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Keeping Tabs - Winter 2021

Stay up-to-date on news and events from our Young Advocates' Standing Committee (YASC) with Keeping Tabs.

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KEEPING TABS<br />

The Advocates’ Society<br />

<strong>Winter</strong> <strong>2021</strong>


Renew<br />

Your TAS<br />

CONTENTS<br />

Membership<br />

04<br />

06<br />

11<br />

14<br />

17<br />

Chair Chat<br />

Chris Horkins, Cassels<br />

Virtual Mentoring<br />

Diana Vasilescu, DV Law<br />

Civil Litigation<br />

Julie Mouris, Conway Baxter Wilson LLP<br />

TAS Report – Vancouver<br />

Zachary Rogers, Clark Wilson LLP<br />

Interview<br />

Kanon Clifford, Bergeron Clifford LLP<br />

Renew your TAS membership today and continue<br />

to be part of our national advocacy community.<br />

RENEW NOW<br />

Editor: Frédéric Plamondon, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt S.E.N.C.R.L./s.r.l.<br />

FPlamondon@osler.com<br />

<strong>Keeping</strong> <strong>Tabs</strong> Editorial Team: Kanon Clifford, Bergeron Clifford LLP, Carlo Di Carlo, Stockwoods LLP, James Foy, Addario<br />

Law Group, Web Haile, Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP, Matthew Huys, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Alexandra<br />

Shelley, Torys LLP, Rebecca Shoom, Lerners LLP<br />

The Young Advocates’ Standing Committee (“YASC”) is a standing committee of The Advocates’ Society with a mandate to be a<br />

voice for young advocates (advocates who are ten years of call or fewer) within the Society and within the profession. We do this<br />

through networking/mentoring events, by publishing articles by and for young advocates, and by raising issues of concern to<br />

young advocates as we work with the Society’s Board of Directors. The opinions expressed by individual authors are their own<br />

and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Advocates’ Society.<br />

