From virtual change to in-person connection: Canadian Lawyer examines a rapidly shifting profession

Our issue has diverse stories that converge on a common point: the importance of clarity and connection

From virtual change to in-person connection: Canadian Lawyer examines a rapidly shifting profession

In the latest issue of Canadian Lawyer magazine, we spotlight a legal profession at the intersection of transformation and tension – where technology, mental health, workplace culture, and equity are reshaping how lawyers practise, lead, and live.

Our family law legal report reveals how legal tech is adding much-needed structure to a practice area long marked by emotional volatility and logistical complexity. From streamlined evidence collection to moderated co-parenting apps, lawyers are leveraging innovation to ease conflict and increase efficiency – though, as several experts point out, no app can eliminate the human intensity that often accompanies these disputes.

In our employment law legal report, we examine the legal fallout from return-to-office mandates and fully remote workforces. Constructive dismissal claims, accommodation risks, tax and jurisdictional headaches – it’s clear that flexible work brings not just freedom but significant liability. Employers must now craft hybrid strategies that are not only legally sound but also culturally sustainable.

The emotional toll of legal work remains a thread throughout. Our profile of Gowling WLG’s Michael Herman is a moving account of burnout, depression, and the courage it takes to speak up. His story reminds us that policies alone don’t create supportive workplaces – people do.

While many firms continue to grapple with the backlash against DEI initiatives, our Back Page opinion argues that inclusion isn’t a political checkbox but a business imperative. Connecting DEI to measurable outcomes – like client retention or practice-area growth – is what will sustain it through political headwinds.

These stories, while diverse in subject, converge on a common point: the importance of clarity, connection, and care in a rapidly shifting profession.

That’s why we’re inviting you to go beyond the page and join the conversation in person at the Canadian Legal Summit, coming to Toronto on October 9. Together, we’ll explore how to harness technology wisely, support each other meaningfully, and build legal workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Because in a time of virtual everything, coming together still matters.