) were recorded and are available on our YouTube channel here.
FOLA's November 2019 Plenary was titled “Ignite Your Membership” and was designed to offer valuable ideas to help you serve your members. Check out our photos!
VIDEOS (Plenary Playlist on YouTube)
SPEECH BY HON. DOUG DOWNEY, ATTORNEY GENERAL
LETTER TO THE AG BY FOLA CHAIR MIKE WINWARD FOLLOWING THE TALK
MEDIA COVERAGE
Globe & Mail, Toronto Star affiliate QP Briefing (an inside Queen’s Park daily), the Law Times, Lawyers Daily, and CBC Radio!
With an over-arching theme of Technology and the Practice of Law, the conference consisted of panel discussions, talks, and presentations related to the issues facing Ontario’s practicing lawyer.
You can read our Post Plenary Wrap Up Report here, check out some pictures, and view ALL of our Plenary videos here.
TIMELINE OF SPRING PLENARY (Start/end time)
00:00:00 - 00:24:09 ROLL CALL/CHAIR'S UPDATE -Mike Winward
00:24:09 – 000:43:48 ED REPORT – Katie Robinette
00:44:58 – 00:58:12 LIRN – Johanne Blenkin/Neil Gurthie 00:58:50 – 01:04:42 LEGAL TASK FORCE - Kirstin Muszynski 01:05:00 – 01:09:15 TREASURER’S REPORT – Jane Robertson
01:10:18 – 01:13:28 ELECTION – Jaye Hooper
01:16:18 – 01:22:17 NEW CHAIR SPEECH – William Woodward
Law Society Treasurer, Malcolm Mercer
NOVEMBER 2018
SPEECHES AND PRESENTATION VIDEOS CAN BE FOUND BELOW & ALL OUR VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR YouTube Channel.
November Plenary’s Highlights
OPENING DINNER WITH GUEST SPEAKER
Ottawa Lawyer Steve Kelly
(Note: Video Not Avail)
THURSDAY KEYNOTE LUNCHEON SPEAKER
Ontario's Attorney General, Hon. Caroline Mulroney
TREASURER’S RECEPTION AND DINNER
Hosted by Treasurer Malcolm Mercer
SPECIAL PRESENTATION - WINE, WISDOM AND WITHSTANDING
Joe Groia, Law Society Bencher
SPECIAL PANEL:
MENTAL HEALTH: RECOGNIZING STRESS & PROMOTING WELLNESS IN THE PROFESSION
Panel Members:
1. Darryl Singer, SINGER Barristers Professional Corporation
2. Janet Ozembloski, Vice President, Legal Counsel, Medcan
3. Leah Gardiner, Executive Director & Lead Trainer, Mindfulness Without Borders
4. Percy G., Barrister & Solicitor
5. Terry Brandon, Moderator (FOLA SW Regional Chair)
NOTE: This Session is Approved for 1 hour of Professionalism Content
NOVEMBER 2017
Most of the November Plenary was video-taped and recorded and those recordings are provided by clicking on the links that are embedded in the title/heading of each section for which we have video.
Thanks to our partners CPD Online and Streaming Inc. for their help in putting together this video package If you have trouble with any of the links, please contact Katie Robinette at katie.robinette@fola.ca.
MAY 2017
VIDEO LINKS
Fees and competition, licensing, technology in courthouses, real estate closing docs, contingency fees, legal aid, diversity, and bencher elections at the Law Society of Ontario are just some of the issues covered.
Malcom Mercer, (then incoming) LSO Treasurer
Merredith Maclennan, Real Estate Committee Chair, FOLA
Provides a progress update on a variety of Committee work in the Real Estate space such as the Real Estate Liaison Group working group to examine the state of practicing real estate law in Ontario and the Real Estate Action Committee, and the Working Group of Lawyers and Real Estate. She also offers a peek at what’s on the horizon.
Sonya Jain, former Family Law Chair, FOLA
Sonya summarizes the top 5 issues on her agenda:
Rule 24 Cost Consultation (looking at ways to reduce costs in legal-related family matters) in Ontario;
Expansion of the unified family court and ensuring adequate judicial resources;
Changes to Child Protection (as per the Katelynn’s Principle)
Unbundled legal services product (province-wide roster of lawyers to provide bundled services in family law in Ontario) and the pilot project in Barrie
Family Legal Services Review (specifically the argument against the LSO special license for paralegals)
Colin provides an overview of the work vLex has been doing to create a special premium access portal inside Carleton County Law Association (CCLA)
Jennifer Walker, Head Librarian, Carleton County Law Association (CCLA)
Through Will Check, lawyers can deposit the location information about wills they create for their clients. In the future, this information stored with Will Check will assist in easier access for trustees and testators. Accessed through the LSO portal and curated by the CCLA.
Paula Puddy, Business Development, CDP Online
CDP Online offers 27/7 access to a wide range of CPD videos for legal and financial professionals.
Kathleen Waters, Consultant to the CEO (and former CEO), LawPro
Lawyers' Professional Indemnity Company (LAWPRO) is a wholly Canadian owned insurance company that provides professional liability insurance to lawyers in Ontario and TitlePLUS title insurance coast-to-coast. LAWPRO is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Jaye Hooper, Chair, FOLA; Eldon Horner, Past Chair, FOLA; Mike Ras, former Executive Director, FOLA – LIRN UPDADTE
Eldon, Jaye, and Mike discuss the proposed changes to LibraryCo and Law Libraries in Ontario with respect to the new Legal Information Resource Network (LIRN)
Eldon Horner, Past Chair, FOLA; Nathan Baker, Central East Regional Representative
Eldon and Nathan provide an update on Law Libraries in Ontario (not including the proposed LIRN).
Jaye Hooper, Chair, FOLA; Mike Winward, 1st Vice Chair and Treasurer, FOLA; William Woodward
2nd Vice Chair, FOLA; Mike Ras, Former Executive Director, FOLA
Paul B. Schabas, Past Treasure Law Society of Ontario (2016-2018)
FOLA’s Key Note Speaker, May Plenary
Diana Miles, CEO, Law Society of Ontario (LSO)
Diana offers an overview of services and resources available through the LSO (including coaching services) as well as some recommendations and changes being proposed by the Society.
Dawn Marchand President and Chief Executive Officer, Lawyers Financial
Lawyers Financial is a brand of The Canadian Bar Insurance Association (CBIA) and provides a comprehensive suite of financial solutions exclusively for lawyers, their families and employees.
In addition to providing an overview of all services Lawyers Financial offers, Dawn offered some detailed info on some new offerings such as Travel Insurance and Office Insurance policies offered via a new online portal.
Dialogue on Licensing – Panel Discussion
Brigid Wilkinson, Northeast Regional Representative, FOLA (Moderator)
C. Jill Alexander, Carleton County Law Association (CCLA) discusses the CCLA submission
André B. Bacchus, Assistant Director, WPO, LPP, Law Practice Program, Ryerson University
Gina Alexandris, Senior Program Director, LPP, Law Practice Program, Ryerson University
Topics covered: Need for change; market dynamics in the lawyer profession, licensing examinations entry level competence, transitional training
Debbie and Dan discuss the tax changes to small businesses, what they mean for lawyers, and various successes in lobbying for changes.
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