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Flex is thrilled to announce Erin Cowling's appointment as Regional Alumni Advisor (Toronto) for the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law (Common Law). Through this role Erin will serve the Common Law alumni community in Toronto and support recent graduates through the provision of confidential workplace and career advice and alumni outreach.
See the announcements in Precedent A-List and The Lawyer's Daily.
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 It is awards season for lawyers, which means there are a lot of upcoming social and networking events to attend in Toronto, Ottawa, and London!
We've compiled a list to help you build your personal network and find potential referral sources: MAY 1, 2019 – OTTAWA – OBA Young Lawyers Division. A Springtime Evening with The Honourable Justice Malcom Rowe of the Supreme Court of Canada. The Rideau Club. 5:00pm Registration. CBA Member $35.00. Non-Member $45.00 MAY 1, 2019 – TORONTO – Women’s Law Association of Ontario – Articling Chapter. Champagne & Shop. The Hudson’s Bay 176 Yonge Street. 6:00pm-9:00pm. Articling Students and WLAO Members $30.00. Non-Members $40.00. MAY 2, 2019 – TORONTO -Toronto Lawyers Association – 7th Annual Bench & Bar Young Lawyers Soiree. TLA Lawyers Lounge, 2nd Floor, 361 University. 5:00pm Registration. 5:30pm-7:30pm. This event is for lawyers called to the Bar in the past 10 years as well as articling students and law students. Members and Judiciary FREE. Non-Members $20.00 MAY 2, 2019 – LONDON – The Advocates’ Society London Pub Night. 5:30pm. The Squire Pub and Grill. This event is open to members, non-member lawyers and law school and articling students. FREE. Your business card is your ticket. Register online. MAY 14, 2019 – TORONTO – OBA Class Actions Section Spring Social. PwC Canada 18 York Street, Suite 2600. 6:00pm - 8:00pm. FREE. MAY 14, 2019 – OTTAWA – The Advocates’ Society - The John P. Nelligan Award for Excellence in Advocacy 2019 – Shaw Centre, Ottawa. 6:00pm-10:00pm. $135.00 (members and non-members welcomed). MAY 14, 2019 – TORONTO – The Advocates’ Society Annual Family Law Bench and Bar Reception. 2700 – 250 Yonge Street. 5:30pm Registration. FREE for members. $20.00 for non-members. MAY 15, 2019 – TORONTO – OBA Award of Excellence in Insurance Law. Omni King Edward Hotel. 5:30pm-9:00pm. CBA Member $175. Non-Member $195. MAY 15, 2019 – TORONTO – OBA – Young Lawyers Gala. Gardiner Museum. 6:00pm-10:00pm. CBA Member $80.00. CBA Student Member $55.00. Non-Member $100. MAY 16, 2019 – TORONTO – OBA Women Lawyers Forum Award of Excellence in the Promotion of Women’s Equality Award Winner: Lynn McGrade. 20 Toronto Street. 5:30pm Registration. 6:00pm Dinner & Award. CBA Member $100, CBA Student Member $50, Non-Member $140. MAY 22, 2019 – TORONTO – The Advocates’ Society – Toronto Mentoring Dinner Series (Speed Mentoring). 2700-250 Yonge Street. 6:00pm-8:30pm. Members $75.00. Non-Members $95.00. MAY 29, 2019 – TORONTO – OBA Award of Excellence in Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Law. 20 Toronto Street. 5:00pm Registration. CBA Member $65.00. CBA Student Member $40.00. Non-Member $95.00. MAY 30, 2019 – OTTAWA – County of Carleton Law Association. Spring Fling Social. 4:30pm. Geneva Room, Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar. JUNE 4, 2019 – TORONTO – OBA Award of Excellence in Trusts and Estates Law. Four Seasons Hotel. 5:30pm Registration. CBA Member $140.00 Non-Member $170.00. JUNE 6, 2019 – TORONTO – OBA Health Law Section Year-End Dinner and Award Presentation. 20 Toronto Street. 5:30pm Registration. CBA Member $95.00. CBA Student Member $45.00. Non-Member $145.00. JUNE 12, 2019 – TORONTO – WLAO Annual Awards Gala. Rosewater Room. 17 Toronto Street. 6:00pm Reception followed by dinner. Member $110.00. Non-Member $125.00. Student $95.00. JUNE 13, 2019 – TORONTO – OBA Award of Excellence in Pensions & Benefits. Cluny Bistro, Distillery District. 5:30pm Registration. CBA Member $155. Non-Member $170. JUNE 20, 2019 – TORONTO – The Advocates’ Society End of Term Dinner. Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building. 5:30pm Registration. Members Only. $275.00. Know of any other upcoming social or networking events? Let us know! And we hope to see you at some of these events soon. (Please double-check dates/times/location/prices directly on the associations' websites as this information may change).  This is the first article in our series “The Ethics of Freelance Lawyering”. The series will focus on the common questions we receive from lawyers or law firms looking to outsource their legal work. This post looks at maintaining confidentiality when freelancing.