3


CHAIR CHAT<br />

Chair Chat<br />

Chris Horkins, Cassels<br />

Most of us will be happy that the year<br />

2020 is now in our rear-view mirrors,<br />

and for good reason. COVID-19 has<br />

put new strains on our work and<br />

home lives and has fundamentally<br />

changed what it means to be an<br />

advocate. Our profession has made<br />

great strides as well. I wish it hadn’t<br />

taken a global pandemic to know<br />

the joys of unfettered email service<br />

or conducting a discovery from<br />

my living room in pajama bottoms<br />

(with matching shirt, blazer, and tie<br />

of course), but I’m grateful for the<br />

experience all the same.<br />

It was a stressful year, but thankfully<br />

YASC was there to help us get through<br />

it and this issue of <strong>Keeping</strong> <strong>Tabs</strong><br />

reflects that. I confess I did not know<br />

what “equanimity” meant before<br />

reading Zachary Rogers’ summary<br />

of the Introduction to Mindfulness<br />

for Lawyers event organized by our<br />

Vancouver YASC team (or, as I called<br />

it, our “most Vancouver event ever”),<br />

but after reading his piece, I think I’m<br />

going to need to work on my Shamatha<br />

and Vipassana to stay grounded in the<br />

new year. Diana Vasilescu’s article also<br />

provides helpful tips and tricks from<br />

our recent virtual mentoring event<br />

to help you face the “Fear Factor” of<br />

litigating during the pandemic.<br />

There’s no time like the holidays for<br />

giving back and, in that spirit, <strong>Keeping</strong><br />

<strong>Tabs</strong> checked in with some recipients<br />

of the 2017 TAS Gives Back Campaign<br />

to share with you the positive impact<br />

TAS support has had. For those<br />

unfamiliar with TAS Gives Back, it<br />

is a Society-driven philanthropic<br />

program established to support<br />

advocacy-related causes. A Donate<br />

Your Rate campaign is launched<br />

and events like YASC’s popular Trivia<br />

Challenge for Charity help to raise<br />

funds. In 2017, President Brad Berg<br />

chose to support Indigenous Law<br />

Scholarships at four Canadian law<br />

schools. Kanon Clifford’s roundtable<br />

catches up with some recipients of<br />

those scholarships who are now<br />

beginning their journeys in the legal<br />

profession. It’s inspiring stuff.<br />

For those of us privileged enough to<br />

work in this profession and have our<br />

livelihoods relatively unaffected by the<br />

COVID-19 pandemic, let’s take some<br />

time to think of those less fortunate in<br />

our communities as we enter the new<br />

year and resolve to lend a helping<br />

hand. And, after a long and difficult<br />

year, let’s stay hopeful that better<br />

days are just around the corner. From<br />

our YASC family to yours, I hope you<br />

have a wonderful new year!<br />

4


1. Do not shy away from being assertive<br />

It is normal to feel intimidated by more experienced<br />

counsel or the Court in the early years of your legal<br />

career. While it might be uncomfortable to be assertive<br />

when you feel intimidated, it is important that<br />

you practise this skill. Being assertive does not equal<br />

being rude or disrespectful. Gauge your audience in<br />

determining the level of assertiveness you can adopt<br />

in each instance, but do not shy away from it. Assertiveness<br />

has helped counsel successfully make difficult<br />

arguments before the Court, even when the odds<br />

were against them.<br />

VIRTUAL MENTORING<br />

Facing the Fear Factor<br />

Diana Vasilescu, DV Law<br />

On November 4, 2020, The Advocates’ Society hosted a virtual speed mentoring<br />

event for young advocates on how to best face the “fear factor” in the<br />

legal profession. The event had 28 registrants in addition to 8 mentors, with<br />

attendees coming from Ontario and Quebec. The event’s structure had mentors<br />

shuffling between groups of mentees in Zoom breakout rooms.<br />

The mentors included Rahool Agarwal, Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP,<br />

Jeilah Chan, Bennett Jones LLP, Steven G. Frankel, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg<br />

LLP, Andrea Gonsalves, Stockwoods LLP, Megan Keenberg, Van Kralingen<br />

& Keenberg LLP, Ewa Krajewska, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Malik Martin, Rueters<br />

