OBA Announces Innovator-in-Residence for 2019-2020
Ryerson Legal Innovation Zone powers second year of OBA’s ground breaking initiative
TORONTO, ON – Today, OBA President Colin Stevenson announced the Ryerson Legal Innovation Zone (LIZ) as the 2019-2020 OBA Innovator-in-Residence, powering the next chapter in the OBA’s ground breaking initiative to help lawyers put innovation into practice.
“The Innovator-in-Residence Program leads and supports the Ontario Bar to, and through, innovative change with the information, education, practical advice and tools that lawyers need to succeed in a rapidly changing market,” said Stevenson.
“Chris Bentley and his team at the LIZ have earned a reputation as one of the world’s leading legal innovation hubs. They were an obvious choice as this year’s Innovator-in-Residence to work with the OBA in delivering essential tools and services that are tailored to a full range of practice resources and levels of technological sophistication.”
Each year, the OBA appoints an Innovator to help deliver practical, cutting-edge tools, services and supports that equip lawyers and law firms to better serve their clients and improve justice in Ontario.
“Combining the breadth and depth of legal expertise and experience that the OBA's lawyers have with the global knowledge of innovative approaches and products the LIZ brings will ensure better legal solutions for consumers, both people and businesses,” said LIZ Managing Director Chris Bentley.
“We are looking forward to working with the OBA to help their members continuously improve their service delivery through practice innovation, improving profitability, efficiency and access to services.”
This year, the LIZ will play a critical role as Stevenson advances his mandate of practice innovation founded on five distinct pillars of support – information services, testing, know-how, tools and advocacy – which positions every lawyer to keep pace with the speed of innovation.
QUICK FACTS
- The OBA’s Innovator-in-Residence Program launched in August 2018. The Program is designed to equip the OBA and its members with the tools and services they need to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world.
- The LIZ is the OBA’s second Innovator-in-Residence, following the inaugural Innovator-in-Residence Peter Aprile, founder of Counter Tax Lawyers.
- The LIZ is the first legal tech incubator with a focus on building better legal solutions for the consumers of legal services. It helps support, foster and develop solutions and techniques to improve legal services and the justice system.
ABOUT THE ONTARIO BAR ASSOCIATION
Established in 1907, the OBA is the largest voluntary legal association in Ontario representing over 16,000 lawyers, judges, law professors and law students. The OBA provides continuing professional development and advocates for improvements to the law in the interests of the profession and public.