About Raymond G. Leclair
Ray Leclair joined LAWPRO in June of 2008 in the role of Vice President, TitlePLUS, and as of May, 2012 became Vice President, Public Affairs.
Formerly General Counsel for the Kanata Research Park Corporation, Ray has practised in both major national law firms and as a sole practitioner, and was a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa Law School and Cité Collégiale instructing the French language portion of the real estate law course. He also served for 15 years as the Ottawa senior instructor for the French and English Real Estate Sections of the Bar Admission Course and member of the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Solicitor Advisory Group, Licensing Process.
Called to the bar in 1984, Ray is member of the Ontario Bar Association Council, executive member of CBA’s National Sections Council. He is a member of the Working Group on Lawyers & Real Estate, President of the Ontario Real Estate Lawyers Association (ORELA), and volunteer’s as Manager of the fundraiser TOM* MensFashion4Hope and a VIP & Sponsor Relations Officer for Toronto Men’s Fashion Week (TOM*).
Raymond G. Leclair's Posts
Firm websites being impersonated by fraudsters
LAWPRO has heard from a number of Ontario lawyers that their firm websites have been copied by fraudsters to further their schemes, such as the “inheritance from a long-lost relative” scam. They often use the name of a real law firm in one jurisdiction, the web content from a firm in another jurisdiction, and the… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionWhat can you do when there is a delay in a mortgage discharge?
The Canadian Bankers Association has a list of bank officials to contact regarding the discharge of mortgages. Real estate lawyers discharge mortgages when acting for their vendor clients in a transaction. They typically give an undertaking to the purchaser’s lawyer to obtain and register the discharge and report to the lender within 60 days of… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateThe CBA’s Mortgage Instruction Toolkit
The Mortgage Instructions Toolkit is a practical resource for residential real estate lawyers in Canada. Over the last few years, lender instructions have increased in scope and lawyers may find themselves being pressured to give opinions and assume responsibility for matters outside their areas of expertise. The result is a significant increase in potential liability…. Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, Practice AidsIs a real property survey still required?
When I’m asked if a real property survey is still required, I answer it depends, but do you and I agree on what it depends? Traditionally, real estate lawyers undertook a series of investigations – title and off-title – to provide the purchaser and lender clients with an opinion on whether title was good and… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, The TitlePLUS Program & Title InsuranceTechnology benefits for a real estate file
The most important change the real estate practice has seen in recent years is the advance of technology. However, I think it is underused by lawyers to their own and their clients’ detriment. Most technologies are already available on the lawyer’s desktop but like many telephone users, the full gambit of features is not being… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, TechnologyReal estate lawyers: Make a name for yourself with social media
On top of being unfamiliar with the best marketing techniques, many lawyers struggle to find the time for business development activities. The internet and social media offer real estate lawyers new options for reaching out to existing and potential clients and is a friendly, non-offensive way to interact with them. Websites, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, TechnologyA Foot in the Door: A Classroom Resource on Real Estate and Housing Law in Ontario
LAWPRO and the Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN) have joined forces to create learning material for Ontario secondary schools. The lesson plans address two of the most important skills in life – legal capability and financial literacy. Entitled A Foot in the Door: A Classroom Resource on Real Estate and Housing Law in Ontario, the… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateTitle insurance policies are like a box of chocolates – No two policies are the same
“The lawyer should be knowledgeable about title insurance and discuss with the client the advantages, conditions, and limitations of the various options and coverages generally available to the client through title insurance,” states Rule 2.02(10) of the Rules of Professional Conduct. This obligation was brought home in a recent malpractice case where the lawyer did… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, The TitlePLUS Program & Title Insurance