The programs described below are part of one package; meaning, by registering for the Leadership Skills Program you are agreeing to attend all of these programs. We are limiting the amount of participants to only 25 students. This is open to all class years and Faculty of Law programs, but preference will be given to JD and JD-combined students (especially upper year students).  To register, please fill out this form no later than February 11th at 12:30 p.m. - https://forms.gle/TTrKKoe8DVJw1Kc97.  

Leadership Skills and Career Management  

Friday, February 18, 2022, 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Zoom details TBA (to those who register)

Once you complete your law school education you'll need to "unlearn" a number of skills that have made you a success as a student, but will do you little good in your working life. From how to communicate in writing to learning how to speak  in a way clients can understand, to accepting  that 'fail' may be a four letter word right now, but will be an asset going forward. Learn how to take charge of your journey from successful student to successful professional.

Norman Bacal graduated McGill law School in 1980 a complete unknown. He specialized in tax and was a pioneer  in film and television finance. For twenty-five years  he participated in the building of the Canadian industry and ultimately represented a number of major film studios, including Warner Bros and MGM. He sat on the board of directors of LionsGate for almost ten years.

He opened the Toronto office of Heenan Blaikie in 1989 and went on to become the national co-managing partner, building it to an iconic national brand. Home to two prime ministers.  In 2014, one year after his term as leader expired, the firm collapsed. That tragedy turned out to be the catalyst of Norm's second career as author, speaker, and career and leadership mentor. He has published four books to date, beginning with Breakdown, a Globe & Mail bestseller; Take Charge a guide for students and young professionals; and two mystery novels.

Microsoft Office for Law School & Beyond

Friday, March 4, 2022, 12:30 - 2:00 PM
Zoom details TBA (to those who register)

As a law student, you likely know a thing or two about the standard Microsoft Office applications but how confident are you in your ability to use these applications to thrive now and in the future?

Do you know how to use Outlook to schedule email delivery, manage and share your calendar, and use text-to-speech software to proof your emails and eliminate typos? . . .  OneDrive to ensure that your documents are safe on the cloud and easy to share with others including classmates and colleagues? . . . Word to tackle styling and formatting issues, unlock the power of custom fields, and produce mail merges? . . . Excel to produce basic pivot tables and make information more useable through filtering and sorting? . . . PowerPoint to make diagrams and organizational charts to assist with presenting complicated information in an easy-to-understand visual way? . . . OneNote to centralize digital information, keep it organized, and use speech-to-text software so that you can use your voice to make notes faster and easier?

In this session, Sean Dillman of Waythorn will address these questions and walk you through specific use cases that you may encounter at law school and after graduation. As an experienced lawyer with a background in private practice and legal technology, Mr. Dillman understands how to bridge the gap between law and IT, and the challenges that law students and new lawyers face when it comes to putting technology into practical use. No matter if you're a beginner or an expert computer user, chances are that you'll learn something new from Mr. Dillman's innovative, creative and practical approach to using Microsoft Office products at law school and beyond.

Sean Dillman is a lawyer (non-practicing) in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He was called to the British Columbia bar in 2016. Since being called to the bar, he worked as a barrister and solicitor, mostly practicing in estate and incapacity planning, real estate conveyancing (residential and commercial), estate and probate administration, and company, corporate, and commercial law. In 2018, he opened a law firm with a partner where he continued his practice and was a co-managing partner.

Sean completed his J.D. at the University of Victoria. Before attending law school, he completed his B.A. at York University, graduating summa cum laude. Before starting on the path to law, he attended college to study computers and worked as a web-developer and a technician for IBM.

Ignite Your Leadership Potential with Emotional Intelligence

1:1 coaching session with complimentary EI assessment report

March 9 to 11, 2022, 30 minute session
Separate Sign up form will be distributed.

Top lawyers with high intellect (IQ) AND excellent people skills (EQ) will always thrive, no matter how pervasive technology becomes in legal services delivery. The Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQi-2.0©) is a scientifically validated EI assessment used in organizations worldwide for leadership development, selection, retention, executive coaching and team effectiveness.

Understanding your EI baseline, strengths, and potential leadership derailers will support your development into a successful professional with an enhanced ability to recognize, understand and manage emotions in yourself and others. Enhanced EI translates to better, more satisfying and more productive work relationships with colleagues and clients alike.

This is not a typical workshop. The format of this offering is highly customized to each participant. Anne-Marie Sorrenti, executive leadership coach and Faculty of Law alumna, is offering 30 minute 1:1 coaching sessions for up to 25 students. Registered students will watch an introductory video on EI core concepts (that they can view any time), take an EI assessment, and meet with Anne-Marie 1:1 via Zoom to review the results of the EI assessment report and create a customized, actionable strategy for further EI development. Participants will leave the session with their EI report in hand and a deeper understanding of their personal EI strengths, possible blind spots, and a personal plan.

30-minute coaching sessions are available March 9 - 11. Students must complete an EI assessment in advance of their appointment – instructions to follow.  

Anne-Marie Sorrenti, JD PhD, ACC

Anne-Marie Sorrenti is a leadership consultant and certified executive coach whose practice focuses on leadership for knowledge specialists and high potential talent. She works with professionals, executives and teams to improve organizational vitality and individual performance levels. Her supportive, inclusive, values-based approach encourages both the celebration of leadership strengths and the honest identification of areas for development.

Anne-Marie holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, as well as a JD and a PhD, both from the University of Toronto. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2001 and practised corporate and entertainment law at Heenan Blaikie. While pursuing her doctorate, Anne-Marie taught at the University of Toronto. Her coaching credentials are recognized by the International Coach Federation and she is a registered coach with the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Coach and Advisor Network. In addition to being an advanced EQi-2.0® and EQi-360® consultant, she is also a licensed practitioner of the Birkman Method® (a comprehensive personality inventory assessment), and the Pursuit Values authentic leadership system.

A dedicated volunteer with charitable organizations that support high potential leadership development, Anne-Marie is a founding Board Member of Girls E-Mentorship, an organization that matches motivated high school girls facing multiple barriers with professional female mentors. She is also an application assessor, interviewer and scholar coach for the Loran Scholars Foundation and supports Canadian vets transitioning to civilian life through her coaching and mentorship work with the True Patriot Love Foundation. In her spare time, Anne-Marie enjoys hot yoga, Italy and being in the mountains.

Workshops

M&A 101 (and then some)

Friday, March 18, 2022, 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Zoom details TBA (to those who register)
Presenter: Aaron Baer

In this 4L Academy Session, we'll be helping you understand what actually happens in an M&A deal. We'll start by talking about the different types of M&A deals in Canada and getting you comfortable with the basics. Once we've done that, we'll walk you through the M&A process from start to finish. All in a practical, interactive, and (dare we say) fun manner. This course will be taught by Aaron Baer, a Partner at Renno & Co and ex-Big Law Partner. 

Commercial Contracts 101

Friday, March 25, 2022, 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Zoom details TBA (to those who register)

Most lawyers spend a lot of time looking at contracts. From drafting them to reviewing them to litigating them. Understanding contracts is a key part of your job. Unfortunately, there's nothing intuitive about understanding how contracts work. Very rarely is anyone fighting about whether there was sufficient consideration. In this 4L Academy Session, we'll tackle contract basics. All in a practical, interactive, and (dare we say) fun manner. This course will be taught by Aaron Baer, a Partner at Renno & Co and ex-Big Law Partner.

4L Academy provides practical, engaging, and modern training as a supplement to existing law school and law firm training. Taught by passionate lawyers and designed specifically for newer lawyers, they are building the training they wish they had so that others don’t have to feel the way they did.