Canadian Lawyer

EDITOR'S DESK BY GAIL J. COHEN A To article or not to article articling. The issue is so divisive and challenging even the task force could not agree on a single course of action to recommend to Convocation to vote on. The majority of the members of the task force, all benchers of the law society, s we go to press, the Law Society of Upper Canada has decided to put off a debate and vote on the future of articling in Ontario. In mid-October, the LSUC finally released its long-awaited task force report on the future of suggested a parallel stream that would continue articles (for those fortunate enough to get them) and also introduce a pilot project for a so-called "law practice program." The LPP would be where those poor sods who can't get paying articling jobs with law firms would have to turn in order to complete their training via a co-op placement and skills training course. The co-ops will likely not be paid. Four members of the task force are forcefully against the LPP and who can blame them? If anyone believes this won't create a two-tiered legal profession, they're kid- ding themselves. New lawyers will be judged on how exactly they arrived at that call to the bar and it will affect their careers. The suggested pre-call assessment won't level the playing field. A five-year pilot project to test this would affect a lot of would-be lawyers. I'm a big proponent of the articling system. There is great value in on-the-job THIS MONTH EXCLUSIVELY ON CANADIAN Lawye rmag.com Trial by Fire First-year associate Lindsay Scott shares the ups and downs of learning on the job. November 10, December 10 Defi nitely Mabey Stephen Mabey examines the thorny issues facing law fi rm management. November 19, December 17 Law Library Reviews of books — and more — of a legal nature from Damian Penny. November 19 Class Acts Kirk Baert's column takes a critical look at class action litigation across the country. November 26, December 17 training. Plumbers need it to make sure they don't flood my house. A lawyer sure can use it to deal with my major life crises. But I'm not blind to the problems the system now faces. Costs of training young lawyers are going up, clients don't want to help foot that bill, more students are coming out of law school than there are places for them to train, small firms need but can't handle them — but the need for them is still great. The system isn't working but what the task force is proposing won't fix the problem. There needs to be more give and take on both ends, and law schools do need to Th e Immigration Line Jennifer Nees let's us know what's on the mind of the immigration bar. November 26 Human Rights . . . Here & Th ere University of Ottawa law school's Sonya Nigam's column on human rights and international law. December 10 start taking some responsibility. They cannot continue to argue that there is great demand for law school seats and therefore they are responding to that demand with larger class sizes but have no stake in the future of those law students. As critics have been saying for years, you don't spend $20,000 a year to go to law school just for the fun of it. While some students who go to law school don't end up practising law, the majority of them aren't there just to learn to think differently. Most are looking for jobs on the other end. The debate will pick up again Nov. 22. Let's see how the extra month of input and reflection will alter the final outcome. Group Publisher: Karen Lorimer Editorial Director: Gail J. Cohen gail.cohen@thomsonreuters.com Advertising Sales Representatives Staff Writer: Michael McKiernan michael.mckiernan@thomsonreuters.com 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, Siobhan McClelland, Shannon Kari, Jodi Cason, Judy Van Rhijn. 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. 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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 © 2012 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 ÊTRE LIVRÉE 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 Th e Accidental Mentor Lee Akazaki's column off ers useful mentorship advice for young lawyers. December 10 Trials & Tribulations Margaret Waddell ruminates on issues of import and interest to litigators. December 10 David Paul's Field Notes Tips for the solo and small fi rm from B.C.'s David Paul. December 17 Letters from Law Law Land Wit and wisdom from Vancouver's Tony Wilson. December 31 Making Rain Executive coach Debra Forman's video column on career and business development. November 26, December 31. www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com N O VEMBER / D ECEMBER 2012 3

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