Lexpert magazine features articles and columns on developments in legal practice management, deals and lawsuits of interest in Canada, the law and business issues of interest to legal professionals and businesses that purchase legal services.
Issue link: https://digital.carswellmedia.com/i/1547047
The question isn't whether the ground is moving – it's whether the profession is moving with it T ariffs are shifting daily. AI tools are compressing the time it takes to do legal work as clients demand that law firms demonstrate their value more clearly. Demands are piling up for institutional solutions to systemic prob- lems. The question isn't whether the ground is moving – it's whether the profes- sion is moving with it. What the current moment demands of Canada's legal profession, above all else, is leadership – the kind that moves fast, thinks ahead, and designs systems capable of addressing problems at scale rather than one at a time. That context sits at the heart of this issue, and it's also what will drive the discussion at the Canadian Legal Summit, on October 14 at The Carlu in Toronto. In her column, Poonam Puri captures the general counsel's version of this moment – everything, everywhere, all at once. Boards want answers on AI, tariffs, whistleblower complaints, and CEO succession, often in the same week. The GC who thrives, she argues, isn't the one who knows everything; it's the one who brings order to complexity. Matthew Peters makes a parallel argument. At McCarthy Tétrault, he says, AI is no longer coming – it's here. What separates firms isn't access to tools; it's how they use them. Jonathan Leibtag takes this further: the next unit of legal excel- lence isn't the individual lawyer but the firm's capacity to capture and compound how its best people work with AI. Allison Speigel makes the case that agility – the kind that doesn't require committee approval – is its own competitive advantage. Her value-based billing model is built on accountability and trust, things she argues are more durable than any tool a firm can purchase. Jason Ward reminds us that this logic extends to the entire profession. His column on workplace harassment identifies a structural blind spot: law societies discipline individual lawyers but never the firms that employ them, even when provincial statutes would allow it. What's needed, he argues, isn't more indi- vidual accountability – it's systemic design that addresses the conditions allowing misconduct to persist. The Canadian Legal Summit, which will include these legal leaders, is designed to host these conversations. I'll see you there. Tim Wilbur, managing editor For more information on the Canadian Legal Summit, visit canadianlawyermag.com/events. www.canadianlawyermag.com 1 EDITOR'S DESK UPFRONT www.canadianlawyermag.com A profession called to lead at scale ISSUE 50.02 | OCTOBER 2026 Canadian Lawyer is published 2 times a year by KM Business Information Canada Ltd. KEY MEDIA and the KEY MEDIA logo are used under licence by KM Business Information Canada Ltd. CANADIAN LAWYER is a trademark of KM Business Information Canada Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily those of the publisher. Information presented is compiled from sources believed to be accurate; however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Canadian Lawyer disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication. 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