How do freelance lawyers maintain their duty of confidentiality? In Ontario, Rule 3.3-1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct sets out the duty of confidentiality. This means a lawyer at all times must: hold in strict confidence all information concerning the business and affairs of the client acquired in the course of the professional relationship and shall not divulge any such information unless (a) expressly or impliedly authorized by the client; (b) required by law or by order of a tribunal of competent jurisdiction to do so; (c) required to provide the information to the Law Society; or (d) otherwise permitted by the rules. (i.e. justified or permitted disclosure). Each province has a similarly worded rule, as does the Federation of Law Societies of Canada’s Model Code of Professional Conduct. All of Flex’s freelance lawyers who take on legal work are called to the bar in at least one province in Canada and licensed with the law society or regulator of that province. This means that they must abide by any applicable Rules or Code of Professional Conduct. Therefore, they are required to honour their duty of confidentiality, just like any other lawyer. So, in short, they keep the information they receive in strict confidence! As a lawyer who hires a freelance lawyer how do I maintain my duty of confidentiality? Lawyers should obtain consent from their client before disclosing any of their client’s confidential information to a freelance lawyer. Often law firms who use freelance lawyers include a clause in their retainer agreement and explain to their clients that from time to time, in order to keep legal costs down, they may employ the use of a freelance lawyer and that the client consents to their information being disclosed to the freelance lawyer for that purpose. Clients are happy that their lawyers are seeking out ways to minimize their legal fees. They just need to know where their information is going. (If you would like to see a sample clause for your retainer, please contact us.) What about Flex Legal? Flex Legal does not have access to any confidential information or documentation relating to the matters worked on by the freelance lawyers in our network. We only obtain general information from our lawyer clients (i.e. they need assistance with drafting summary judgment motion material or a factum for an interlocutory injunction, etc.) before we match the lawyer client with a freelance lawyer. Make sense? Still have questions? Let us know! Stay tuned for the next post in this series on "Conflicts of Interest". Note: This article provides an overview only and does not constitute legal advice.  Our popular "Lawyers Looking for Leads" list is back!
