Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
News | October 08, 2026
Real Clients. Real Files. Real Skills.
For a new lawyer, pro bono work through the OBA's Pro Bono Portal may be one of the most valuable professional development opportunities available to a new lawyer.
Article | October 02, 2026
Client Management for the Young Lawyer: What I Wish I Had Known Sooner
Every difficult client Dr. Zhang has had became difficult because she did not set expectations clearly at intake. Drawing on a recent CARL webinar with three senior immigration lawyers and several years of her own solo practice, Dr. Zhang offers young lawyers three hard-earned lessons: front-load your friction before you sign the retainer, give anxious clients structure rather than reassurance, and understand that the skeptical client is not testing you. She closes with the removal file she still carries with her, and what it taught her about refusing to carry weight that is not hers.
Legislative Update | October 02, 2026
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of September 28
Ontario Judicial Appointments: The Honourable Sean Fraser, announced eight judicial appointments to the Court of Appeal of Ontario and Superior Court of Justice of Ontario. The appointments were done under the judicial application process established in 2016, emphasizing transparency, merit, and the diversity of the Canadian population.
Legislative Update | September 25, 2026
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of September 21
Starlink Costs: Ontario’s new Treasury Board President, Kinga Surma, declined to disclose how much the Ford government spent cancelling its $100 million agreement with Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service. When asked, Surma said, “the decision remained with the taxpayer, that was a big component of our election and the people voted to cancel the contract,” explaining that the government will “continue to move forward with [their] broadband strategy.”
Legislative Update | August 10, 2026
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of August 3
Provincial By-Elections: Premier Ford has called byelections in three Ontario ridings: Scarborough Southwest, York–Simcoe and Hamilton East–Stoney Creek. The voting day will be on Sept. 3.
Article | June 03, 2026
Why Where You Post Legal Career Opportunities Matters More Than Ever
In hiring lawyers, context, credibility, and connection can shape better outcomes for employers and candidates alike.
Article | May 25, 2026
When the Minimum Fine is Too Much: Section 59(2) Submissions in Provincial Offences Court
This article discusses the use of section 59(2) of Ontario’s Provincial Offences Act as a sentencing tool to reduce mandatory minimum fines in exceptional circumstances where imposing the statutory minimum would be unduly oppressive or contrary to the interests of justice. It explains the legal principles governing section 59(2) submissions, the distinction between inconvenience and genuine hardship, and the evidentiary requirements counsel should prepare to support relief applications. The article also examines the limitations imposed by appellate jurisprudence, including the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision in Ontario (Environment, Conservation and Parks) v. Henry of Pelham Inc., emphasizing that mandatory minimum fines serve important deterrence and public welfare objectives. Practical guidance is provided for counsel representing clients facing significant fines under provincial regulatory legislation.
Media Release | May 11, 2026
Ontario Justice Centres Honoured with OBA President’s Award for Transforming Access to Justice
Ontario Bar Association President, Katy Commisso, is recognizing Ontario’s Justice Centres with the association’s annual OBA President’s Award.
Article | April 25, 2026
Beyond the Weather: A Newcomer Lawyer's Guide to Small Talk
In this personal reflection, Dr. Ningjing (Natalie) Zhang shares what she learned about small talk after arriving in Canada as a new immigrant in her thirties, the first in her family to attend post-secondary education. Drawing on the T.A.L.K. framework by Harvard Business School Professor Allison Wood Brooks, she walks through four practical principles, Topics, Asking, Levity, and Kindness, and applies them to the everyday conversations that shape a legal career: client intakes, networking receptions, mentor coffees, and difficult phone calls. Written for lawyers who, like her, were never handed the unwritten manual on Canadian small talk, the article offers both a framework and a quiet permission to keep learning.
Resource | April 01, 2026
The Art of Client Communication: Skills for Your Modern Legal Practice
Client relationships, both institutional and individual, are critical to file management and to providing accurate and competent legal advice and representation.
