As I reflect on the first half of my term as President, I am glad to have had the benefit of meeting so many of our members. These have ranged from law students at the start of their career to justices at their swearing-in ceremonies. I have also reached out to associations such as Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, South Asian Bar Association and Portuguese-Canadian Lawyers Association to name a few. Most recently I brought greetings to our sister CBA chapter in Manitoba for their mid-winter Council meeting.  

As many of you know, my focus this year has been to create opportunities for members to “Join In”. This is so members can benefit from everything that this organization has to offer.

We’ve seen an increase in the number of members volunteering for our Speakers Bureau, with a growth of nearly 50% since September. Over the next few months members will be presenting sessions to community groups in Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton and Thunder Bay.

The OBA/OJEN Mock Trials program is once again raising awareness and educating youth about the legal profession.  We started the year with our first event in Sudbury that successfully received both local print and radio coverage. Check out our streamlined website that makes it easier to volunteer for the activities in your community.

This spring I will be chairing an installment of our Enterprising Lawyer series. The course, New Competencies for Lawyers: Essential Skills You Need to Succeed in Law Today tackles the soft skills that may be thought as inherent but are too readily overlooked. It examines such topics as how to build superior communication skills, foster successful business relationships, and provide exceptional client service. These skills are crucial for thriving in your career especially for winning and retaining clients. I invite you to participate in this session of learning and professional development.

 I can think of no better opportunity to “Join In” than at OBA Institute 2016, which wrapped up just a few weeks ago. This year’s installment of Canada’s largest annual legal gathering showcased a series of firsts:

• We held most of our Toronto based sessions in-house at the Twenty Toronto Street Conference Centre. The feedback has been very positive with attendees and volunteers pleased with the convenience of knowing where to go, having all the resources readily at hand, and a more intimate setting that provided a better environment for fulsome discussions and networking.
   
• There was the addition of an Ottawa-hub that extended our presence beyond Toronto. It provided local members with the chance to meet in-person, network and discuss timely topics with local speakers.
  
   
• A Bilingual Reception organized by our Official Languages Committee, where we had the privilege of hosting the Honourable Madam Justice Andromache Karakatsanis. This was an engaging event where she gave generously of her time to share with members her experiences on the Supreme Court of Canada.

Institute 2016 brought together more than 2,000 registrants made up of Ontario lawyers, judges, law teachers and law students from across the province. All of our programming was available on-line and accessible across the province. There were more than 30 professional development sessions, providing an opportunity to meet your CPD requirements early for the year.  This is Canada’s largest Continuing Professional Development experience for the legal profession!

No conference can be a success without the tireless efforts of both volunteer members and staff.  The commitment, enthusiasm and dedication shown by all those involved in its development and execution is widely acknowledged and deeply appreciated.  

I look forward to the next six months as we recognise the outstanding achievements of lawyers in the profession through our OBA and Section Awards. Again it is a pleasure and a privilege to serve as your President, and I hope that you will continue to "Join In".