#bencher elections

[leeakazaki]

If you believe in a self-regulated Bar, vote in #LSBencher elections.

If you believe in a self-regulated Bar, vote in #LSBencher elections.

At a Bencher election event at the Toronto Lawyers Association last night, I ran into a fellow candidate who, in response to a question by the TLA Executive Director about the candidate’s position on courthouse library funding, said he was not very aware of this or other issues but intended to study them if elected.  My initial thought: What the heck is this person doing running for a board that…

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[leeakazaki]

Early Lesson from the #Duffy Trial: The Bar needs to focus, not wince at the sight of a "bright line" rule

Early Lesson from the #Duffy Trial: The Bar needs to focus, not wince at the sight of a “bright line” rule

Amid the media frenzy over the morality play unfolding in an Ottawa courtroom, the bar has a lesson to glean from the argument over the interaction between the Canadian Senate’s expense rules and the Criminal Code.  (“Blame the rules, not Mike Duffy, defence says.”)

Mr. Duffy’s defence lawyer contends the Senate’s self-imposed rules permitted practices such as claiming housing expenses for…

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[leeakazaki]

What is the Dollar Footprint of that #Bencher2015 Campaign Email or Flyer?

What is the Dollar Footprint of that #Bencher2015 Campaign Email or Flyer?

After the last Law Society Bencher election, four years ago, rumours abounded that one candidate had spent over $100,000 in campaign expenses.  This time around, there is a lot of talk about opening up the Law Society’s leadership to more diverse candidates.  The fact remains that, like any other form of politics, money plays a part in the democratic process.

If you get an email from a bencher…

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[leeakazaki]

Post-Mortem, CBA Futures Debate on ABS

Post-Mortem, CBA Futures Debate on ABS

On February 21, I participated in the panel debate on Alternative Business Structures (ABS) at the plenary CBA meetings in Ottawa, for which I had provided my preliminary speaking noteson this blog.  I left the debate feeling there is no business plan for allowing non-lawyers and corporations to share in the delivery of legal services: in short, no case to answer.  Many, many CBA leaders…

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