Generate new business for your law firm with referrals from other lawyers. Build your personal network and find potential referral sources by attending legal events and meeting other lawyers in-person. Too busy to research potential networking events? We’ve done that for you! Below is a list of some networking opportunities coming up for March/April (and a couple in May) (while most CLE/CPD events contain some element of networking, our list focuses on networking-only or mainly social events): MARCH 7, 2019 – OTTAWA – County of Carleton Law Association – Annual General Meeting & Awards Banquet. The Shaw Centre. 5:30pm-9:30pm. Single ticket: $123.89 +HST. Table of 10: $1238.94 + HST. MARCH 21, 2019 – TORONTO - Toronto Lawyers Association / NCA Network – Launch Event at the TLA Lawyers Lounge, 361 University Ave. 5:30pm-7:30pm. NCA Network is a networking group for internationally educated lawyers and students. $20.00 and you must pre-register. MARCH 21, 2019 – TORONTO - The Advocates’ Society – The Young Advocates’ Standing Committee (Lawyers in their first 10 years of practice) – Trivia Challenge for Charity in support of TAS Gives Back at Hot House Restaurant. 6:00pm – 8:30pm. $300 +HST for a team of four. MARCH 21, 2019 – WHITBY – The Ontario Bar Association - Women Lawyers Forum Durham Social at Durham College, Whitby Campus. 5:30pm-8:00pm. $25 + HST or $10 + HST if you are a CBA/OBA Student Member. MARCH 21, 2019 – OTTAWA – County of Carleton Law Association – Women’s Speed Mentoring Event at Ottawa City Hall. 5:30pm-7:30pm. For junior lawyers and new calls. $20.00. MARCH 26, 2019 – OTTAWA – County of Carleton Law Association – LSO East Region Bencher Candidate Meet & Greet at the CCLA, Ottawa Courthouse. 5:00pm-7:30pm. Free, but you must register in advance. MARCH 27, 2019 – TORONTO – The Advocates’ Society – Mid-Career Women’s Social – Lena Restaurant. 6:00pm. Free, but you need to register in advance. MARCH 27, 2019 – TORONTO – Young Women in Law – The 9th Annual Young Women in Law Charity Gala at the Arcadian Court. 6:00pm-10:00pm. $80.00 for members. $95.00 for non-members. MARCH 28, 2019 – TORONTO - Toronto Lawyers Association – LSO Bencher Candidate Meet & Greet – Come network with other lawyers and meet TLA members who are running for Bencher in an informal setting. 5:30pm-7:00pm. Free, but you need to register in advance. MARCH 28, 2019 – VAUGHAN – The Ontario Bar Association – The Young Lawyers’ Uptown Social hosted by the OBA’s Young Lawyers Division. 6:30pm-9:30pm. Free to register, cash bar. APRIL 9, 2019 – TORONTO – The Advocates’ Society – Securities Litigation Reception at The Advocates’ Society Education Centre, 250 Yonge Street. 5:30pm- 7:00pm. $20.00 + HST for Members. $40.00 + HST for non-members. APRIL 10, 2019 – TORONTO – The Advocates’ Society – Wine and Cheese with the Bench – Open to lawyers in their first 10 years of practice at The Advocates’ Society Education Centre, 250 Yonge Street. 5:30pm – 7:30pm. $44.25 + HST. APRIL 10, 2019 – TORONTO – OBA/WLF, CABL, SABA, FACL – Women’s Speed Mentoring: The Track to Success at Bennett Jones LLP. 5:30pm-7:45pm. Save the date – registration details to be posted soon. APRIL 18, 2019 – HAMILTON – The Hamilton Law Association – Annual Dinner at The Art Gallery of Hamilton. Cocktails at 5:30pm. Dinner at 6:00pm. $110.00. APRIL 30, 2019 – TORONTO – The Ontario Bar Association – Dinner with Your Honourable Estates List Judges – OBA Conference Center. 5:30 registration 6:00pm-8:00pm Dinner & Program. $95.00 + HST Members, $45.00 + HST Student Members, and $145.00 for Non-Members. MAY 2, 2019 – TORONTO -Toronto Lawyers Association – 7th Annual Bench & Bar Young Lawyers Soiree. Courthouse Library, 3rd floor, 361 University. 6:30pm-10:30pm. This event is for lawyers called to the Bar in the past 10 years as well as articling students and law students. Save the date, details to be posted soon. MAY 14, 2019 – OTTAWA – The Advocates’ Society - The John P. Nelligan Award for Excellence in Advocacy 2019 – Shaw Centre, Ottawa. 6:00pm-10:00pm. $135 + HST (members and non-members welcomed). Know of any other upcoming social or networking events? Let us know! And we hope to see you at some of these events soon. (Please double-check dates/times/location/prices directly on the associations' websites as this information may change).  Some effort is being made to modernize our courts through a new pilot project launched on February 11, 2019 for all matters on the Commercial List in Toronto.
