Legal Skies - a podcast by the Law Society of Saskatchewan

In 2021, Statistics Canada released the Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS) to identify the kinds of serious legal problems people face, how they attempted to resolve them, and how these experiences have impacted their lives. Our guests today, Susan McDonald, Principal Researcher at Department of Justice Canada and Kathy AuCoin from the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics at Statistics Canada, discuss the importance of collecting justice data and understanding the...

Welcome to Season 4! In this episode we discuss limited scope or unbundled legal services – what it is, why it's an affordable option and where to find a lawyer. Our guests are Tiffany Paulsen, Q.C., Bencher of the Law Society of Saskatchewan and partner at Robertson Stromberg LLP; and Dayna Cornwall, Project Manager for the National Self-Represented Litigants Project.

We discuss the past, present and future of the University of Saskatchewan's CREATE Justice, which celebrates its fifth anniversary and the upcoming Legal Needs Assessment. The centre, based in the College of Law, is focused on access to justice, innovation and research. Our guests include:

In the latest episode of Legal Skies, we speak to guests Alan Kilpatrick, Co-Director of Legal Resources at the Law Society of Saskatchewan, and Sarah Sutherland, Director of Programs and Projects at CanLII, about artificial intelligence (AI) and legal information. They discuss the new AI classification system to help find resources easier and more efficient. Click here for more information.

The legal profession is changing. To help future lawyers keep up, students at the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan will have the opportunity to learn about technology and changes in the legal profession this fall. Meanwhile, the Law Society is launching a short series on law and technology for its members. These initiatives are part of a long-term relationship between the Law Society and the College of Law. This episode is part of a series of future episodes about education,...

We discuss the important role information professionals (i.e. law librarians) play in the justice system and how they are helping expand public access to legal information. Our guests are Alan Kilpatrick, Co-Director of Legal Resources at the Law Society of Saskatchewan, Shaunna Mireau, Past-President of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries, and Kim Nayyer, Associate Dean of the Cornell Law School and President of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries.

Welcome to Season 3 of Legal Skies! Law Society President Fuloke Laosebikan, Q.C. and Past-President Gerald Tegart, Q.C. discuss how the Law Society responded to the pandemic, how the pandemic changed the legal profession and where we're headed in 2021 .

To better understand the access to justice issues in Saskatchewan, the College of Law and the Law Society of Saskatchewan are launching a Legal Needs Assessment. Our guests include Tim Brown, Q.C., Executive Director at the Law Society of Saskatchewan; Brea Lowenberger, Director of CREATE Justice and Access to Justice Coordinator at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law; and Heather Heavin, Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies at the College of Law.

Cost is a significant factor for people trying to access legal services. This episode focuses on how unbundling legal services can be a cost effective and efficient alternative for people looking for legal help. Our guests include John-Paul Boyd, an accredited family law arbitrator based in Alberta, Sonali Sharma founder of Athena Law in British Columbia and Lisa Eisen, founder of Family Law: A La Carte in Ontario.

We spoke with Dr. Kara Mitchelmore, CEO of the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED), about the newly launched Practice Readiness Education Program (PREP), using online learning to educate law school graduates, and getting the next generation of lawyers ready for legal practice.

Craig Zawada Q.C., former Law Society of Saskatchewan President, discusses using technology during the COVID-19 pandemic including setting up your remote office and how to keep your information safe. Craig produced a series of videos on working remotely and technology for the Law Society of Saskatchewan which can be found at https://www.lawsociety.sk.ca/covid-19-updates/technology-webinars/. If you need any assistance or guidance around technology in your practice please email Craig at...

Shannon Salter, Chair at the Civil Resolution Tribunal and Colin Lachance, General Manager of North America for vLex, discuss their work in improving access to justice and better access to legal resources.

Ian Hu, lawyer at Carroll Heyd Chown LLP and one of the contributors to the book A Practical Guide to Smart Contracts and Blockchain Law. He breaks down how blockchain is being used and what are the risks for lawyers and clients.

Mike Whelan, Jr. author of Lawyer Forward: Finding Your Place in the Future of Law, discusses how health and wellness can drive small/solo lawyers to innovate their law firms.

You negotiate every day, whether it's buying a new car or cancelling your travel plans. Your ability to negotiate effectively may be the most critical skill you possess. Marty Latz is an international negotiations expert and former White House negotiator. His seminar Gain the Edge! Negotiation Strategies for Lawyers will be held in Saskatoon and live-streamed on Thursday, March 26.

Law Society of Saskatchewan President Gerald Tegart and Vice-President Foluke Laosebikan discuss their role in shaping Law Society policy and ongoing access to justice initiatives.

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls issued its final report and calls for justice in 2019. Macrina Badger from the Ministry of Justice and Katrina Swan from the Regina Police Service discuss the impact of the inquiry and the work that still needs to be done. To read the final report, visit www.mmiwg-ffada.ca.

Beth Bilson, Q.C., former Dean at the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan discusses how everyone has a role to play in educating the public about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

What does it take to put a conference together? Steven Dribnenki, chair of the planning committee for the 2020 CBA Mid-Winter Meeting, discusses planning the conference in our special series of episodes recorded at the Mid-Winter Meeting.

The Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) is on a mission to provide free legal information. The non-profit organization is a founding member of the Free Access to Law Movement and dedicated to making legal resources more accessible to lawyers and the public. Alan Kilpatrick, Reference Librarian at the Law Society, discusses the future of free legal information and open access with Sarah Sutherland, Director of Programs and Partnerships at CanLII.