New TLA events and educational programs on tap this year

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • The Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA) kicked off 2024 looking to enhance the membership experience with a slate of new programs and events, says executive director/library director Joan Rataic-Lang.

“We are always looking to provide added value,” Rataic-Lang tells LegalMattersCanada.ca. “I am excited about the events and programs we will be offering.

“And, of course, we are all looking forward to the annual TLA Awards Gala on Feb. 29. It is our marquee event, and it is selling out quickly.”

New this year is the Family Lawyer Monthly Meet-Up, promoted as “a fun and casual forum for family law lawyers to socialize, learn and connect.”

‘People loved the opportunity to mingle’

“We had our first one recently and people loved the opportunity to mingle,” she says. 

Rataic-Lang says the association has witnessed a decline in civility and professionalism within the legal profession, as noted in the TLA’s recently released Report on Civility and Professionalism.

“Our Family and Estates Law committee noted that prior to COVID they would run into each other in court and they developed connections,” she says. “That dynamic changed when the legal profession was forced to conduct business online during the pandemic.”

The TLA found that the lack of in-person contact has led to “a precipitous decline in civil discourse within our profession.”

“It is easy to behave differently when you don’t have to deal with a person face-to-face,” Rataic-Lang says. “The Family and Estates Law committee wanted to change that dynamic and proposed the monthly meet-ups and it has been a hit with members. We fully expect all practice areas will want to try it. And members and non-members of the TLA are invited to attend.”

The next family law meet-up is Feb. 15 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Stanchieri Family Law, 375 University Ave. For details of this free event, click here.

Rataic-Lang says the association will be presenting ongoing educational programs sure to grab members’ interest.

As an example, she points to a multi-part series on legal writing led by Stuart Teicher, a lawyer and educator who focuses on ethics law and writing instruction.

Program is educational and entertaining

“We are excited about working with Stuart,” Rataic-Lang says. “He is a bit of a personality. If you are presenting an education program and it is entertaining, that is a bonus.”

The Zoom sessions begin with Fluff is for Pillows, Not Legal Writing on Feb. 13 from
noon to 1 p.m. During the session Teicher explains how lawyers can make their writing clear, concise, and direct. For more on the session, click here.

On May 13, Teicher will present Semicolons Are Stupid, and Other Legal Writing Myths followed by Killer Correspondence! on Oct. 1.

Another multi-part educational series of note is Rosen’s Anatomy of a Trial: A Course for Young Lawyers, presented by the TLA Criminal Committee beginning April 6.

Renowned criminal defence attorney John Rosen will be joined by prosecutors and defence counsel for a six-part criminal advocacy and cross-examination course. 

“John is an excellent lawyer and a generous person,” says Rataic-Lang. “He did this program for years out of his boardroom so we asked him if we could carry on his tradition.

“He is running the program. We will learn from his approach and hopefully be able to recreate it in years to come with our own criminal lawyers when he retires.”

Geosocial data will be examined

She says another program that should not be missed is Investigating Insurance Claims with Geosocial Data on Feb. 20 from noon to 1 p.m.

A private investigator will explain geosocial data and how this information is used to investigate insurance claims. The session will utilize real-life examples “to demonstrate the impact of this new technology in the realm of risk management, law and insurance.” For more information, click here.

Along with the many new programs and events, Rataic-Lang says the TLA is gearing up for its Awards Gala at Ricarda’s, 134 Peter St., Toronto from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

The Honourable Gloria J. Epstein will receive the TLA Award of Distinction, which is presented to a Toronto lawyer who has a demonstrated record of excellence and has made an extraordinary contribution to the integrity and worth of the law and the legal profession.

Called to the bar in 1979, Justice Epstein practised litigation in two large Toronto law firms before starting a firm of her own – one of the first Toronto-based firms led and owned by a woman.

She was appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in 1993 and the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2007. Throughout her judicial career, Justice Epstein presided over hundreds of cases, one of the most impactful being the landmark case known as M. v. H., the decision that paved the way for the recognition of same-sex marriage in Canada. 

Award recipient has earned ‘iconic status’

“Justice Epstein’s tireless service to her clients, the legal profession, and her community over many years has earned her iconic status in the eyes of the many who have benefited from her insights into others. She continues to be regarded nationally and globally as a conscientious advocate of life-long learning, justice and family,” says TLA president Aitan Lerner.

For more on Justice Epstein, click here.

Rebecca Durcan will receive the Honsberger Award, presented to a Toronto lawyer in recognition of a single unique accomplishment or ongoing contribution to the legal community and the community at large, exemplifying the TLA’s three pillars: Knowledge, Community and Advocacy. 

Durcan is the co-managing partner at Steinecke Maciura LeBlanc where she acts as general counsel, prosecution counsel and independent legal counsel to numerous Ontario regulators.

She was recently elected as a Bencher with the Law Society of Ontario, running on a platform of bringing good governance back to the legal profession’s regulator. 

‘The TLA could scarcely choose a better candidate’

“The respect and admiration Rebecca earns from her peers and clients confirms her legal skills and selfless commitment to serving others in working to ensure fair outcomes and the clear passage of justice,” says Lerner. “The TLA could scarcely choose a better candidate on whom to bestow this honour. Rebecca exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding lawyer and is highly deserving of this recognition.”

For more, click here.

The TLA Emerging Excellence Award, presented to a Toronto lawyer in practice for 10 years or less or a Toronto organization in existence for 10 years or less who exemplifies leadership or innovation in advancing the TLA’s three pillars will go to Jessica Brant.

Brant is an Indigenous family lawyer practising from her home on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. She holds the Creator’s Guidance – You shall only speak of the good in others – close in her legal practice. For her, this means centering her work with parents on the best interests of their children; using traditional practices like round tables to find creative solutions; and remembering the inherent humanity of clients enduring the trauma of separation.

Brant was called to the bar in 2016. She earned a Queen’s University’s Mohawk Cultural and Language Diploma in 2021 and has since assisted in various projects in her community, for example with the First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) in Deseronto to develop the Indigenous Justice program curricula.

“Jessica Brant inspires us with her commitment to her family and practice, her courage and determination to bring equality and opportunity to all people with legal challenges before them,” Lerner says. “Her consistent efforts to improve lives by advocating for fairness and the enhancement of certain outdated legal process on behalf of Indigenous people makes Jessica a natural choice for this important award.”

To learn more, click here.

For Gala information and tickets, click here.