All parties and counsel will be required to use the assigned “Digital Hearing Workspace” to deliver documents electronically to the judicial officer and other parties or counsel in the matter. If the parties fail to electronically upload documents using the workspace, the presiding judicial official may “address” such failure (no specifics were given as to the consequences of not uploading). What is a Digital Hearing Workspace? It is NOT a court filing service. It is a document sharing service or online document management platform. So, documents shared in the workspace must still be filed in accordance with the Rules of Civil Procedure and applicable practice directions. The pilot is intended to replace electronic delivery by email, USB Key and CD-ROM (people still use those?) The goal for the project is to “make delivering, storing, organizing and retrieving documents filed in Commercial List proceedings easier for the parties, counsel, judicial officials and court staff involved in these matters.” Where do you access the Digital Hearing Workspace? If you are counsel or a self-represented individual, you will be assigned to a Digital Hearing Workspace for your case. You will be sent an email requesting you to register for the workspace. Court staff must approve your registration before you can access it. For step by step instructions on how to access the workspace, upload documents, view documents, etc. see the “Digital Hearing Workspace User Guide”, which has helpful graphics as well. It is important to note that the file name of documents uploaded to the Digital Hearing Workspace must follow the naming convention outline in the “Guide Concerning e-Delivery of Documents in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice”. Once the case has been disposed of by a final decision, the workspace will be closed and users will no longer have access. For more information see the Practice Advisory Concerning Electronic Documents in Commercial List Proceedings, dated February 11, 2019, which supplements the Consolidated Practice Direction Concerning the Commercial List, dated July 1, 2014. Counsel and parties are also advised to review the relevant parts of the Consolidated Provincial Practice Direction and any other applicable Toronto Region-Specific practice directions or guides (this seems like a lot of practice directions to us – one consolidated document/practice direction might work better?) How helpful do you think this pilot project will be? It is great to see some movement toward modernizing our court system. We look forward to more developments in this area. Photo by Andras Vas on Unsplash  It took me a long time to realize that “business development” and “networking” are not dirty or scary words. They are important and essential steps in building a law practice and a personal brand within the legal and non-legal community.
Networking and business development are not about being an aggressive salesperson. Nor do you have to spend thousands of dollars on top advertising spots on TV. It is simply about making yourself and your legal skills available to others through a variety of means. It is about meeting people and making connections. Below, we provide our Top Five Tips on Networking & Business Development for Lawyers: 1. KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE First, do some groundwork. Who is your target audience or ideal client? Usually, your target audience will be made up of two groups: other lawyers for referrals and your potential clients. For referrals, think about the type of lawyer that might refer work to you. For example, an estate litigator may want to seek out referrals from an estate solicitor. If a dispute arises, the family often turns to the lawyer handling the administration of an estate for a referral to an estate litigator. Make a list of lawyers you already know and assess who might be a good referral source and who you can refer work to. Then ask them out for coffee or reconnect with them. For potential clients, once again think about who and where they are. Family law lawyers have a very large market. Crypto-currency lawyers or entertainment lawyers may have a smaller market. If you have a practice that is accessible and understood by most of the public (family, criminal, real estate) it is easier to market to the general public. However, sometimes clients might not even know they need your expertise. It is your job to explain to them how you can fix their problems. 2. MAKE A LIST OF IN-PERSON NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES Every month or so, review the upcoming lawyer networking events (not just CPD events, but those that also have a social component) advertised by the Ontario Bar Association, Canadian Bar Association, Toronto Lawyers Association, Law Society of Ontario, The Advocates’ Society, Women Lawyers Association of Ontario, etc. Then, sign up for the ones that a) you think will provide a good return on your investment (hint: If you don’t work at a firm that pays for these events, find the free ones) and b) fits into your busy schedule. If you don’t have time to make this list, check out our curated list of lawyer events in the GTA/Ottawa/Hamilton area that we post every few months. For non-lawyer events targeting direct clients, Google and make a list of events where you can mingle with others than can use your services: local charities, community organizations, local political associations, your kid’s school’s parent council, etc. Try to target one event a month. 