Canadian Lawyer 4Students

10 F a l l 2 0 1 4 C A N A D I A N L a w y e r 4 s t u d e n t s * of it. e law society's very detailed and ex- tensive review of articling suggested many of the things I've been looking at with the way in which law fi rms are actually transform- ing how lawyers get to practise. What I'm concerned about is how we ensure that eth- ics and professionalism and those values of community are communicated at the same time as skills training is done and I don't know that I've seen yet how that's going to play out in practise as opposed to in concept. What changes do you think the profession and law schools must make to keep up? I've always argued the profession has to be laser-focused on the public interest and the public interest in my mind also equates with the consumer interest. Access to jus- tice is an incredibly diffi cult problem not only for those who are indigent or without resources but increasingly for those in the middle class who can't aff ord legal services in order to meet their basic needs or fi nd them diffi cult to access. As the profession comes up with new and creative ways to deliver legal services, they have to be fo- cused on the ways in which cost, value, and excellent quality can all be integrated in part of that service. . . . ere's a lot of work we have to do as a profession to make sure people can both know there's a system and the way in which our understanding of what it means to be a lawyer is chang- ing . . . legal education has to be fl exible, adaptable, and changing in order to re- spond, to make sure the lawyers of the fu- ture are ready for those new challenges. It is a very exciting time. How do you think Ontario's new law prac- tice program will change the landscape? I think the jury is still out on that. I think what the Law Society of Upper Canada was facing was increasing pressure from gradu- ates who couldn't come through traditional conduits for entry into the legal profession and they are trying to make sure those por- tals or entry ways remain open. I think it does beg the question of the expectations around legal education in Canada and how much experiential learning needs to be part What is your view of the state of the legal profession in Canada? e legal profession in Canada is strong but facing an increasingly challenging time as we shi into new understandings of what it means to provide client service and how the services are going to be pro- vided and by whom. I think lawyers mov- ing forward into a legal profession have to understand that the constant is change and transformation. How do you feel about legal education in Canada? I think we are looking at a time where legal education is very strong, built on a very strong foundation across the country, but what we're looking at, at a time when the paradigm shi is happening in the way in which legal services are being delivered Paul Paton for 10 questions Assistant editor Mallory Hendry caught up with the University of Alberta's new law dean Paul Paton soon after he officially assumed his new position to get his thoughts on the profession, legal education, and how his previous experiences will influence him in his new role.

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