Canadian Lawyer

Editor���s desk by gail j. cohen Lawyers are people too L ast month, the Ontario Bar Association launched a public relations campaign aimed at improving the image of lawyers. I, like many others, actually found out about the campaign through an article in the Globe and Mail. So I went to the OBA���s web site and despite my fairly strong research skills, was unable to find even a single word about it ��� no link, no press release, nothing, at least not on the public parts of the site. A few lawyer colleagues I spoke to had done the same thing and come up empty as well. Turns out, the OBA has created a micro site, whyiwenttolawschool.ca, which gives lots of details about the plan. A spokesperson for the OBA told me it was a grassroots campaign. The association is urging members to write a short tale about why they went to law school ��� not why they wanted to be lawyers. The micro site has a ���wizard��� that will guide members through the process of putting together their story into a pretty format (pictured here) that can then be used in a variety of ways including as advertising in local papers (ads paid for by individual members), or as part of a brochure promoting their practice, or myriad other ways. While the plan is to have a more traditional media campaign launching later in the spring, for now the aim is to ���begin conversations with other lawyers and stakeholders,��� said the OBA���s Ed Borkowski. ���Other professional organizations have spent millions on advertising with very limited results, we believe that a grassroots approach will be far more effective than an ad campaign.��� An article in the OBA magazine introducing Why I Went to Law School notes: ���This is a campaign borne out of research the OBA conducted on public attitudes toward lawyers. We learned, perhaps not surprisingly, that people have a negative view of lawyers, seeing us as pretentious, self-serving, and arrogant.��� The organization believes putting real stories of real lawyers out there will help to change that perception as individuals generally respect their own lawyers, just not the profession as a whole. ���[W]e are collecting and showcasing all member stories. It is our hope that we see not just hundreds, but over time, thousands of our OBA lawyers participating. Imagine the powerful, cumulative effect this would have,��� the article notes. The campaign has been greeted with both positive feedback from some lawyers and with the usual eye-rolling that this is a waste of time and energy. It is a different tack from anything I���ve seen for any profession. The last PR initiative to improve lawyers��� image from a bar association was not successful ��� in fact was quite amateurish. This is quite slick and unique. It���ll be interesting to see not only how many lawyers actually participate but if it does, in any way, change public perception. Canadian Lawyer disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication. Director/Group Publisher: Karen Lorimer Editor in Chief: Gail J. Cohen gail.cohen@thomsonreuters.com Staff Writer: Michael McKiernan Copy Editor: Mallory Hendry Art Director: Bill Hunter Production Co-ordinator: Catherine Giles catherine.giles@thomsonreuters.com Contributors: Jean Sorensen, donalee Moulton, Kathryn Leger, Geoff Ellwand, Jennifer Brown, Breanne Nicholson, Marg. Bruineman, Luis Mill��n, Elizabeth Raymer. Canadian Lawyer is published 11 times a year by Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd., One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Rd., Toronto ON. M1T 3V4 (416) 298-5141 Fax : (416) 649-7870 All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily those of the publisher. Information presented is compiled from sources believed to be accurate, however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Advertising Sales Representatives Legal Suppliers: Kimberlee Pascoe Tel: (416) 649-8875 E-mail: kimberlee.pascoe@thomsonreuters.com Law Firms: Karen Lorimer Tel: (416) 649-9411 E-mail: karen.lorimer@thomsonreuters.com Law Firms: Grace So Tel: (416) 609-5838 E-mail: grace.so@thomsonreuters.com Sales Co-ordinator: Sandy Shutt Tel: (416) 649-8864 E-mail: sandra.shutt@thomsonreuters.com Canadian Lawyer Magazine Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd. One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Rd., Toronto, ON. M1T 3V4 Tel: (416) 298-5141 Fax: (416) 649-7870 E-mail: clb.cleditor@thomsonreuters.com Web: www.canadianlawyermag.com Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index Publications Mail Agreement #40766500 ISSN 0703-2129 Copyright �� 2013 HST Registration #R121349799 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESS TO: CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT One Corporate Plaza 2075 Kennedy RD., Toronto, ON. M1T 3V4 RETOURNER TOUTE CORRESPONDANCE NE POUVANT ��TRE LIVR��E AU CANADA AU SERVICE DES PUBLICATIONS One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy RD., Toronto, ON. M1T 3V4 Circulation/Address Changes/Subscriptions Ellen Alstein Tel: (416) 649-9926 Fax: (416) 649-7870 E-mail: ellen.alstein@thomsonreuters.com Subscription rates: Canada1 year print and digital $75 plus HST, 1 year digital only $55. Outside Canada 1 year print & digital $95, 1 year digital only $55. Student rate 1 year print and digital $38 plus HST, 1 year digital only $20 plus HST. For all circulation inquiries and address changes send a copy of your mailing label or labels along with your request in writing to Canadian Lawyer , One Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Rd., Toronto, ON. M1T 3V4 www.CANADIAN L a w ye r m a g . c o m March 2013 3

• Cover