3. GET PUBLISHED: TRADITIONAL or SOCIAL MEDIA Not all of us are extroverts who like in-person networking. The good news: you can just as easily develop your brand and network with others through the written word. Consider writing an article for a magazine, law journal, newspaper, your firm’s monthly client newsletter, etc. Anyone reading these articles will see your name and your firm and this will help in keeping you top of mind. Every publication is looking for quality content! Just reach out! But also, write for your target audience. For example, if you are a franchise lawyer, consider writing for Franchise Canada magazine. Not sure about traditional publications? Consider social media. Social media is one big networking cocktail party you can attend in your pajamas and with unwashed hair! Update your LinkedIn profile, reactivate that Twitter account, revise your firm’s Facebook page. The key with social media is to post regularly, post articles or information that is useful to your target audience and engage with others. (Just be mindful of the Rules of Professional Conduct.) Consider blogging. Update your readers on recent developments in the law. Explain legal issues in easy to understand terms. It helps with search engine optimization when you regularly post quality content on your website. Don’t have time to blog or draft articles? Consider outsourcing that work to qualified freelance lawyers/writers. 4. SEEK OUT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS While this is not for everyone, consider speaking engagements where you can reach your target audience (either other lawyers or potential clients). How do you get these speaking opportunities? Try asking. Put yourself out there. Approach the different organizations and say, “I have this great 30 min presentation on X law that might be beneficial to your members – do you have any programs coming up?” Once you do a few speaking engagements, you are on people’s radars, and you will be asked to speak again. 5. DON’T GET DISCOURAGED Networking/business development is a marathon and not a sprint. Lawyers often get discouraged when their efforts do not yield immediate results. It would be rare for you to take a potential client out for lunch and be handed a file later that day. Instead plant the seeds (through in-person networking, publishing and speaking engagements) and watch them grow (at their own rate). The more seeds you plant, the more likely something will sprout! These are our top five tips for networking and business development: What works for you? Hello 2019! For our first blog post for the new year we are reviewing our top 7 blog posts for 2018. One of the best ways for us to tailor our content is to find out what interests our Flex Clients and readers. Below are the posts that received the most engagement in 2018 (although some were posted in previous years!) We always welcome any feedback on our blogs. Interested in a topic? Let us know!       
 It’s easy for lawyers to sit back and complain about the lack of progress in our profession, whether it be with advances in technology; access to justice; equality, diversity and inclusion, etc. However, now is your chance to get involved and (hopefully) make a difference: the next Law Society of Ontario (LSO) bencher election is taking place during the last two weeks of April 2019 and the nominations are now open!
What is a Bencher? Yes, the name is confusing, but basically a bencher is a member of the board of directors at the LSO. That “board of directors” is called Convocation. The “president” is called the Treasurer. (The LSO is considering changing the terminology.) Benchers play a critical role in the governance of the LSO and the regulation of lawyers and paralegals in Ontario. For example, they are holding a special convocation on December 10 to address the future of the lawyer licensing process in Ontario. There are 20 elected lawyer benchers from Toronto and 20 from outside of Toronto. There are also paralegal benchers, appointed benchers, and ex-officio benchers, however Convocation just approved changes to limit the rights of honorary benchers to contribute to debates. (Fun Fact: His Royal Highness Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales is an Honorary Bencher) Why Should You Run? We need a more diverse group of benchers who reflect the legal professionals in Ontario and the clients we serve. New lawyers? Racialized lawyers? Solicitors? Solo/Small firm lawyers? Women? We need you all. How Do You Apply? Go to the LSO’s webpage for the Bencher Election 2019. Download the Lawyer Nomination Form, fill it out (including the names and signatures of at least five lawyers that will nominate you) and submit it by 5:00pm on February 8, 2019. Are You Running for Bencher? Let us know! Photo by Parker Johnson on Unsplash  One of our most popular blog posts was our first "Lawyers Looking for Leads" article from July featuring summer networking opportunities for the legal profession.
