Ontario recently became the first Canadian province to allow journalists and legal professionals to tweet in courtrooms. Can it be only a matter of time that this new trend takes hold in other provinces?
The law, which officially went into effect February 1, 2013 permits the use of electronic devices by media members and counsel, but not the public. Under the change, there will be an increase in the number of cases that are tweeted about or live-blogged, which in turn could raise the profile of some disputes and bring the public closer to the dealings.
"We're delighted," Hugo Rodriguez, a reporter and president of the Canadian Association of Journalists, told Sun News Network. "We're definitely in the camp of people that push for anything that will make explaining and observing and watching what's happening in a court a more transparent process."
The move also makes it easier for legal professionals to work together on cases. If lawyers can keep a constant stream of communication open with their offices and legal assistants, they can alert them as to what is going on in court and topics that need to be researched.
Those looking to train for legal careers will get a fundamental education in the legal courses in the Paralegal and Legal Administrative Assistant programs at Vancouver Career College. For more information on the program, fill out the form on the right.