Innovator

TORONTO – The Ontario Bar Association (OBA) is launching a first-of-its-kind Peer Support Network for Lawyers Living with Disabilities, providing a robust complement of constructive resources, tools and engagement opportunities for lawyers.

The Ministry of the Attorney General filed a regulation amending Reg. 194 under the Courts of Justice Act (Rules of Civil Procedure), amending 3 probate application forms, and creating transition rules to permit service and filing of the old forms. The regulation is in force as of July 6, 2023.

The Ontario Bar Association (OBA) is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Association Awards. The recipients will be honoured at the OBA Awards Gala on May 31 in Toronto. 

On Thursday, March 23, 2023, the government tabled Building a Strong Ontario, the 2023 provincial budget. The government’s plan is to balance the budget with the province to start posting a budget surplus in 2024-2025. In 2022-23, Ontario is projecting a deficit of $2.2 billion.

The Ministry of the Attorney will be hosting 6 regional Justice Services Online (JSO) User Feedback Sessions, together with the Superior Court of Justice, Ontario Court of Justice and Federation of Ontario Law Associations.

Mante Molepo has been named the 2022-23 Ontario Bar Association Innovator in Residence and will lead the association’s new career accelerator for Indigenous and racialized lawyers in emerging areas of law.

On November 1, 2022, two new mediation programs will launch in Hamilton Unified Family Court by its court-connected mediation and information service provider, AXIS Family Mediation Inc. (“AXIS”).

November is Make a Will Month, and the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) is once again spearheading a campaign to educate the public about the need for a will and how lawyers can help people draft one properly. Throughout the month, volunteers from the OBA will be leading free information sessions for the public in communities across Ontario.

The government has once again invoked the notwithstanding clause so that their legislation prohibiting a strike and unilaterally imposing contract terms will operate even if it violates the rights protected by sections 2, 7 and 15 of the Charter. These include the rights to free speech, association, and peaceful assembly, the right not to be deprived of life, liberty or security of the person except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice and equality rights.

This October, as we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Women’s History Month – with the theme “She Did, So Now I Can” – we asked the trailblazers who are making OBA history as members of our Board’s very first all-female officers team about who inspires them today, and how they are leading inclusively and working to advance gender equality in the legal profession.