The program will provide a network and resources to engage with the legal community
The Ontario Bar Association has launched a new program to support lawyers who have retired or are looking to transition out of the profession, the association announced Monday.
Noting that legal services typically cater to lawyers in early or mid-career, the OBA said its “Retired and Transitioning Lawyers Network” aims to ensure retired lawyers continue to have ways to engage with the legal community. The OBA seeks to create opportunities for these lawyers to get involved in mentoring, speaking engagements through the OBA Speakers Bureau, and other bar events.
The new program will also assist lawyers transitioning from their practices. In addition to providing these lawyers ways to stay connected to their colleagues, the program will provide support and resources as they navigate succession planning, selling a practice, or other career transitions.
The OBA plans to create a website for the network that will feature professional development programs, articles, career opportunities, and wellness resources.
The bar association will also run a series of in-person events, including documentary screenings, and said in a news release that it seeks feedback from lawyers on what resources they would find valuable.
The program is the latest initiative by the OBA to lend specialized support to its members. In 2023, the bar association announced its Peer Support Network for Lawyers Living with Disabilities, which provides a forum for lawyers with disabilities to connect online and in person, as well as access informational resources.
The support program for retired and transitioning lawyers joins the OBA’s Parent and Caregiver Support Network and Unite and Support Network.
In an interview with Law Times this month, Kathryn Manning, who assumed her role as OBA’s president on Sept. 1, said her goals were to address polarization within the bar, continue developing the association’s professional development programming, and help modernize the legal profession.