It was so well received that we've decided to repeat a similar post a few times a year to keep our lawyer clients up to date on some great social events and to give them a chance to generate some leads, meet new people, and to just get out and have some fun! Below are some upcoming social events/networking opportunities you do not want to miss. Registration information for these events can be found in the links: November 8, 2018 - Ontario Bar Association - Young Lawyers Division, Southwest Social: London, 5pm-7pm, Joe Cool's Restaurant. Registration complimentary. November 13, 2018 - Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers / South Asian Bar Association - Fall Social Networking Event: Toronto, 5:30pm registration, 6-8pm Networking, 3 Brewers, 120 Adelaide St. Hosted by the FACL Women's Committee, the FACL Mentorship Committee, and SABA. Registration complimentary. November 14, 2018 - The Advocates' Society - Young Advocates’ Pub Night, Toronto: Pravda Vodka Bar, 6:00pm-8:30pm. Open to TAS members, non-member lawyers, and law school and articling students. Your business card is your ticket. November 14, 2018 - The Advocates' Society - Kingston Pub Night, Red House 369 King St. East, 5:30-7:30. This event is open to TAS members, non-member lawyers, and law school and articling students. November 15, 2018 - The Advocates' Society - Estate Litigation Bench and Bar Reception, Toronto: The Advocates' Society offices, 2700- 250 Yonge Street, 5:30-7:00pm. Free for Members. $30.00 for Non-Members. November 15, 2018 - Toronto Lawyers Association - TLA Fall Pub event, Dublin Calling, 250 Adelaide St. W., from 5:30-7:30pm. Free for TLA Members ($20 for non-members). Open to lawyers and articling students. Ticket includes appetizers and two drinks. November 18, 2018 - The Advocates' Society - Santa Claus Parade Party, Toronto: Campbell House, 12:30pm-3:00pm Members Only event: $25.00 per family. November 28, 2018 - South Asian Bar Association - Annual Gala and Awards Night, Toronto, Liberty Grand 6:00pm-10:00pm. $225.00 for individual ticket. November 29, 2018 - County of Carleton Law Association - 5th Annual Holiday Social, Geneva Room, Knox Church, Ottawa: 4:30pm-7:30pm. No fee, but please register in advance. All are welcome - judges, paralegals, students and lawyers. November 30, 2018 - Hamilton Lawyers Association - The Annual Members’ Appreciation Lunch, 5th Floor Lawyers' Lounge, 45 Main Street East, Hamilton: 12:00-2:00pm. December 13, 2018 - The Advocates' Society - President's Festive Reception, Toronto: TAS Offices - 2700-250 Yonge Street. Members Only Know of any other upcoming social or networking events? Let us know! And we hope to see you at some of these events soon. (Please double-check dates/times/location/prices directly on the associations' websites as this information may change).  “What (the heck) is a freelance lawyer?” I believe that is a direct quote from my Mom when I told her I had become one. So Mom (and anyone else who might be curious), here is a brief rundown of what freelance lawyering is all about.
As a freelance lawyer, my clients are other lawyers, law firms or in house counsel (in layperson’s terms this means the legal departments of companies). I am not employed by these lawyers, law firms or in house counsel but instead, am an independent contractor providing services to them. I have a non-exclusive arrangement with all of them, meaning that I am free to work with others, at my discretion. The type of work varies and timeframes can range from a one-off project, stepping in for a finite period of time while a lawyer is on vacation or acting for the lawyer’s client on an ongoing basis. Sometimes a lawyer will call me because they simply hate reviewing and editing contracts. Not me. That is one of my favourite type of files. Being a freelance lawyer has a lot of advantages - flexibility, working remotely, autonomy (to name a few) but also has its challenges - no fixed income, no job security and no colleagues down the hall to discuss the latest legal developments and/or the latest episode of the Bachelor (to name a few). Despite the risks involved with being a freelance lawyer, it is a career that is immensely fulfilling. I get to practice the areas of law that I want to practice, with clients I enjoy and on my schedule. And being my own boss is pretty cool too! Hopefully this post has helped to shed some light on what freelance lawyering is all about. Mom, if you’re still unsure, just give me a call! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thanks Amy for this great contribution to our blog. Amy Grubb is a corporate /commercial freelance lawyer with Flex. For more information on Amy's legal experience and how she can help lawyers/law firms/in-house legal departments click here. |
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