VIRTUAL FORUM
NOVEMBER 25 + 26th, 2020
ACCREDITED FOR 8 HOURS OF CPD CREDITS BY THE LAW SOCIETY OF BC
Law Firms, Legal Sector Service Providers (Early Bird): $79 (Until November 18th)
Law Firms, Legal Sector Service Providers (Regular Registration): $99 (From November 19th)
In-House Counsel (Complimentary Registration)
Accessing the Forum?
The Forum will be hosted on Whova - a virtual event platform (both an app and a website). The link for the forum’s website is here. Details for downloading the app on the button below.
OVERVIEW
The Western Legal Innovation Forum returns in November, 2020 - the third annual forum focused on Alberta and BC’s legal sectors. This year's forum focuses on the latest in Western Canada when it comes to the intersection of business and law, innovation and how the sector is responding to the disruption caused by COVID-19. The forum will be held virtually on Whova - a virtual event platform. By being virtual, it offers participants, presenters and sponsors a unique and engaging way to connect with their legal sector contemporaries in an innovative format.
The core objectives of the forum:
To provide legal practitioners with context, information and guidance on how practitioners in Alberta and BC’s legal sectors are evolving their business and practice strategies in a disruptive era.
To encourage collaboration in the Alberta and BC legal sectors to tackle the toughest challenges the sector and the businesses they work alongside are facing. And, leverage opportunities linked to these challenges.
To convene and provide platforms for a regional network of innovators focused on driving change in the legal sector to connect, learn and collaborate on.
STRUCTURE & ACCREDITATION
Online Forum over 2 afternoons: November 25 + 26th (1-5pm), hosted on Whova, a virtual events platform.
8 x sessions (panel discussion format) of 50 minutes each, 3-4 speakers per panel
Presentations from subject matter experts on areas related to the key themes of the forum.
Accreditation: 8 CPD hours from the Law Society of BC
Content for the forum is viewable on demand for 3 months after the forum
THEMES
Part I: Regional Substantive/Economic
Navigating Canada’s changing energy landscape.
Emerging trends in insolvency & restructuring
When the rules change, how do law firms change with them?
Emerging labour and employment risks in the Covid-19 era
Part II: The Business of Law
Doing business in the new normal. How has COVID-19 changed law firms?
The People Puzzle: how the legal sector is managing talent in an era of change.
Defining, developing and executing an impactful legal technology strategy.
The evolving role of in-house counsel.
Speakers
AGENDA
Day 1: Wednesday, November 25th (12-4pm PT / 1-5pmMT)
In-House strategy: aligning with the business. (12:00-1:00pm PT / 1:00-2:00pm MT)
An agreed upon thread in the in-house innovation discourse is the need to align with the business. But too often these conversations tend to remain in-house - that is - between lawyers. What does the business really need from in-house and external counsel? How can lawyers engage with business partners to understand, determine and develop flexible solutions to support business growth - moving from a cost centre to a value creator? And - conversely - what do lawyers need from their business leaders to support this? This panel will discuss how in-house lawyers and their business partners can better collaborate to deliver results.
Speakers:
Kerry O'Reilly Wilks, Chief Officer, Legal, Regulatory & External Affairs at TransAlta Corporation
David Bennett, Chief of Legal Operations, Government of British Columbia
Lorne O’Reilly, Lead Counsel, Dow Canada
Stephen Cooper, Director, Legal, Alberta Central
Chair: Zena Applebaum, National Director, Market Insights & Engagement, Thomson Reuters
Presenting Sponsor:
————————————————————————————————————————————
Navigating Canada’s changing energy landscape - (1:05-2:05 pm PT / 2:05-3:05 pm MT)
New federal and provincial rules for energy and large scale infrastructure projects are leading to increased complexity in the Canadian resource sector. Businesses and governments are positioning themselves to adapt to a new era with considerable emphasis on diversifying the economy. A move away from fossil fuels toward renewable power, hydrogen and technologies is being driven by climate change and emission reductions in the home of the oilsands. As the energy sector becomes more sophisticated in Western Canada, lawyers both in-house and in law firms are well-positioned to help shape this significant piece of the economy as it changes.
This panel will look at how lawyers are helping the energy resource sector navigate these and other significant shifts in the economy.
