May 05, 2026
In this episode of the Canadian Lawyer podcast, managing editor Tim Wilbur sits down with Paul Karvanis, former Stikeman Elliott and in-house counsel turned coach, speaker and author of The Successful Associate: From New Lawyer to Making Partner. Drawing on interviews with nearly 50 managing partners, talent leaders and senior lawyers, Karvanis lays out a “hierarchy” of associate success – from delivering quality work reliably, to mastering soft skills, to taking the right level of ownership on files. He explains how the “expectation effect” shapes an associate’s reputation within the firm, why lawyers’ tendency to be hard on themselves can turn useful feedback into a burden, and what both firms and juniors need to change if they want feedback to actually drive improvement. Along the way, he tackles the uncomfortable truth that partnership decisions are driven by firm economics and client mix, and why relentless improvement matters more than early brilliance.
Jul 07, 2026
The Epiq Canada managing director on cutting through AI hype and keeping a human in the loop
Jul 03, 2026
Boughton Law president Luca Citton and Meritas legal tech lead Marti Phillips join Tim Wilbur to make the case for 'lawyer fluidity' over academic credentials
Jun 24, 2026
From consent and children's data to IAB Canada's AI standards, and why legal work still needs human oversight
Jun 23, 2026
The Array Canada president on moving fast without losing judgment as evidence volumes spiral out of control
Jun 16, 2026
Litigator Allison Speigel joins host Tim Wilbur to talk through how a small firm uses flat-fee billing, quick decisions, and plain talk with clients to take on the country's largest firms
