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Sep 16, 2022 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Part 1: A Partner Telling It Like It Is: What, How and Why
Sep 23, 2022 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Part 2: Legal Research – The Secret to your Success
Sep 30, 2022 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Part 3: Practice Tips & Avoiding Malpractice Claims

Everything you need to know to succeed, but they didn’t teach you in law school.

Eight months. That’s an articling student's window of opportunity to prove their value to their principal or firm. We invite all articling students to join us online for these 3 sessions to learn how to succeed and lay the best foundations for a career as a lawyer

Part 1: A Partner Telling It Like It Is: What, How and Why

Friday, September 16, 2022 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Part 2: Legal Research – The Secret to your Success

Friday, September 23, 2022 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Part 3: Practice Tips & Avoiding Malpractice Claims  

Friday, September 30, 2022 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Mary Paterson, Partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP will discuss what she looks for when working with an articling student. She will share how to make yourself indispensable and will cover a variety of topics including communication, collaboration, managing expectations, work habits, and networking.


 A team of experienced librarians will cover the methodology of legal research and will explain how to research quickly, efficiently and exhaustively.

Ray Leclair, Vice President of LAWPRO, Public Affairs, LAWPRO will discuss the essentials of practice management.

Topics will include:

  • Avoiding malpractice claims
  • Lawyering & practice management
  • Apps & Tech Tips

Speaker:

  • Mary Paterson, Partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt
    Mary’s commercial litigation practice focuses on positioning her clients to achieve positive settlements and to succeed at trial. Although based in Ontario, with many appearances before the Ontario Superior Court, including the Commercial List, she has also conducted trials in the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Canada, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, the British Columbia Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador. She has appeared on motions in the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench. Mary has also appeared on appeals in the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Ontario Divisional Court, the Alberta Court of Appeal, the Quebec Court of Appeal, and the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Her areas of specialty include tax litigation, insolvency work (receiverships, bankruptcies and proceedings pursuant to the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act) and contract disputes and other general commercial litigation.

    Read her bio

Speaker:

  • Joan Rataic-Lang, Executive Director/Library Director of the Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA)
    Joan Rataic-Lang is Executive Director/Library Director of the Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA). She is a great supporter of professional development, both as an avid participant and as an enthusiastic provider, having been on the organizing committees of several national conferences and as an occasional speaker both locally and nationally. She has been managing the Courthouse Library since 2010. Before coming to the TLA she had 20 years’ experience managing large law firm libraries and also worked in sales, education and executive search. If “variety is the spice of life” Joan’s career has been a highly seasoned bowl of chili.
    Read her bio
  • Megan Strain, Reference and Outreach Librarian, Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA)
    Megan Strain is the Reference & Outreach Librarian at the Toronto Lawyers Association. She helps patrons find answers to their legal research questions and works to promote the library through various outreach initiatives. Before joining TLA in 2020, Megan worked at the City of Toronto Archives and loves exploring the history of the city! She received her Master of Information from the University of Toronto and has a Master of Arts in History & Politics from the University of Edinburgh.
    Read her bio

Speakers:

  • Ray Leclair, Vice President of LAWPRO, Public Affairs
    Ray Leclair was appointed Vice President, Public Affairs in 2012. He provides input on, implements and reports on all government relations and public affairs-related functions. Ray started at LAWPRO in 2008 as Vice President, TitlePLUS. Prior to joining LAWPRO, Ray was General Counsel for the Kanata Reseach Park Corporation and has practised in both major national law firms and as a sole practitioner, and was a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa Law School and Cité Collégiale. Ray was called to the Ontario Bar in 1984 after completing an LL.B. at the University of Ottawa. Ray frequently speaks on risk management and other legal practice topics in French and English.
    Read his bio

Program Details

Dates and Times:
  • Friday, September 16, 2022, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
  • Friday, September 23, 2022, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
  • Friday, September 30, 2022, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

ZOOM - 2 step registration. You will receive the details to join in your confirmation email.

Registration Fee:

  • Member Licensing and Articling Candidates:  $25.00 + HST 
  • Non-Member Licensing and Articling Candidates: $50.00 + HST 

Joining the TLA as a Licensing Candidate is FREE . Learn more and join the TLA now.

Law School Students are not eligible to attend this program.

Many thanks to our generous sponsor:




Any opinions expressed by speakers are their own and are not necessarily the opinions of the Toronto Lawyers Association, its directors and staff.