Speakers:
Christy Elliott, General Counsel, Parkland Fuel Corporation
Alan Ross, Regional Managing Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais
Ranj Sangra, General Counsel, Pinnacle Renewable Energy
Lisa Jamieson, Senior Counsel Regulatory and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, LNG Canada
John Paul Smith, General Counsel, Wolverine Energy and Infrastructure
Chair: Nickie Nikolaou, Associate Professor + Associate Dean (Academic), University of Calgary Faculty of Law
Presenting Sponsor:
-————————————————————————————————————————————
Defining, developing and executing an impactful legal technology strategy (2:10-3:10pm PT / 3:10-4:10pm MT)
Has COVID-19 been the catalyst to push lawyers into the 21st century when it comes to leveraging technology for efficiency? It may have started with Zoom, but working from home has created an opportunity for law firms and law departments to take a closer look at technology to deliver results. This applies to tools that improve and enhance the practice of law as well as one’s that deliver for the business. This 60-minute session will explore what tools firms and legal departments can’t live without now and which one’s they’re expecting to employ in the near to medium term to deliver value.
Some highlights will include:
• Practice of law and technology. How are lawyers using technology to be more productive, efficient and effective in delivering results in specific practice areas? How is operating in a pandemic environment accelerating this trend? What opportunities and challenges are they facing?
• Business of law and technology. What technology tools are law firms and law departments putting in place to better manage their workflow and business requirements?
• Managing hype versus reality. Purchasing technology is one thing but delivering results with it is another. Success relies on effective implementation, usage and ongoing management. How can law firms and law departments develop and implement a durable legal technology strategy that delivers?
Speakers:
Martin Felsky, Senior Counsel, Heuristica Discovery Counsel LLP
Kristin Hodgins, Project Manager, Legal Innovation, Osler
Sharon Redding, Senior Paralegal & eDiscovery Coordinator, Bell Canada
Kyle Myck, IT Director, Field Law
Chair: Gideon Christian, Assistant Professor (AI and Law), University of Calgary Faculty of Law
Presenting Sponsor:
————————————————————————————————————————————
Emerging labour and employment risks in the Covid-19 era (3:15-4:15pm PT /4:15 -5:15 pm MT)
In the wake of Covid-19 unemployment in BC and Alberta remains at over 10%, employees have been furloughed or working from home for extended periods of time and an uneven economic operating environment persists. For employers - and the lawyers advising them - these drivers present many challenges when it comes to managing their employees.
Concerning employees' return to work this includes upholding safety protocols, issues related to performance and employee privacy concerns. Many companies have also had to lay off employees without cause. As a result employers are grappling with difficult decisions around the appropriate amount of reasonable notice they must provide workers. There are also concerns for employers on how this will be interpreted by the courts.
During this session our speakers will review how the labour and employment landscape in BC and Alberta is shifting in the Covid-19 era.
Speakers:
Benjamin Alarie, Co-Founder + CEO, BlueJ Legal
Keri Bennett, Partner, Roper Greyell
Sara Forte, Founder, Forte Law
Robert Sider, Partner, Lawson Lundell
Chair: Samuel Beswick, Assistant Professor, Peter A. Allard School of Law
Presenting Sponsor:
————————————————————————————————————————————
Day 2: Thursday, November 26th (12-4pm PT / 1-5pm MT)
————————————————————————————————————————————
Doing business in the new normal: how are law firms changing? (12:00-1:00pm PT / 1:00-2:00pm MT)
From mid March, most law firms began sending partners, associates, law students and support staff home to work, often with little preparation, training or discussion. In the months that followed, they rolled out collaboration tools and processes to enable teams to work from home. It was often challenging, but for some, a revelation. While many were eager to return to their offices, others have continued to work from home and find they are often more productive. What’s the formula for success for law firms in the COVID-19 era?
In this 60-minute session, the presenters will outline:
• Specific examples of firms that have successfully created a technology-enabled mobile workforce that continued to serve clients effectively during COVID-19.
• Who has gone back to the office? What does the office protocol entail for high-density locations?
• Client management and business development in the era of Zoom: What tools and strategies improve engagement?