LLP and David Milosevic, Milosevic Fiske LLP.<br />

This event offered attendees a unique,<br />

collegial and casual setting, ideal for having<br />

honest conversations about practising<br />

law. We discussed practical tips on how<br />

to manage challenges arising from interactions<br />

with the Court, clients and other<br />

lawyers, including senior counsel.<br />

Here are 3 takeaways that I consider<br />

valuable advice from the discussions I<br />

was part of:<br />

2. Think like a doctor<br />

In order to manage the high-stress nature of litigation,<br />

it can help to remind yourself that you are not the<br />

cause of your client’s legal issues, but are the professional<br />

who helps them diagnose and, hopefully, resolve<br />

their legal issues. Just as a patient cannot blame their<br />

doctor for their health problems, you have not caused<br />

the legal issues your client is facing. Just remember to<br />

do your due diligence, your research, meet your deadlines<br />

and communicate with your client.<br />

3. Practice your oral submissions and factum<br />

writing with somebody unfamiliar with the case<br />

For your next court case, ask a colleague unfamiliar<br />

with the case to read your factum or to allow you<br />

to practice your prepared submissions with them.<br />

If someone who is unfamiliar with the details of your<br />

file can understand your factum or submissions, you<br />

will likely succeed in getting your points and argument<br />

across in Court. This kind of feedback can be<br />

valuable in improving your advocacy skills.<br />

Mentorship is crucial in advancing growth and collegiality<br />

in our profession. I would enjoy attending more<br />

events like “Facing the Fear Factor”, and recommend<br />

this program to mentees and mentors alike. I left with<br />

valuable practical knowledge and tips which I can directly<br />

apply in my everyday practice. I hope to return<br />

as a mentor in the future.<br />

6 7


Puzzled<br />

about how to get more involved with TAS?<br />

YASC could be your answer.<br />

Interested in getting more involved with TAS?<br />

Applications are now being accepted for our Young<br />

Advocates’ Standing Committee (YASC).<br />

The Young Advocates’ Standing Committee seeks<br />

engaged, hard-working volunteers to promote the<br />

interests of young advocates (within their first ten<br />

years of practice) through planning and implementing<br />

mentoring/networking programs, administering YASC’s<br />

publication by and for young advocates (<strong>Keeping</strong> <strong>Tabs</strong>)<br />

and participating in the work of The Advocates’ Society.<br />

The Society welcomes applications to YASC from<br />

Society members who are ten years of call or fewer.<br />

Successful applicants will serve a two-year term starting<br />

May <strong>2021</strong>. Parental leave will be accommodated.<br />

Deadline to apply: February 26, <strong>2021</strong>.<br />

Apply for YASC <strong>2021</strong>/22 term<br />

Questions? Please contact Erin Pleet at epleet@tgf.ca


Virtual Mentoring:<br />

Built To Last<br />

Wednesday, February 10, <strong>2021</strong><br />

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm<br />

Live Online (ET)<br />

Our popular speed mentoring for<br />

young advocates is back this February<br />

with another virtual edition!<br />

Your career depends on building strong,<br />

lasting relationships with colleagues,<br />

senior partners and clients. But how<br />

do you manage relationship demands<br />

in a 24/7 environment from home? Get<br />

invaluable tips on the steps that are<br />

crucial to building your practice and<br />

your profile. Learn how to manage<br />

your client network, avoid conflicts,<br />

raise your profile and handle challenging<br />

relationships diplomatically while maintaining<br />

your “self” as you build your<br />

practice during a pandemic.<br />

To learn more or register visit<br />

www.advocates.ca<br />

CIVIL LITIGATION<br />

A Junior Litigator’s Essential<br />

Checklist for Liability<br />

Insurance Coverage Disputes<br />

Julie Mouris, Conway Baxter Wilson LLP<br />

If you practise civil litigation, chances are you have come across a dispute<br />

over liability insurance coverage at some point. Insurance coverage disputes<br />

arise in many types of cases, such as oppression remedy claims or<br />

personal injury claims alleging vicarious liability of an institution.<br />

These disputes often center on whether an insurer has a “duty to defend”<br />

and/or a “duty to indemnify” the insured under the policy. The duty<br />

to defend analysis is governed by the “pleadings rule”: if the allegations in<br />

the pleading – which are taken to be true – fall within the scope of coverage,<br />

then the duty is triggered. If the insurer recognizes that this duty is<br />

triggered, the insurer will pay all or part of the insured’s defence costs or<br />

