EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I.   INTRODUCTION
The LCO, launched on September 7, 2007, was established by an Agreement among the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Law Foundation of Ontario, the Law Society of Upper Canada, Osgoode Hall Law School and the other Ontario law school deans, for a period of five years. 

II.   GOALS TO BE ACHIEVED BY 2012
The LCO’s goals for its first mandate are to complete or substantially implement eight to ten major projects and eight to ten focused projects, organize (in collaboration) three conferences, achieve recognition for the high quality of its work, achieve recognition for its consultative process and achieve widespread acceptance of its value.


III. THE LCO'S MANDATE AND UNDERLYING VALUES
The LCO’s mandate is to make recommendations to improve the legal system’s relevance, effectiveness and accessibility; to clarify and simplify the law; and to consider how technology might make the legal system more accessible.  It is also mandated to create critical debate about law reform and promote scholarly research.  The LCO’s mission is to become a leading voice in law reform.  Its values are independence; integrity; excellence; innovation; relevance; open-mindedness; transparency; diversity; inclusiveness; multi/interdisciplinarity; collaboration; pragmatism; efficiency and accountability. 

IV.   THE LCO'S APPROACH TO LAW REFORM
The evolution of law reform indicates that over time commissions have changes in nature. While law reform began in limited form in the fifteenth century, its modern manifestation did not occur until 1925 in the United States and 1934 in Britain.  Ontario created the first law reform commission in Canada, the Ontario Law Reform Commission, in 1964, followed by other provincial commissions and a federal commission.  The current LCO differs from the OLRC in not being established by government and in having complete autonomy over its research agenda.  The LCO is premised on a vision of law reform as a creative yet pragmatic endeavour. 

The LCO will undertake both narrowly focused and complex, socially oriented projects, engage in multi/interdisciplinary research and analysis and make holistic recommendations.  It will collaborate with other bodies and consult with affected groups and the public generally.  It will be responsive to the need to see its recommendations translated into law, but will also engage in projects that will not become part of the government’s agenda, but that may have a longer term impact in a different forum.

V.   THE LCO'S PROJECTS
The LCO is open to project proposals from the public, community groups, academics and legal organizations and from individuals and groups.  It will accept proposals at any time, but will also issue a “call” for proposals at times when it is clear that resources will become available.

The Board of Governors approves projects, after receiving recommendations and advice from the Research Advisory Board and the Executive Director.  The LCO applies a wide ranging set of criteria in determining whether it is appropriate to undertake a particular project: relevance of the proposed project to the LCO’s mandate and objectives; its impact on the law and communities; and using resources efficiently.

The LCO’s current projects are fees for cashing government cheques; division of pensions on marital breakdown; and the development of a coherent approach to law as it affects older persons.   In addition, the LCO will carry out a pre-study for a project relating to persons with disabilities.  

The staff lawyer and Executive Director will develop a plan for each project, including timelines, resources required, methods of consultation and list of interested groups, taking into account previous work in the area.  The knowledge required for each project and consideration of the relevance of technology for each project will be factors in determining the nature of the research required.  Narrowly focused projects will usually result only in a draft report distributed for feedback, while complex projects will also involve discussion papers, also distributed for feedback. Complex projects will begin with a pre-study to determine their parameters and will involve multi/interdisciplinary analysis and holistic recommendations.

VI.   THE LCO AS A RESPONSIVE ORGANIZATION
The Board of Governors is required to submit a budget and projected expenditures to the partners. The LCO is required to report annually to the partners, but the Executive Director will also develop communication plans that include formal and informal means of communication, including in person communication. The release of the Annual Report will provide an opportunity to bring together the funding partners, the Board of Governors and the Research Advisory Board.

The LCO is committed to public consultation and communication in person, through its website, via a newsletter and through its discussion papers and draft and final reports.

VII. MEASURING SUCCESS
Measures of success include translation of recommendations into legislation; reference to research, analysis and recommendations by courts, academics and other bodies interested in law reform; quality of work produced; adoption of recommendations or frameworks by other jurisdictions; contribution to or leading dialogue on law reform; collaboration with others; number of proposals submitted to the LCO;  extent the LCO is known; and extent to which it meets its own values and satisfies its own identified processes.  The LCO will be externally evaluated beginning early in 2010.

VIII. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES FOR 2008
The LCO will complete its appointment of personnel, complete the two narrowly focused projects and complete the pre-study for and begin research on the older persons project, organize, likely in collaboration with a law school partner, a conference on law reform, prepare communication plans and implement its website and newsletter. 

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