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By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • As she starts her second one-year term on the executive of the Administrative Law section of the Ontario Bar Association (OBA), Jillian Siskind says she is excited by the work and camaraderie that lie ahead.
“It really is a valuable support for the profession,” says Siskind, principal at Jillian M. Siskind & Associates. “In our monthly meetings, we discuss how pressing issues facing the administrative bar can be effectively addressed.”
Elections for all executive positions with the OBA were held recently and she was pleased to be returned as a member at large for a second term.
“There were a lot of applicants for the position this year and I’m happy to be voted back on so I can continue to build my expertise in the field,” Siskind says.
She explains the Administrative Law section comprises lawyers working or appearing before administrative tribunals, boards and regulatory agencies.
‘We speak on behalf of the bar’
“Through our advocacy work, we speak on behalf of the bar when the government is seeking input on new initiatives,” says Siskind.
She says executive members take turns participating in a monthly phone update for members.
“Anyone within the administrative law section can call it at 8:30 a.m. and hear updates on recent court decisions,” she says. “Members find it really helpful.”
Siskind says OBA membership offers many advantages.
“It is a great way to stay up to date on the pressing issues in the field, and to learn what peers are concerned about,” she says. “When major cases are coming down, it gives you a forum to talk about them and how it will affect the profession.”
A great forum for networking
Siskind adds the OBA is also a great forum for networking.
“It is extremely advantageous to know other lawyers who are working in the field, as well as regulators and those involved with administrative bodies,” she says.
Siskind has been practising law for over 18 years as a regulatory lawyer and prosecutor, along with being a civil litigator.
“My civil ligation work is with real estate and construction, but my deepest expertise is with regulatory and administrative law and regulatory prosecutions,” she says.
Siskind, who received a Certificate in Construction Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, represents clients in numerous residential construction and new home warranty disputes in court, mediations, tribunal hearings and arbitrations. She also represents real estate agents defending litigation claim and before their regulatory body, the Real Estate Council of Ontario.
Before starting her own firm, she worked as Senior Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer for a private corporation, establishing best practices, policies and procedures for handling issues relating to privacy and data protection.
Conferences of interest to the profession
Siskind says another key duty of the OBA executive is to organize conferences for the profession, lining up guest speakers on relevant topics.
“After we have a plan in place, OBA staff do the heavy lifting to make the event go smoothly,” she says.
When asked about future plans within the association, Siskind says that in the future she may run for a more senior executive position.
“Being a member at large, which is a volunteer position, has given me a real understanding of how the OBA operates,” she says. “Being on the executive has also helped me raise my profile within the administrative law bar and beyond.”
According to information on the OBA website, the association represents close to 16,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers and law students from across the province, with approximately two-thirds of all practising lawyers in Canada belonging to the Canadian Bar Association (CBA).
“The CBA is the leader and voice of Canada’s legal profession,” states the online information. “We promote fair justice systems, facilitate effective law reform, uphold equality in the legal profession and are devoted to eliminating discrimination.”