may appoint its own in-house counsel to defend the insured.<br />

As for the insurer’s duty to indemnify the insured for the final judgment<br />

11


and/or settlement of the underlying action, liability<br />

policies usually provide that this duty will<br />

only be determined after the resolution of the<br />

underlying claim. Even if an insurer has recognized<br />

its duty to defend and has paid defence<br />

costs throughout the action, it may dispute that<br />

indemnification is warranted.<br />

Given the expensive nature of litigation, the<br />

question of whether a litigant has insurance<br />

coverage can be a very important one. This article<br />

outlines an essential checklist of questions<br />

for junior litigators to consider when faced with<br />

liability insurance coverage issues in the context<br />

of an existing action.<br />

1. Does a copy of the entire insurance policy<br />

exist?<br />

Coverage claims can arise years after a triggering<br />

event because of the discoverability or other<br />

exemptions from the strict application of statutory<br />

limitation periods. If the claim occurred a<br />

long time ago and involves a historic liability insurance<br />

policy, the insured may no longer have<br />

a copy of the policy. Insurers are not technically<br />

required to keep a copy of policies issued to<br />

their insureds. In cases where neither the insured<br />

nor the insurer has a copy of the policy,<br />

the existence of the policy and its terms can be<br />

proved by the insured based on secondary evidence,<br />

on a balance of probabilities.<br />

2. Is the policy an occurrence-based policy or<br />

a claims-based policy?<br />

An occurrence-based policy means that coverage<br />

is provided when the “occurrence”, or claim<br />

event, occurs during the policy period. A claimsmade<br />

policy means that coverage is for a claim<br />

made during the policy period, regardless of<br />

when the claim event occurred.<br />

3. What are the policy limits and the policy<br />

period?<br />

Consider what the maximum amount is that<br />

the insurer will pay out to the insured if the underlying<br />

action is covered under the policy, and<br />

whether a dispute would be worthwhile.<br />

Consider whether the claim falls within the<br />

policy period indicated on the policy. Determine<br />

whether the policy was renewed for a further<br />

term by an endorsement attached to the policy.<br />

Also, even if the claim only partly falls within the<br />

policy period, the duty to defend may still be<br />

triggered. Consider whether there are other insurers<br />

on coverage for any portion of the claim<br />

not covered by this policy.<br />

4. Who is covered under the policy?<br />

First, identify the named insured under the<br />

policy – for example, it may be the corporation.<br />

Second, check whether others are also<br />

covered, such as the corporation’s officers and<br />

directors, or even shareholders, and if so, in<br />

what circumstances.<br />

5. What is covered and what is excluded under<br />

the policy?<br />

The scope of what a given policy covers is critical.<br />

Consider whether the scope of the relevant<br />

clause has been interpreted in the case law.<br />

However, even if you determine that there is<br />

likely coverage for the claim under that clause,<br />

you must then review the exclusions to determine<br />

whether coverage for all or part of the<br />

claim is in fact excluded. Consider whether a<br />

given exclusion has been interpreted in the<br />

case law.<br />

6. Providing notice of claim to the insurer<br />

and keeping the insurer informed<br />

If you determine that there is likely coverage<br />

under the policy, ensure that your client, the insured,<br />

provides notice of the claim to the insurer<br />

as soon as possible. The policy will likely have<br />

a clause requiring prompt notice so that the insurer<br />

can fully investigate the matter. In addition,<br />

the policy will likely require the insured to<br />

keep the insurer informed of all developments<br />

in the litigation, and to obtain the insurer’s approval<br />

for any settlement of the action.<br />

7. Limitations periods for coverage disputes<br />

and manner of commencing dispute<br />

Liability policies will often provide a limitation<br />

period for commencing a dispute against the<br />

insurer regarding coverage and may specify<br />

that a dispute can only occur after the underlying<br />

action has been resolved. An insured<br />

can commence a separate court application<br />

against the insurer seeking a declaration of<br />

coverage. Review the policy for an arbitration<br />

clause requiring that any dispute be submitted<br />

to binding arbitration.<br />

8. Consider the relevance of the broker’s<br />

actions<br />

Brokers have a duty of care to provide information<br />

and advice to their insureds. If the insured<br />

had a broker that was advising them regarding<br />

the liability policy, consider whether the broker’s<br />

actions were negligent, causing damage to<br />

