This is a legitimate question being asked by some licensees this morning in the wake of the fall-out from the disastrous AGM held last night by the Law Society of Ontario.

Some are even suggesting this meeting effectively didn’t happen.

It either never really had quorum or lost quorum during the meeting and the “vote” on my motion.

There is no doubt that the meeting breached the Society’s own By-laws respecting the AGM in a number of significant ways.

For one thing, people who wanted to bring a motion forward AT the AGM were not able to do so or told of their right to do so.

And more than half the people were prevented from speaking and/or voting.

My bar reports most people were not able to vote – the voting glitched and said it was either not available or could not be registered.

The complaint is that the AGM was basically a sham, in the final analysis and result.

By-law 2 sets out the process for the AGM – some of the applicable sections are reproduced below. You can also find the By-laws here:

https://lso.ca/about-lso/legislation-rules/by-laws/by-law-2

Select Applicable By-Laws about the Annual General Meeting

8.1(2)

Member deemed present

  (2)  In this Part, a member is deemed to be present at a meeting held by electronic means or both in person and by electronic means if the member is connected to the meeting through means through which members are permitted to participate in the meeting.

Quorum lost during meeting

14.  (1)  If a quorum is lost during a meeting, the Treasurer shall, subject to subsection (2), adjourn the meeting.

Quorum lost during meeting

14.  (1)  If a quorum is lost during a meeting, the Treasurer shall, subject to subsection (2), adjourn the meeting.

Same

  (2)  If a quorum is lost during a meeting, the Treasurer may permit the members remaining to continue to debate a motion, an amendment to a motion or an appeal of a ruling already put to the meeting but not yet disposed of if no member remaining objects.

No voting when quorum not present

  (3)  Even though debate on a motion, an amendment or an appeal may continue if a quorum is lost during a meeting, no motion, amendment or appeal shall be voted on when a quorum is not present.

Subject matter

15.  All motions made at a meeting shall relate to the work of the Society.

Procedure for making motions

16.  (1)  Subject to subsection (2), a motion to be made at a meeting shall be,
 
  (a)  in writing and signed by exactly ten members, none of whose licence is suspended at the time of signature; and
  (b)  delivered to the secretary at least forty days prior to the day fixed for the meeting.

Same

  (2)  A motion may be made at any time during a meeting, even though the requirements set out in subsection (1) have not been complied with, if the motion relates to a matter then being debated.

The LSO’s 2025 AGM has been described by colleagues across the province as a sham, fiasco, embarrassment, gong show, cluster****, circus, nightmare, and all reasons we are likely to or even should lose self governance altogether.

Thanks for being there, whatever this was.