FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2003
OTTAWA – Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Kathy Reichs and Danièle Sauvageau headline the Canadian Bar Association’s 2003 Canadian Legal Conference in Montréal, Aug. 16-19. Also on the roster are Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon, Québec Justice Minister Marc Bellemare, and Québec Premier Jean Charest (invited).
“The 2003 Canadian Legal Conference has a brand new look and feel,” says CBA President Simon Potter of Montréal. “The conference has been shortened by a day to accommodate busy lawyers’ schedules, and a number of events have been shuffled to accommodate the compressed schedule.”
Highlights of this year’s conference include:
- CBA Council meeting on Saturday, Aug. 16 all day and Sunday, Aug. 17 until noon. Look for debate on resolutions and reports from Chief Justice McLachlin, as well as a panel on ethics titled Sex, Fraud and Videotapes.
- The opening plenary on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 17, features Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who will speak on The Power of Law as it relates to environmental protection.
- 37 Continuing Legal Education programs (including sessions for corporate counsel on the theme The Evolving Role of Corporate Counsel: Enhancing Your Business Skills) take place on Aug. 18 and 19 on a wide range of subjects, including the reality of women in the legal profession; corporate social responsibility; how to deal with unpopular clients; and how the Sarbanes-Oxley Act affects Canadian lawyers, among many others.
- Federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon will speak, then answer questions from CBA members, on Monday, Aug. 18 at 11:30 a.m. Québec Justice Minister Marc Bellemare is scheduled to speak at the Opening Ceremonies on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 17. Québec Premier Jean Charest has been invited to speak at the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association lunch on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 1:00 p.m.
Mystery writer and forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs takes part in the Winning Advocacy Skills program on examining and cross-examining an expert witness on Aug. 18. Danièle Sauvageau, coach of the Canadian women’s hockey team that won gold in Salt Lake City, speaks at the CBA closing luncheon on Aug. 19.
The Justicia Award for outstanding media coverage on the law will be presented at the Awards Luncheon on Saturday, Aug. 16. This year’s award winners were chosen from a field of 33 nominees. The Young Lawyers Pro Bono Award for outstanding service to the community will be presented Aug. 19.
"We are expecting 800 lawyers, judges and their guests to join us in Montréal," says Mr. Potter, who will transfer the chain of office to his successor, Bill Johnson of Regina, at the Young Lawyers luncheon. Mr. Johnson will then outline his priorities for his term as president.
Sessions are open to the media. Most programs take place at Montréal’s Palais des congrès, 201 Viger Avenue West. Accreditation may be obtained by contacting the CBA national office in Ottawa at (613) 237-2925, ext. 146, or at the CBA Media Centre, Palais des congrès, Room 523B, (514) 871-5823, beginning Aug. 15.
The Canadian Bar Association is dedicated to improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 38,000 lawyers, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.
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CONTACT: Hannah Bernstein, Canadian Bar Association, 500-865 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5S8 Tel: (613) 237-2925, ext. 146; E-mail: hannahb@cba.org