the insured. If so, consider whether to proceed<br />

by way of action against the broker and the insurer.<br />

9. Relief from forfeiture<br />

If an insured’s compliance with the policy was<br />

imperfect – for example, failing to pay a premium,<br />

or providing late notice of a claim – it may<br />

be able to invoke the principle of relief from forfeiture,<br />

codified in Canadian common law jurisdictions<br />

(for instance, under section 98 of Courts<br />

of Justice Act and/or section 129 of Insurance Act<br />

in Ontario). If the insurer is denying coverage<br />

due to the insured’s actions under the policy,<br />

consider whether your client can invoke this<br />

principle as a defence.<br />

10. Further reading<br />

Gordon Hilliker, Q.C.’s textbook, Liability Insurance<br />

in Canada, 7 th ed, Toronto: LexisNexis,<br />

2020, is an excellent resource for liability insurance<br />

coverage questions for Canadian common<br />

law jurisdictions. As Mr. Hilliker notes, liability<br />

insurance contracts in Quebec are governed by<br />

the Civil Code.<br />

12 13


TAS REPORT – VANCOUVER<br />

Introduction to<br />

Mindfulness Event<br />

Zachary Rogers, Clark Wilson LLP<br />

As we close off a chaotic 2020, and look to a fresh start in <strong>2021</strong>, most of us<br />

could benefit from some equanimity.<br />

On December 4, 2020, the Young Advocates’ Standing Committee,<br />

through a dedicated group of young advocates from British Columbia,<br />

hosted advocates from across Canada in a virtual mindfulness event for<br />

lawyers. Two sessions were led by Jason Leslie, an experienced meditation<br />

practitioner and instructor. As a lawyer, former litigator with the<br />

Department of Justice, and current PhD candidate at the Peter A. Allard<br />

School of Law at UBC, Jason reflected on the mental demands of legal<br />

practice and extolled the virtues of mindfulness and meditation as tools<br />

to address those demands.<br />

Jason explained how mindfulness is often<br />

pitched in the corporate context as a stress-reduction<br />

tool. While mindfulness can reduce<br />

stress, other benefits may include a relaxed<br />

mind, inner peace, and a greater sense of self.<br />

With practice, mindfulness may help you come<br />

to an intuitive understanding of how your<br />

mind works, and may also help you cultivate<br />

equanimity (a state of psychological stability<br />

and composure which is undisturbed by experience<br />

of or exposure to emotions, pain, or other<br />

phenomena). As litigators, much of our work<br />

may be “reactionary” and equanimity may help<br />

to address that.<br />

After introducing the participants to mindfulness,<br />

Jason led two sessions:<br />

1. Shamatha (calm-abiding) - in this session, the<br />

participants sat comfortably and focused on<br />

their breath. Each time the participants caught<br />

themselves thinking of something else they<br />

drew their focus back to their breath. This “repetition”<br />

steadies, composes, unifies, and concentrates<br />

the mind.<br />

2. Vipassana (insight practice) - in this session,<br />

instead of focusing on their breath, the<br />

participants observed and identified the emotions,<br />

thoughts, and judgments they were experiencing.<br />

After they acknowledged those<br />

emotions, they were to consciously “let go” of<br />

them. With practice, this technique allows the<br />

practitioner to keep their mind from repeating<br />

patterns of thoughts that take up space<br />

and hold them back.<br />

I personally found both sessions challenging<br />

since it is not an easy thing to “turn off” as a<br />

lawyer. I can however see great benefits of<br />

mindfulness with continued practice.<br />

I definitively recommend people to give<br />

mindfulness a try. No equipment is needed.<br />

You simply need a few minutes to spare, the<br />

willingness to “look inward”, and the desire to<br />

live with intention.<br />

For those interested in learning more about<br />

mindfulness, Jason recommends “The Wise<br />

Heart” by Jack Kornfield, and “Mindfulness: A<br />

Practical Guide to Awakening” by Joseph Goldstein.<br />

Finally, to join an existing meditation group,<br />

check out the BC Insight Meditation Society at<br />

https://www.bcims.org/sitting-groups .<br />

14 15


INTERVIEW<br />

TAS Gives Back Check-in:<br />

Recipients of TAS Indigenous<br />

Law Scholarships<br />

Compiled by: Kanon Clifford,Bergeron Clifford<br />

Now Live! Friends Who Argue - A new TAS podcast jointly<br />

hosted by our Young Advocate and 10+ Standing Committees.<br />

Segments will feature dialogue with the people who get what you<br />

do, as we delve into both the serious and lighthearted aspects of<br />

life as an advocate in Canada. Know a TAS member we should<br />

talk to? Contact Webnesh Haile at WHaile@singleton.com<br />

Thank you to our Technical Sponsor Dentons Canada LLP<br />

for their support in producing this podcast!<br />

In 2017, President Bradley Berg’s TAS Gives Back Campaign raised over $100,000 for Indigenous Law<br />

