AGM Featuring a Multi-Jurisdictional Panel Discussion on Innovating Regulation

May 31, 2016

By Melanie Hodges Neufeld

The Law Society is pleased to announce a new approach to our Annual General Meeting! We will be hosting esteemed practitioners from across Canada for a CPD panel discussion and will follow this with cocktails and a formal dinner accompanied by live music before the business meeting commences.

When: 4:00 pm – 8:30 pm, Thursday June 16, 2016 (Saskatoon)
Qualifies for 2 CPD Hours, all of which qualify as Ethics

The Law Society of Saskatchewan is considering making some changes to the way it regulates the profession. The Law Society will begin consultation with the membership regarding entity regulation in April, 2016. If adopted by the Benchers, entity regulation would be an additional regulatory tool that would direct some aspects of regulation at the entity a lawyer practices within, such as a law firm or other business unit.

We are privileged to have a highly knowledgeable group of Benchers from three jurisdictions’, plus the President of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, joining us at this event to discuss entity regulation from their perspectives:

Herman Van Ommen, Q.C. chairs the Law Society of British Columbia’s Law Firm Regulation Task Force, and Ross Earnshaw is Chair of the Compliance-based Entity Regulation Task Force for the Law Society of Upper Canada. Both Ross and Herman are well positioned to offer insights on the many issues surrounding entity regulation, having been heavily involved in their Law Society’s research and consultation initiatives. Jeff Hirsch is President of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada and offers the national perspective on this issue. The Prairie Law Societies Innovating Regulation Task Force is represented by our own Bencher, Gerald Tegart, Q.C., who is Chair of the Access Committee for the Law Society of Saskatchewan. Brenda Hildebrandt, Q.C., who is also part of the Prairie Law Societies Innovating Regulation Task Force, and Past President of the Law Society of Saskatchewan, will moderate the session.

This session will include ample time for questions and comments from attendees as the Law Society seeks to engage the membership with this important development in the profession. At the conclusion of the discussion cocktails and live music will commence with time for networking with panel members, colleagues, and members of the bar. Dinner will be served shortly thereafter as the music continues, and the business matters and awards presentations will conclude the evening.

For more details and to register for this exciting new opportunity please visit the Law Society website.