Keeping Tabs - Summer 2020

“The most difficult part of quarantine
for me has been the lack of personal
interaction outside my household
(and my cat’s capacity for conversation
is limited). Not being able to pop
next door to talk about a file or grab
a coffee with a colleague has been really
isolating. Social media has been a
surprisingly helpful outlet for this – I’ve
found lots of ways to engage with the
legal community through Twitter, including
with silly projects like a “Mug
of the Day” photo series. Any form of
connection I can find is a real help with
managing the new normal.”
- Rebecca Shoom, Lerners LLP, Toronto, ON
“The COVID-19 pandemic has given us
an opportunity to adapt and refine our
practice management. Our firm practices
solely in the field of personal injury
law and our clients often require
special attention to accessibility. Accessibility
can be difficult when working in
smaller communities in Canada. During
the pandemic, we have had an opportunity
to push new technologies into
practice that directly aid our clients and
save them time and costs. The silver
lining in COVID-19 is that our firm has
been able to test, refine and modernize
our practice for the 21st century.”
- Kanon Clifford, Bergeron Clifford Injury
Lawyers, Kingston, ON
(Note: to be read with tongue in cheek.) “We
Vancouverites were already a smug lot (I mean,
just look at this place), and the pandemic merely
reinforced our superiority. We celebrated the
start to quarantine with showers of cherry blossoms,
and we basked in WFH from the shade of
our palm trees. Sure, we had court shutdowns,
everything is adjourned, and we’re now booking
trials into 2099. There are real and serious access-to-justice
concerns. But it’s hard to worry
about it while drinking kombucha and watching
the sun reflect off the ocean waves.”
- Emily MacKinnon, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt
LLP, Vancouver, BC
“A large part of my practice is being physically
present. Present for client meetings. Present
for court appearances. Present for examinations
for discovery. Yet COVID-19 made my
presence impossible.
Adapting to our new reality made me realize
that my focus on presence was holding me
back. I had spent a lot of time talking about
technological advancement, but not “walking
the walk”. Even a young advocate can be stubbornly
attached to the yellow legal pad.
Over the past few months, I pushed myself
to try new things – conducting virtual discoveries,
frequent telephone check-ins with clients,
and countless electronic pleadings. Although
immensely challenging, COVID-19 was the kick
in the pants I needed to break through my preconceived
notions of presence. “
- Lisa Delaney, Cox & Palmer, Halifax, NS
Tom Curry and Martha McCarthy Present:
On Oral Advocacy:
Required Reading,
Viewing & Listening
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Live Online
TAS Members: $25 + HST
Non Members: $50 + HST
Join Tom Curry and Martha McCarthy as
they celebrate their love of the profession
while discussing essential reading, viewing
and listening for advocates. If you are a
perennial student of the law, constantly
craving good content on strong oral
advocacy skills, this live webcast is for you.
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“There has been a lot of debate in the criminal bar about whether to consent to virtual
hearings. There are many factors to consider when contemplating whether to
proceed with a virtual hearing – most importantly, your client’s instructions. But you
should also consider what a virtual hearing means for you as their advocate. I recently
did an appeal from my home via Zoom. I felt more comfortable than usual; I was in a
familiar space over which I had total control. This gave me confidence, and I was able
to deliver my submissions without some of the anxieties of appearing in a physical
courtroom. If a Zoom hearing makes you more comfortable and can make you a better
advocate for your client, that might be something for you to weigh in the balance.”
- Lindsay Board, Daniel Brown Law, Toronto, ON
The program will conclude with an
interactive Q&A session, during which our
speakers will respond to live questions
from the online audience.
To learn more or register visit
www.advocates.ca