School scholarships to support Indigenous law school students or students studying Indigenous law.<br />

The funds were directed equally to four Canadian law schools - University of British Columbia, University<br />

of Saskatchewan, Lakehead University and Dalhousie University. These schools were selected<br />

because of their commitment to Indigenous law students and to offering Indigenous law studies<br />

as part of their curriculum. Learn more about the 2017 TAS Gives Back Campaign here.<br />

In this issue of <strong>Keeping</strong> <strong>Tabs</strong>, we are checking in with some recent recipients of the TAS Gives<br />

Back Indigenous Law Scholarship. We asked them about their studies and practice, how they are<br />

doing and where they plan to go.<br />

17


Amy Sweet, Lakehead University (2020)<br />

Cian-James Dionne Hoey<br />

University of Saskatchewan (<strong>2021</strong>)<br />

1) How have you found your legal training<br />

journey to date?<br />

I have found it, like many of my peers I am sure,<br />

to be a challenging yet rewarding experience. The<br />

COVID-19 pandemic has required us to finish law<br />

school online, which has been particularly interesting.<br />

Learning to think like a lawyer is an inherently<br />

social activity, so doing it solely from home<br />

has posed some unique challenges. That said, it<br />

has taught me to be especially creative in securing<br />

the resources I need for success.<br />

2) What do you love about the work you are<br />

doing now (in particular, any work in Indigenous<br />

law)?<br />

I am in 3L and so have not done much work outside<br />

of my studies, but I am currently enjoying<br />

learning about the interface between Indigenous<br />

customary law, Aboriginal law and current<br />

issues in family law in Saskatchewan (a particular<br />

area of interest to me).<br />

3) Do you have any tips for students for developing<br />

their network?<br />

Talk to every lawyer you can and get in the habit of<br />

asking many questions, however simple or small.<br />

Attend networking events and just chat – even if it<br />

is not about the law.<br />

4) How has the TAS Scholarship helped you<br />

and your goals for the future?<br />

On a very practical level, it has helped me survive<br />

financially in 2020. My summer job fell<br />

through due to the implications of COVID-19<br />

and I was able to use the resulting time to move<br />

back to my hometown (Prince Albert, SK) where<br />

I intend to article and practise upon graduation.<br />

5) If you could meet any lawyer or judge<br />

(living or dead) for lunch, who would that<br />

be and why?<br />

I would love to have lunch with Madam Justice<br />

L’Heureux-Dubé, in particular to hear about<br />

her experiences advocating for minority rights<br />

throughout her career and on the Supreme<br />

Court in the 1980s/90s.<br />

Amy Sweet (she/her)<br />

Lakehead University (2020)<br />

Currently practising at Sweet Law.<br />

1) How have you found your legal training<br />

to date?<br />

My legal training so far has been really great.<br />

I had the opportunity to complete my Practice<br />

Placement (Lakehead’s form of articles) with a<br />

solo practitioner here in Guelph. It gave me the<br />

confidence to go out on my own right away. I am<br />

still learning every day.<br />

2) What do you love about the work you are<br />

doing now (in particular, any work in Indigenous<br />

law)?<br />

The ability to help people. I am currently<br />

building a practice in criminal law and wills &<br />

estates and find my work in criminal law incredibly<br />

rewarding. I have not had the opportunity<br />

to do any work in Indigenous law yet<br />

as a field, but without question criminal law<br />

disproportionately affects Indigenous people.<br />

The overlap between human rights, Indigenous<br />

issues, and our legal system is something<br />

I always have in the back of my head to<br />

bring attention to.<br />

3) Do you have any tips for students / new<br />

lawyers for improving their legal writing?<br />

Read out loud to someone who has no idea<br />

what your case or issue is about. I feel like we<br />

always try and sound too sophisticated when<br />

