Kowalski for Bencher – It’s Time for Change

March 31, 2015

We are now at the beginning of The Great Legal Reformation.

For years, Ontario’s A2J problem has grown worse, along with the rate of depression among lawyers. Students face increasingly horrendous job prospects, legal training is inconsistent, a new generation of lawyers and clients are asking for more, while female lawyers and racialized lawyers continue to feel disenfranchised.

Convocation however, has become increasingly disconnected from lawyers in this province and has lost its way.

The 2015 Bencher Election is the most important election in our history, as these concerns will only increase if left unchecked. The profession can no longer practice like it’s 1999.

It’s time for change.

It’s time for fresh perspectives that can set a new course to create a better future for the people of this great province, and the lawyers who serve them.

My experiences as in-house counsel, large firm partner, mid-sized firm partner, solo practitioner, author and adjunct law professor combine to give me a wide, unique and varied perspective on the legal profession and where its future lies.

We need to learn from the Australian and UK experiences and give more flexibility to lawyers who want to effectively and efficiently deliver legal services to Ontarians in different and better ways.

A determination on articling vs. LPP will be made in a few short years. This decision must be made based on clear metrics and data with a full understanding of the impact on future generations.

The Law Society is a $100 million enterprise and it’s time for it to be run like one. My training and experience in corporate governance on major corporate boards provide me with the tools to make Convocation and the Law Society function better. Better governance creates better decision-making.

I ask for your support.

For more information visit: www.kowalskiforbencher.com

Follow me on twitter: @mekowalski