Speakers:
Miriam Redford, General Manager, British Columbia, Fasken
Brett Colvin, Co-Founder & CEO, Goodlawyer
Morgyn Chandler, Co-Managing Partner, Hammerco Lawyers
Joshua Lenon, Lawyer in Residence & Data Protection Officer, Clio
Chair: Len Polsky, Manager, Legal Technology and Mentorship, The Law Society of Alberta
————————————————————————————————————————————
When the rules change, how do law firms change with them? (1:05-2:05 pm PT / 2:05-3:05 pm MT)
Often, external rule changes can prompt innovation. Significant changes to ICBC rules to personal injury lawsuits in BC are having an impact on the structure and strategy of many BC law firms. These firms - whose primary practice focuses have centred on personal injury law - have had to turn their attention to other practice areas to survive and thrive. Some of these practice areas include: estates law, commercial litigation and class actions. Here, we’ll look at how law firms in BC affected by the ICBC rules changes are innovating in the face of change.
In this 60-minute session, our speakers will discuss:
• What practice areas are BC law firms previously focused on personal injury law moving into and why? What successes are they seeing and what are the challenges they face in shifting their business models?
• How are law firms defining and executing on recalibrating their business strategies in the face of rule changes? Which strategies have they found to be successful, and which ones less so?
• Interoperable skillsets. What types of skills of personal injury lawyers give them an edge in other practice areas and why?
Speakers:
Morgyn Chandler, Co-Managing Partner, Hammerco Lawyers
Thomas Spraggs, Spraggs Law
Kenneth Armstrong, Managing Partner, Armstrong Naish Trial Lawyers
Chair: Lynne Charbonneau, Lawyer | Corporate Director | Tribunal Judge
Presenting Sponsor:
————————————————————————————————————————————
Emerging trends in insolvency & restructuring (2:10-3:10pm PT / 3:10-4:10pm MT)
A record number of Canadian companies have sought creditor protection as the impact from COVID-19 continues to unfold. By early summer, four times the typical number of large entities had sought protection and large law firms across Canada firms began adding bench strength to their ranks as government support programs end for struggling businesses.
In this 60-minute session the presenters will outline:
• Restructuring and insolvency matters are on the rise in several sectors across Canada due to COVID-19 related shutdowns. Retail and hospitality industries, in particular, have reached an inflection point and are the hardest hit. What does the landscape look like right now and in the near term?
• Federal assistance programs and lack of lender enforcement have helped protect some companies. What are the remedies in play to address the current challenge as those buffers fall away?
• How are the courts working to help companies find solutions and deal with matters remotely? Where are the opportunities? Are different jurisdictions expected to move at different speeds?
Speakers:
Lisa Hiebert, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais
Claire Wheldon, Vice President, Consulting & Deals, PwC
Kent Kufeldt, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais
Chair: Maziar Peihani, Assistant Professor, Peter A. Allard School of Law
————————————————————————————————————————————
The People Puzzle: how the legal sector is managing talent in an era of change? (3:15-4:15pm PT /4:15 -5:15 pm MT)
It’s one thing to develop and roll out a highly effective tech solution to enable a distributed workforce, but how do you keep a dynamic workforce motivated, engaged emotionally well and delivering results? Some law firms struggled pre-pandemic with ensuring everyone felt included and valued. Now they’re trying to continue with a high-performing culture while working from home.
In this 60-minute session, the presenters will discuss:
• How are firms and legal departments attracting and retaining talent in a complex operating environment?
• What does working back in the office look like? How are firms and practice groups as well as legal departments working to establish collaborative processes and open communication in a remote environment? Some have gone from working alone at home to working physically distant behind closed doors. What approaches have been effective in bringing people back to a “new normal”?
• Racial inequality was a significant challenge at firms before COVID-19. How are they working to break barriers down now? How are they working to promote inclusiveness and equity for minorities, parents, students, and new associates now?
• Addressing the mental health challenge. The day-to-day aspects of the pandemic affect everyone differently. What are the best practices of firms that are actively managing the emotional pressures of the ongoing crisis on firm staff?
Speakers:
Jane Fedoretz, Chief Talent + Transformation Office, TransAlta
Stephanie Hacksel, Partner, Hunter West Legal Recruitment
Dawn Marchand, President + CEO, Lawyers Financial
Marketta Jokinen, Founder, Current Talent
Chair: Camden Hutchison, Assistant Professor, Peter A. Allard School of Law
Presenting Sponsor:
