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w w w . c a n a d i a n l a w y e r m a g . c o m N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 9 of regulatory bodies at two), Grondin says Quebec is long overdue for a frank discussion on the delicate issue of law- yer supply and demand. "This is not an issue unique to Que- bec, and many jurisdictions have tackled it, all with different and interesting out- comes," says Grondin. He mentioned Ontario, where a ratio of 339 lawyers per 100,000 residents led to an articling crisis a decade ago that forced the Law Society of Upper Canada (now the Law Society of Ontario) to accept academic substitutes. Around the same time in France, Grondin says, the Conseil national des barreaux made admittance into the bar more difficult, introducing a de facto quota system. Meanwhile, in California, the horrendous jobless rate among young lawyers led to plummeting enrolment, shuttered law faculties and a class action lawsuit (that failed) by disillusioned law graduates. Grondin blames the failure of those Arab Spring-like shakeups to take hold in Quebec on the French language barrier and a lack of a standard bearer to carry the issue forward. But, he says, he is both well suited and well armed for the task, which he says ultimately falls under his bailiwick as regulator because it deals directly with protecting the public's right to receive quality legal representation. "We want to involve everyone: the deans, the young bars and other bar sections — even people on the street," says Grondin. "We know there are mixed opinions on the matter and we want to hear them." Grondin says he is now reaching out to various stakeholders to set up meet- ings. "There is no deadline," says Grondin. "We have to meet and agree on facts before we can go further." That could take a long time, if ever, says Robert Leckey, dean of McGill Uni- versity's storied law faculty in downtown Montreal. "The picture is much bigger than people imagine." In addition to what he says is the erro- neous assumption that "people are hell- bent on practising law in a traditional way [because] our alumni do a dizzying array of things," Leckey says the many foreign-trained lawyers now arriving in Quebec and seeking certification are also part of the equation. "Slacking the number of students may not be the solution to a perceived prob- lem," he adds. "We would have to talk about it and think carefully." — Mark Cardwell R E G I O N A L W R A P "There have never been so many lawyers in Quebec, but never have there been more people representing themselves in court." Caroline Larouche Crown attorney OSGOODE'S PART-TIME PROFESSIONAL LLM DON'T JUST PRACTICE LAW. MASTER IT. For the lawyer who wants to dig deeper and specialize in what they do, the commitment goes beyond billable hours. Immerse yourself in a rich learning environment that puts you in a room with highly engaged and inspiring peers who are as passionate about what they do as you are. Choose from 6 specializations: · Administrative Law · Business Law · Constitutional Law · Dispute Resolution · Energy & Infrastructure Law · Tax Law Canada's leading Professional LLM for lawyers, executives and experienced professionals Learn more about your options at osgoodepd.ca/cdnlawyer Outside Toronto? Most specializations can be completed remotely. Melanie Toolsie, LLB, LLM Legal Counsel, Department of Justice, Canada ntitled-6 1 2018-10-25 6:09 PM

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