we are speaking in court or drafting legal documents.<br />

So much of what we do is about real<br />

life things that happen outside of a courtroom.<br />

If we cannot explain it to a neighbour, then we<br />

are missing the point. The law needs to make<br />

sense to everyone, so why should our arguments<br />

be any different?<br />

4) How has the TAS Scholarship helped you<br />

and your goals for the future?<br />

The TAS scholarship has helped me immensely<br />

as it alleviated some of the financial stress that<br />

is so prominent in law school. I would not be<br />

in the same position I am in starting my own<br />

practice if I did not receive the privileges I was<br />

afforded, like the TAS scholarship. I am incredibly<br />

grateful.<br />

5) If you could meet any lawyer or judge<br />

(living or dead) for lunch, who would that<br />

be and why?<br />

Hands down – I would love to have lunch with<br />

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg is<br />

pretty self-explanatory because of how much of<br />

a pioneer she was in her field and how impactful<br />

her presence was on the bench. She is truly<br />

one of my heroes.<br />

Tyra Soosay<br />

Peter A. Allard School of Law,<br />

University of British Columbia (<strong>2021</strong>)<br />

1) How have you found your legal training<br />

journey to date?<br />

Legal training will change and impact your<br />

mindset. You will develop bonds with other<br />

law students and lawyers. Of course legal<br />

training is hard work, but it has so many<br />

rewarding experiences. I am so thankful<br />

UBC is such a progressive university especially<br />

in relation to Indigenous law and legal<br />

studies. I have enjoyed research about<br />

decolonizing the legal system, investigating<br />

what resurgence means in respect to Indigenous<br />

legal orders, and how to apply indigenization<br />

into one’s advocacy toolbelt.<br />

Cian-James Dionne Hoey, University of Saskatchewan (<strong>2021</strong>)<br />

Tyra Soosay, University of British Columbia (<strong>2021</strong>)<br />

18 19


2) What do you love about the work you are doing now (in particular,<br />

any work in Indigenous law)?<br />

I am currently a temporary articled student participating in UBC’s<br />

Indigenous Community Legal Clinic (ICLC) this term. As a kinaesthetic<br />

learner, I thrive in situations where I can learn by doing. I am<br />

learning how to be a legal advocate in family, criminal, administrative,<br />

civil, and Aboriginal law under the fantastic guidance of ICLC’s<br />

Supervising Lawyers. I will always remember this mentorship. Law<br />

is first and foremost a helping profession. When I am able to work<br />

with the Indigenous community and clients, it really solidifies the<br />

importance of having Indigenous women such as myself, and Indigenous<br />

people being involved in both Indigenous legal systems<br />

and colonial legal systems. We make a difference in our workplaces<br />

anywhere we go, and even more so for other Indigenous members<br />

of the community we serve.<br />

3) Do you have any tips for students/new lawyers for developing<br />

their oral advocacy?<br />

Oral advocacy is developed through experience, so be kind to<br />

yourself while you are learning and developing.<br />

4) How has the TAS Scholarship helped you and your goals<br />

for the future?<br />

A big part of my personal and volunteer life is centred on mentorship.<br />

Without mentorship and a hand up in my professional<br />

life when I was learning and growing, I could have had a very<br />

different experience. The TAS Scholarship is one of the many<br />

different types of mentorship I received while in law school. The<br />

behind the scenes work of navigating the legal and education<br />

system could have been harder if done without help. My goal is<br />

to become a legal veteran one day giving back to young Indigenous<br />

law students and advocates because mentorship is an<br />

important aspect to thriving in law and life.<br />

5) If you could meet any lawyer or judge (living or dead) for<br />

lunch, who would that be and why?<br />

I would love to have lunch with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and<br />

