OBA Innovator in Residence

Mante Molepo served as the Ontario Bar Association’s 2022-23 Innovator in Residence, leading a career accelerator program for Indigenous and racialized lawyers. Spanning eight weeks in the summer of 2023, the program provided targeted professional development in four emerging areas of law: artificial intelligence, ESG, fintech, and privacy. By the end of the accelerator, participants had gained valuable knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in a rapidly evolving legal landscape.

During his tenure as the Ontario Bar Association’s Innovator in Residence, Friedrich Blase drew on two decades of global legal experience to help member firms choose and integrate the right technology solutions. He developed testing tools, analysis resources, and practical guidance aimed at reducing the time, cost, and frustration of implementing new software in law practices. Blase’s contributions complemented the OBA’s broader innovation work, empowering lawyers to modernize their practices and deliver better service to their clients.

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During its tenure as the Ontario Bar Association’s Innovator in Residence, the Legal Innovation Zone focused on harnessing emerging technologies and entrepreneurial thinking to enhance legal practice. It led pilot programs, developed resources, and facilitated training to help OBA members integrate modern solutions into their firms. By guiding lawyers toward a more agile and client-focused approach, the Legal Innovation Zone’s work underlined the OBA’s commitment to driving meaningful innovation in the legal profession.

During his term as the Ontario Bar Association’s inaugural Innovator in Residence, Peter Aprile concentrated on transforming the “people” side of legal practice. Drawing from his tax litigation experience and innovative approach to firm management, he created tools and supports to help law firms engage and retain top talent. Aprile’s insights, along with the practical resources he developed, laid the groundwork for modernizing the human element of legal services and delivering higher-quality client experiences.

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