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 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 9 L ife benchers are decrying their diminished role in the Law Society of Upper Canada's governing com- mittees. At a special Convocation meeting in August, some life benchers took the opportunity to express concerns they had over their exclusion from many committees. Treasurer Paul Schabas has cut down the size of the committees since he was elected last year and has given priority to elected benchers rather than life benchers, a grandfathered position that was given to benchers who had completed four elected terms, or 16 years, at Convocation. Ross Murray, a life bencher from outside of Toronto, says he was disap- pointed to find that the number of life benchers appointed to the committees had dwindled. "I was pretty upset last year when to my surprise none of the out-of-town life benchers were reappointed," he says. "We had all been on standing commit- tees . . . but we were not reappointed." Murray says he was particularly con- cerned by the lack of life benchers from outside Toronto represented on the com- mittees. There are six ex-officio benchers that have been selected to serve on the com- mittees, task forces and working groups that were approved for this year, but Murray says he would like to see more appointed, particularly from outside Toronto. "I think we bring experience and knowledge of what's going on in the pro- fession as well as in Convocation," he says. But Schabas says priority must be given to elected and appointed benchers as they are accountable to members and the public. "They were elected to be benchers," he says. "They were elected now for a limited period of time. We now have term limits. So they are the ones who are accountable." He says the same applies to appoint- ed benchers, who are more accountable than life benchers, as they have limited terms and are selected by the attorney general of Ontario every four years. Schabas says that when he ran for treasurer, he heard complaints from many benchers that the committees were too big and not as effective as they should be. He says it was not easy to reduce the size of the committees with a board the size of Convocation's, but he has managed to keep them to 15 or fewer members. "Good governance involves having committees that are smaller and nimble and can be more efficient," he says. \ AT L A N T I C \ C E N T R A L \ W E S T REGIONAL WRAP-UP LSUC LIFE BENCHERS CONCERNED OVER SHRINKING ROLE OsgoodePD has been approved as an Accredited Provider of Professionalism Content by the LSUC. OSGOODE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION Family Law Updates for Fall 2017 The 2017 Guide to Recent Developments and Complex Issues in Evidence in Family Proceedings Evidence issues are a part of every family law proceeding. Ensuring you have a current understanding of evidentiary issues particular to your matter is critical for any professional practicing in this area. This is your opportunity to hear from the experts and get the latest information to represent your clients effectively. Learn more at osgoodepd.ca/family-proceedings OCTOBER 25, 2017 9:00am-1:00pm In Person or Webcast NOVEMBER 13, 2017 9:00am-4:&*pm In Person or Webcast 7th Annual Recent Developments in Advanced Issues in Child and Spousal Support This is not a quick summary of the year in review. Rather, it is an in-depth analysis of the critical issues confronting the family law bar. In this advanced program, you will acquire a solid understanding of the issues and practical applications for your clients. Learn more at osgoodepd.ca/childspousal ntitled-8 1 2017-09-13 4:03 PM Continued on page 10

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