Section Executive Structure and Duties

Each of the OBA's 35 Sections has an Executive of not more than 24 members elected annually from the membership of that Section. Positions include Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Past Chair (Officer Positions), Program Co-ordinator, Advocacy and Government Relations Liaison, Newsletter Editor, CLE Liaison, Regional Representative and Members-at-Large. The Immediate Past Chair also remains on the Executive.

Each Section Executive meets at least four times per year, to host Section programs, produce Section Newsletters and to provide input into submissions presented to government.  Each Section Executive is governed by a Constitution and is represented on OBA Council by its Chair.
 
There is no position for Treasurer, and Sections do not have individual budgets.  OBA staff maintains control of the Sections budget.

Section Sub-Committees

Section Executives may establish sub-committees from time to time, to undertake specific tasks. The terms of reference and memberships of such sub-committees may be determined by the Section Executive. Section sub-committees are most often established to produce briefs on legislation, but they may also undertake a variety of other tasks, such as reviewing case law, and commenting on legal forms or aspects of the administration of justice.

An example of the proper name for a Section sub-committee is as follows:

     Real Property Section
     Sub-Committee on Electronic Registration

Regional Sections

To encourage local Section activity in areas outside Toronto, regional Sections may be established by Council in regions where interest and numbers warrant. Current Regional Sections are: Canadian Corporate Counsel Association (National Capital Chapter); Young Lawyers' Division (Eastern- Ottawa) and Young Lawyers' Division (South-Western- London).

If members of your Section in an area outside Toronto are interested in establishing a local group or developing programs in your local area, the Sections Department will be happy to provide assistance and logistical support. To create a Section, a submission must be made to Executive Committee and this submission will be voted on by Council at one of its quarterly meetings..

To be a Section member, one must be a member of the Canadian Bar Association in good standing. In order to serve on a Section Executive, all individuals must be members of the Section.

Section Enrolment Fee

A flat fee of $50.00 + $3.00 GST applies to all Sections with the exception of the Young Lawyers Division which is $30.00 + $1.80 GST.

Membership in an OBA Section entitles the member to notices of meetings, newsletters, and other pertinent information that may be distributed from time to time.