Articles 2019

On December 4, 2017, the Public Sector Lawyers Section of the OBA hosted a welcome reception for articling students and LPP candidates. The evening featured a talk by Janet E. Minor, Treasurer of the Law Society of Upper Canada from 2014 to 2016 and the first lawyer from the public sector to hold that position.

On November 1, 2017, a group of public sector lawyers and attendees gathered for a luncheon program on government funded infrastructure projects. The event was chaired by Joy Hulton from the Regional Municipality of York.

What role does self-interest play in self-regulation? Do Crown prosecutors have ethical obligations different from other lawyers? What is the best way to regulate judicial conduct? How are law firms regulated in today’s multi-jurisdictional reality?

On June 15, 2017, Sara Blake (Ministry of the Attorney General) and Jeff Cowan (WeirFoulds) hosted a group of lawyers at the OBA to provide insightful analyses of six recent cases from the public sector.

Margaret Drent recaps the February 10 OBA Institute program, "Being a Lawyer in Politics".

The federal government appointed the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation in June 2016 and released a discussion paper to inform the work of the Task Force. The report sets out nine public policy objectives, the most important of which is to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and youth, and to keep profits out of the hands of criminals.

On November 23, 2016, the OBA Public Sector Lawyers Section held its annual welcome reception for articling students and LPP candidates. The Honourable Madam Justice Andromache Karakatsanis, the keynote speaker at this year’s reception, provided valuable insights through personal reflections on her long and distinguished career in public service.

On October 21, 2016, a group of public sector lawyers and attendees gathered for an afternoon program on the delegation of provincial and municipal authority.

In my past life as a federal public servant, I happened across an idea that has stuck with me ever since: “scheming virtuously”. Now, early in my career as a public sector lawyer, I have been asking myself how this translates to the practice of law.

This recent decision of the Divisional Court may finally be bringing a bit of judicial clarity to the emerging area of municipal Integrity Commissioners in Ontario.