Senator Murray Sinclair. Also, I would love to sit down and learn<br />

with Indigenous lawyers and judges who are learned in our Indigenous<br />

legal systems. The Elders, ceremony makers, and story keepers<br />

are sacred because they hold our ancestral knowledge about<br />

Indigenous law and legal systems. These people are key to our survival<br />

as Indigenous peoples.<br />

Tom Curry and Martha McCarthy Present:<br />

On Oral Advocacy 2:<br />

Required Reading,<br />

Viewing & Listening<br />

Thursday, February 11, <strong>2021</strong><br />

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm<br />

Live Online<br />

TAS Members: $25.00 + Tax<br />

Non-members: $50.00 + Tax<br />

Join Tom and Martha as they celebrate their<br />

love of the profession and their shared<br />

passion for oral advocacy. They will share their<br />

latest list of favourite instructive, inspiring<br />

and entertaining resources for advocates,<br />

including: texts, literature, films, online<br />

videos and podcasts. You will come away<br />

with recommendations on resources to help<br />

you prepare for your next hearing, entertain<br />

you on a Friday evening, or both. From classic<br />

dissertations to current podcasts, there is<br />

something for every advocate.<br />

To learn more or register visit<br />

www.advocates.ca<br />

20


TAS Jolly Jamboree!<br />

Sunday, November 29, 2020 | Live Online<br />

Bench<br />

Perspectives<br />

for Women<br />

Advocates<br />

Thursday, February 18, <strong>2021</strong><br />

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm<br />

Live Online (ET)<br />

Join women advocates for a roundtable<br />

discussion with members of<br />

the bench from across Canada. Judicial<br />

panelists will share insights<br />

and advice with mid-career women<br />

litigators on key issues from courtroom<br />

“dos and don’ts” to the impact<br />

of COVID-19 on women advocates in<br />

the virtual courtroom.<br />

To learn more or register visit<br />

www.advocates.ca<br />

23


3rd Annual British Columbia Big Mingle - Virtual Edition<br />

Friday, November 6, 2020 | Live Online<br />

Virtual Advocacy<br />

Fridays<br />

Join us on Fridays once a month for a<br />

quick fix of timely and practical CPD<br />

content focused on virtual advocacy.<br />

The Art of Virtual Persuasion<br />

Friday, January 22, <strong>2021</strong><br />

Total CPD: 1.5 Professionalism<br />

Technology Gone Wrong: Cautionary<br />

Tales from the Remote Courtroom<br />

Friday, February 26, <strong>2021</strong><br />

Total CPD: 1.5 Professionalism<br />

Virtual Roadmap: Help Judges Help You<br />

Friday, April 23, <strong>2021</strong><br />

Total CPD: 1.5 Professionalism<br />

Virtual Client Management<br />

Friday, May 7, <strong>2021</strong><br />

Total CPD: 1.5 Professionalism<br />

24<br />

To learn more or register visit<br />

www.advocates.ca


Young Advocates’ National Social: Mixer & Mixology<br />

Thursday, November 12, 2020<br />

Legal Drafting<br />

for Litigators<br />

Friday, February 19, <strong>2021</strong><br />

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm<br />

Live Online (ET)<br />

The role of written advocacy in a digital<br />

world is more important than ever.<br />

Take your writing skills to a new level<br />

with this popular program on legal<br />

drafting. Hear from top litigators and<br />

judges on how you can improve your<br />

written argument and draft better<br />

pleadings, affidavits and facta.<br />

The plenary program will be held on<br />

February 19 and the writing workshop<br />

will be held on February 23. There are<br />

two registration options: (1) plenary +<br />

workshop or (2) plenary only.<br />

To learn more or register visit<br />

www.advocates.ca<br />

27


www.advocates.ca

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