Canadian Lawyer

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 4 25 and mitigate the potential gap in legal ser- vices include making succession planning kits and templates available, periodic con- tinuing professional development sessions, offering an annual conference for sole and small firm practitioners, and an online contract lawyer registry. Discussions have also included alternate business structures and whether new ways of providing legal services should be considered. Ontario's response to the lack of arti- cling positions may also help to encour- age young lawyers to practise in smaller communities. The Law Practice Program offered by Ryerson University in English and the University of Ottawa in French, provides experiential training and work placements in a variety of settings. While the focus for the traditional articling pro- gram is more on medium and large law firms, the work placements through the LPP are considered broader in scope and encompass more areas of law, preparing young lawyers for practice in different set- tings, including outside of the large urban areas. Also, Lakehead University's new law school in Thunder Bay, Ont., focuses on training lawyers to work in rural and remote areas of the province. It provides an experiential training approach offering practical training that other young law- yers obtain through articling or the LPP. Manitoba has taken a page out of the doctor recruitment handbook by adopt- ing a student debt forgiveness program, which is still in the pilot stage. Law stu- dents can receive a forgivable loan of up to $25,000 per year during all three years of law school, with guaranteed summer employment in their own community. In return, 20 per cent of that loan is forgiv- able for every year they work as a lawyer in a small community. If they stay for five years, they don't have to repay any of the $75,000. The first student in the program is in her third year, having returned to her home community of Thompson, Man. during the summer to work with a local law firm. Recruiting for the next group of stu- dents has started. And although limited funding means a limited number of spac- es, "small numbers can make a big differ- ence in a small community," says retir- ing Law Society of Manitoba CEO Allan Fineblit. It's a start, he says, to replenish Manitoba's bar, which is not only getting older, but also smaller, particularly in the north, where some communities are quite isolated. The profession continues to search for other solutions. Both Manitoba and Alberta are interested in internationally trained lawyers, many of whom are in Canada working outside of their pro- fession. And then there's the profession itself finding opportunities in smaller communities. Some of the larger firms in Manitoba and Alberta have bought or formed associations with practices in small communities, which helps to ensure some coverage in those communities. Some like Malik think there may be potential for matching the need for law- yers in western Canadian communities with Ontario's need for articling positions. He sees some promise to further fill the gaps, which exist in rural Canada through those challenges. "The pity is there's a need . . . but there is not a conduit between those two," he says. New Edition Consolidated Ontario Small Claims Court Statutes, Regulations and Rules, 2014-2015 Mr. Justice Marvin. A. Zuker Your source of essential legislation Available risk-free for 30 days Order online: www.carswell.com Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164 In Toronto: 416-609-3800 Order # 986177-65203 $98 Softcover July 2014 approx. 1300 pages 978-0-7798-6177-4 Annual volumes supplied on standing order subscription Multiple copy discounts available Shipping and handling are extra. Price(s) subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. 00223DV-A46160 Access a wealth of relevant, up-to-date statutes, regulations and rules for your small claims matters with this comprehensive, portable, and easy-to-use guide. New in this edition • All the latest amendments to the Small Claims Court Rules and forms, including the amendments in O. Reg. 230/13 in force January 1, 2014 and amendments in 44/14 in force July 1, 2014 • All amendments to the statutes contained in the consolidation • New legislation – portions of the Payday Loans Act, 2008, portions of the Funeral Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002, the Wireless Services Agreements Act in its entirety, and regulations under the Environmental Protection Act, and under the Insurance Act • A Ministry of Consumer Services News item regarding new consumer protections for wireless and cell phone customers

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