Here is the article by Law Times’ Jessica Mach today May 8 2025
The expert selected is Richard Leblanc, a professor of governance, law and ethics at York University.
Here is the LSO’s announcement of the retainer and their explanation for hiring him.
Tax Lawyer Carl Irvine commented on the article on his personal LinkIn page here:
This is what he said:
Carl IrvineCarl Irvine • 1st1st Tax LawyerTax Lawyer 1h •
1 hour ago • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn
The Law Society of Ontario has hired Richard Leblanc, a professor of governance, law and ethics at York University, to help it implement the recommendations of the O’Connor report into reforming the Law Society’s (broken) governance.
Given that the leadership of the law society have, thus far, not demonstrated the sense God gave a goat when it comes to governance, bringing in an outside governance expert is probably a good idea.
And these are my comments in response
I really love the phrase “the sense God gave a goat” and I appreciate the sentiment. I’m also glad we have the name of the governance specialist whose costs we can seek disclosed in the fall at the AGM. However, the idea that an expert is required to implement O’Connor’s very basic suggestions that the Law Society of Ontario keep notes of their meetings and files for their committees that someone can locate when needed — for instance — is difficult to swallow.
I also firmly believe that this approach pretends the underlying problem was unclear by-laws or ill-defined committee mandates, when the reality is individual Benchers chose to act unilaterally and outside ordinary processes of any board and specifically Convocation’s own rules and establishes historical practices. Tweaking those bylaws and parameters won’t solve the problem of rogue actors who defy those rules. Such individuals must instead be held accountable. Or the pervasive cultural issues that got us here will persist and fester.
I don’t think we should have to guess at what the LSO CEOSS is costing us – the dues paying licensees. But my best guess adding up at least seven different law firms and consultants, coupled with the actual cost of the salary increases and pension perks to the former CEO is $3 MIL. I’ll seek disclosure of the real $$ figure. We can start a betting pool on who comes closest. Maybe we award a prize.
Although my best bet is we will never, ever know. Won’t stop me trying, but it’s doomed to fail. Unless transparency somehow triumphs.
anitaszigeti 