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Federation of Law Societies launches interactive Model Code of Professional Conduct

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MESSAGE EN FRANÇAIS À LA SUITE

The following is a message from Gavin Hume:

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to announce that the Federation of Law Societies of Canada has launched the Interactive Model Code of Professional Conduct, an online tool that links the provisions in the Federation’s Model Code to the matching or related rules of professional conduct in every law society in Canada.

This interactive tool will allow mobile lawyers, law society staff and leaders, academic researchers and others to quickly and easily find the enforceable rules in every Canadian jurisdiction using the national Model Code as the central reference point. Users will be able to isolate specific sections of the Federation’s Model Code and view the corresponding code of conduct of another jurisdiction.

The Federation’s Model Code was developed to harmonize as much as possible the ethical rules governing lawyers across Canada. It has now been implemented by ten Canadian law societies, is reflected in the Barreau du Quebec’s new Code of Professional Conduct and is under review in the remaining jurisdictions.

The Interactive Model Code of Professional Conduct is available on the Federation’s web site (www.flsc.ca) and can be accessed through a permanent link at: http://flsc.ca/interactivecode.

 

The Federation of Law Societies of Canada is the national coordinating body of the 14 law societies mandated by provincial and territorial law to regulate Canada’s 100,000 lawyers, Quebec’s 4,000 notaries and Ontario’s 7,200 licensed paralegals in the public interest. It is a leading voice on issues of national and international importance relating to the administration of justice and the rule of the law.

Sincerely,

Gavin Hume, Q.C., Chair, Standing Committee on the Model Code of Professional Conduct,

Federation of Law Societies of Canada

 

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Ce qui suit est un message de Gavin Hume :

 

Chères/chers collègues,

 

Je vous écris pour vous annoncer que la Fédération des ordres professionnels de juristes du Canada a lancé le Code type de déontologie professionnelle interactif, un outil en ligne qui fait le pont entre les dispositions du Code type de la Fédération et les règles de déontologie professionnelle reliées ou correspondantes parmi tous les ordres professionnels de juristes au Canada.

Cet outil interactif permettra aux avocats en déplacement, au personnel et aux dirigeants des ordres professionnels de juristes, aux chercheurs universitaires et à d’autres intéressés de trouver les règles de conduite facilement et rapidement dans toutes les juridictions canadiennes en utilisant le code type national en tant que point de référence central. Les utilisateurs pourront isoler des sections spécifiques du Code type de la Fédération et visualiser le code de déontologie dans chaque jurisdiction.

Le Code type de la Fédération fut conçu pour harmoniser les règles de déontologie gouvernant les avocats à travers le Canada du mieux possible. Celui-ci vient d’être mis en œuvre par dix ordres professionnels de juristes au Canada, est reflété dans le nouveau code de déontologie professionnelle du Barreau du Québec et fait l’objet d’examen dans les juridictions restantes.

Le Code type de déontologie professionnelle interactif est disponible sur le site Web de la fédération (http://flsc.ca/fr/) et l’accès est disponible grâce au lien permanent suivant: http://flsc.ca/fr/codeinteractif/.

La Fédération des ordres professionnels de juristes du Canada est l’organisme coordonnateur national des 14 ordres professionnels de juristes qui, en vertu de la loi de leur province ou territoire, ont le mandat de réglementer les 100 000 avocats du Canada, les 4 000 notaires du Québec et les 7 200 parajuristes autorisés de l’Ontario dans l’intérêt du public. Elle joue un rôle de premier plan dans des dossiers d’intérêt national et international qui concernent l’administration de la justice et la primauté du droit.

Très sincèrement à vous,

 

Gavin Hume, c.r.

Président, Comité permanent sur le Code type de déontologie professionnelle de la Fédération

 

 

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Daphne Keevil Harrold

Policy Counsel / Conseillère en matière de politiques

 

Federation of Law Societies of Canada / Fédération des ordres professionnels de juristes du Canada

World Exchange Plaza

1810 – 45 rue O’Connor Street

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1P 1A4

dkeevil@flsc.ca

 

t.  613.783.7393

 

A Salyzyn: Law Society Complaints: What We Don’t Know and Why This Is a Problem

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Posted to SLAW June 10, 2015

In many ways, Canadian law societies are now more transparent institutions than ever before. The Law Society of Upper Canada, for example, has adopted innovations like live webcasts of Convocation meetings, online Annual Reports and a frequently used Twitter account which allow for easier access and greater insight into what goes on at Osgoode Hall and why. And, of course, for those interested in what happens to lawyers “gone bad”, there is free public access to discipline-related decisions on CanLII.

Disciplinary decisions seem to be, indeed, one of the things that lawyers and the public are most interested in. In recent years, several high profile cases – including the ongoing civility case involving newly elected Bencher Joseph Groia, and the now-dismissed conflict of interest allegations brought against former Hollinger lawyers – have received considerable attention. Just in the past few months, the proceedings against a Toronto lawyer who received a five-month suspension after admitting to professional misconduct in representing refugee claimants has received significant media attention (see, here, here, and here).

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A Woolley: The Virtues and Limits of the Representation of the “Man-in-trouble”: Some Reflections on Jian Ghomeshi and Legal Ethics

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Posted to ABlawg on November 3, 2014 by Alice Woolley By: Alice Woolley

The recent scandal surrounding Jian Ghomeshi’s dismissal from the CBC, and the sexual assault allegations relating to that dismissal, have had a polarizing impact on Canadian discussion about sexual assault. First, this comment outlines the legal framework surrounding the sexual assault allegations against Mr. Ghomeshi to clarify what is relevant to the adjudication of those allegations, and what is not. Second, this comment seeks to respond to the polarizing conversation on this issue and argue for a middle ground which preserves the presumption of innocence while simultaneously demanding greater support for the victims of sexual assault.

Background

CALE Conference October 23 – 25: Last Reminder

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The CALE conference is scheduled for October 23-25, 2014 in London, Ontario.  On the evening of Oct 23 there will be dinner and a social event at the Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre and then on Oct 24 we start in the morning with a shuttle over to Western Law.  The conference ends mid-afternoon on Oct 25.  On Oct 24 there will be a dinner sponsored by Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP followed by a speech by Ian Binnie.  Other sponsors of elements of the conference include Emond Montgomery Publications and the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.

There is no registration fee.  We will be tracking attendees based on your booking of the accommodation (for which you are responsible, logistically and financially) at the Centre or based on you telling us that you are attending but staying elsewhere.  If you are not staying at the Centre and you do not know for sure that I know you are attending, please contact Stephen Pitel at Western.

The Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre is now taking bookings.  You can make your booking over the web (https://resweb.passkey.com/go/WesternLaw) or by phone (1-888-678-6926).  

The conference will feature:

  • a session on teaching covering several issues including the “flipping” of the classroom;
    a session on regulatory developments covering several issues including the notion of principle-based regulation’ and
    three sessions on in-progress research on a wide range of legal ethics topics. 
    If you did not see the earlier calls for volunteers to present or for some reason did not respond, and are interested in presenting, please let me know because it is possible that we might be able to fit you into the program.

2014 CALE conference October 23 – 25 in London, Ontario

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Please save the dates for the annual CALE conference scheduled  for October 23 – 25, 2014.  

Sessions will be devoted to teaching, research and regulatory developments.  

Thursday, October 23:  check in and dinner. 

Friday, October 24 – 25: conference with a reception and dinner on Friday. 

There is no registration fee.

More details will follow.