"Among those who know me, most would say that I think “outside the box” — some would even say that I think way outside the box. I have tried to harness that energy in order to bring results for our clients. Along these lines, I’ve often talked about the need for a multidisciplinary forum where new connections could be made. I always thought that an ideal retreat would combine equal parts business, science and law, and the topics would include diverse ideas presented by the attendees. Such a retreat would require a venue that would be free of distractions.
Originally, the location of the retreat would have been on my farm, based around the Football Hall of Fame festivities. Riding four-wheelers and hanging out by a fire — just letting everyone make connections at profound levels. A couple of years ago, David Smith pushed me to just go ahead and do it. Instead of the farm, we opted for the Georgian Bay. My family vacationed there for much of the last two decades, and to be able to share the Georgian Bay experience with my friends and colleagues was something I could not resist. Water sports, an island, jet skis, all on foreign soil — what could go wrong? 2017 will mark our fourth retreat. Along the way, we have learned the positives (everyone loves the float plane) and negatives (not as many liked the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Museum). Timing is important, given everyone’s summer schedule and the unforgiving temperature change in mid-September. Nevertheless, the original concept of connectivity has worked from the very moment we started it. While the Georgian Bay may be the current home of the Retreat, don’t be surprised to see Ray’s Retreat on the farm or Ray's Retreat in Africa (assuming Isaacs will host) in the future.
We have also addressed the need for a multidisciplinary approach as a firm with the formation of our Health Sciences Department. Approaching the problems our clients face from their perspective and requiring all of our Health Sciences attorneys to have a well-rounded understanding of the issues facing the health care industry sets us apart. Requiring our attorneys to have a major (e.g., intellectual property) and a minor (e.g., pricing and reimbursement) distinguishes us among our peers. I look forward to hosting you on Black Bass Island."
- Ray Miller