Canadian Lawyer

8 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m RegIonal wRap-up imaGe PRoblemS centrAl "p erception is reality," they say. If true, that would mean lawyers are a pret- ty untrustworthy lot, according to some past and recent poll results presented at the Barreau du Québec's June annual meeting, in Mont-Tremblant, Que. The title of Sylvie Marier's, of the PR firm AGC Communications, presentation was "the lawyer's image in the wake of the Charbonneau Commission." The polls, measuring the level of trust the public has toward lawyers, were as follows: • a worrying 51 per cent in 2006; • an encouraging 71 per cent in 2011; and • a depressing 49 per cent in 2014. She invited the audience to comment. The most common explanation from the crowd was the very nature of the profes- sion, lawyers being basically bearers of bad news, drives that kind of result. "My clients don't come in my office saying: 'I'm so happy to be involved in a dispute today!'" said one participant. "Half the people win, half the people lose, so half the people are upset" was another expla- nation. But why the jump to 71 per cent in 2011? One participant suggested it corresponded to the hearings of the Bastarache commission, which reviewed Quebec's judicial appointment process and which apparently gave a favour- able impression of the legal system. The 2006 and 2014 results correspond to the Gomery commission (which looked at the Liberal sponsorship scandal) and the Charbonneau commission (which is cur- rently looking at corruption in the con- struction industry) respectively. According to Chicoutimi lawyer Miville Tremblay, a veteran of mediation and alternative dispute resolution, "it's a love-hate relationship that clients have with us; they'll say: 'My lawyer's good but the other guy's a bastard,'" he says, laughing. Tremblay stopped doing litigation in 2004 and has specialized in ADR since. "60 per cent of the people don't know that lawyers can actually settle out of court," he says underlining the association the pub- lic has with lawyers and bitter fighting. He thinks the latest bar media MATTER CREDENTIALS TORONTO I BARRIE I HAMILTON I KITCHENER 1-866-685-3311 I www.mcleishorlando.com A Noticeable Difference ™ Proud Member Choosing a personal injury lawyer is one of the most important decisions an injured person will make. Help your client ask the right questions: Is the lawyer? jÒSELECTEDÒBYÒPEERSÒFORÒINCLUSIONÒINÒ"ESTÒ,AWYERSÒINÒ#ANADA jÒRATEDÒÒOUTÒOFÒÒ!6Ò0REEMINENTÒÒ-ARTINDALEÒ(UBBELL jÒSELECTEDÒBYÒPEERSÒFORÒINCLUSIONÒINÒ,EXPERTÒ#ANADAgSÒ,EGALÒ,EXPERTÒ$IRECTORY jÒAÒ$IRECTORÒORÒ0ASTÒ0RESIDENTÒOFÒTHEÒ/NTARIOÒ4RIALÒ,AWYERSÒ!SSOCIATION jÒAÒ#ERTIFIEDÒ3PECIALISTÒINÒ#IVILÒ,ITIGATION ntitled-3 1 14-05-07 4:36 PM

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