Do Law Differently: Futures for Young Lawyers, was launched at the CBA Mid-Winter meeting of Council in Ottawa in February, but that’s by no means the end of the story.
The online guide, written by Jordan Furlong in partnership with the CBA Legal Futures Initiative and the national Young Lawyers-CBA forum, is a member-exclusive tool meant to give law students and young lawyers an idea of the opportunities #NewLaw presents by outlining the current situation for legal professionals, providing resources and information about skills and competencies that will be necessary to succeed, and by talking with innovative people who are already finding ways to adapt to market realities.
With illustrations by Margaret Hagan the guide is a slick tool with much to offer, easy to read and to absorb.
Along with the tool we’ve launched a closed group on Facebook that already has more than 250 members. The group is meant to be a place for young lawyers and law students to talk about the profession that they’re entering and the how they’re dealing with the challenges and opportunities they’re finding there.
In March, Futures will do a small tour of law schools to present the guide to one of its key audiences. We hope to take this kind of tour wider in the fall, so stay tuned for developments. We’ve also made a package of materials available to Young Lawyers groups and Executive Directors in the branches so that they can start their own discussions about finding new ways to practise law.
The official launch of the guide happened at a reception held at LegalX in Toronto on March 4 following a day-long workshop held by the CBA Legal Futures Initiative and the Canadian Bar Review to discuss the future of legal education.
Do Law Differently – the guide – is meant to evolve along with the needs of young people entering the profession. You haven’t heard the last of it.