Law Practice Management
Tools and strategies for lawyers with vision impairments
Toronto lawyer Ernst Ashurov was born with limited vision, and an eye injury in childhood left him almost completely blind; yet he runs a criminal and general litigation practice. In the first few years of his career, he was able to read print using extreme magnification glasses; but by 2006 he could no longer read…. Read More »
Categories: Legal TechnologyPaths to Success: ‘Be yourself, and build relationships’
“Diversity” describes the characteristics of a group. When we examine how diversity influences the profession as a whole, it’s easy to lose sight of the experience of being an individual lawyer, with specific identity characteristics, practising law in Ontario. While cultural sensitivity benefits all lawyers, what is it like to practice law when, at least… Read More »
Categories: DiversityPaths to Success: ‘Find Yourself a Champion, Then Pay it Forward’
“Diversity” describes the characteristics of a group. When we examine how diversity influences the profession as a whole, it’s easy to lose sight of the experience of being an individual lawyer, with specific identity characteristics, practising law in Ontario. While cultural sensitivity benefits all lawyers, what is it like to practice law when, at least… Read More »
Categories: DiversityPaths to Success: ‘Experiment and be open to opportunities when building your career’
“Diversity” describes the characteristics of a group. When we examine how diversity influences the profession as a whole, it’s easy to lose sight of the experience of being an individual lawyer, with specific identity characteristics, practising law in Ontario. While cultural sensitivity benefits all lawyers, what is it like to practice law when, at least… Read More »
Categories: DiversityPaths to Success: ‘Seeing Beyond Challenges With Discipline, Honesty, Honour & Courage’
“Diversity” describes the characteristics of a group. When we examine how diversity influences the profession as a whole, it’s easy to lose sight of the experience of being an individual lawyer, with specific identity characteristics, practising law in Ontario. While cultural sensitivity benefits all lawyers, what is it like to practice law when, at least… Read More »
Categories: DiversityFailure to properly balance cultural practices and Canadian commercial standards casts suspicion of fraud over lawyer
In his article “Manage Malpractice Risk by Recognizing Cultural Diversity“, Lorne Shelson (Litigation Director & Counsel in the Specialty Claims Department at LAWPRO) gives five ‘culturally-based’ claims scenarios loosely based on real LAWPRO claims. Here is one scenario: The lawyer belonged to a tight-knit community where loan transactions were rarely documented. Community members generally relied… Read More »
Categories: Law Practice ManagementPast 40 years marked by a changing mix of lawyers
Ontario’s legal profession has experienced significant changes over the last 40 years. In the mid-1970s a critical mass of women began joining the profession in record numbers. Then, in the 1980s, lawyers from Aboriginal, Francophone and equality-seeking communities began entering the profession. Today, the province’s legal profession continues to grow and evolve at a rapid… Read More »
Categories: Law Practice ManagementIndependent but engaged: Support networks for solos
There are plenty of good reasons for choosing sole practice, or for transitioning into sole practice after practising with a firm. You may have chosen to practise in a small community; you may have opened a sole practice because you couldn’t find the right fit with a firm in your chosen area of practice; or… Read More »
Categories: Career Management, Practice Aids