archive for the ‘Columns: Practice of Law’ category



The Myth of the Visionary Managing Partner

by Patrick McKenna

Monday, February 6th, 2012

The Strategic Planning Society recently posted on their Linkedin site the seemingly straight-forward question: “What is a good definition for vision?”
Now please keep in mind that this question is… [more]

Are Legal Clinics the Answer? Part 1

by Michael Litchfield

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Before I embark on a brief exploration of whether clinical legal education can provide a solution to two difficulties facing the legal profession in Canada today, I must first make… [more]

Your Dog May Be Too Dangerous for Your Home Insurer

by Mike Mooy

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

In recent years, many Canadian home insurers have begun asking questions about dog ownership and, depending on the breed, impose policy exclusions, charge extra premiums, or decline home insurance applicants.… [more]

Law School as Vocational School

by Darryl Mountain

Monday, January 16th, 2012

My fellow slaw columnist Jordan Furlong has written a number of articles over the past few years about the shortcomings of legal education (the latest of which is here). The… [more]

Training the Stressed Lawyer

by Legal Profession Assistance Conference

Monday, January 9th, 2012

by Cheryl Canning*
I was recently engaged in a discussion about the importance of resiliency in the workplace. The topic intrigued me. I had never really thought of resiliency as… [more]

Partial-Attention "Multitasking"

by Steven B. Levy

Friday, January 6th, 2012

Teaching a seminar not long ago, I commented that texting while driving was a clear example of the failure of multitasking. A very bright senior lawyer said, "But sometimes you… [more]

CPD and the Presumption of Competence

by Jordan Furlong

Friday, December 30th, 2011

I visited my local Service Ontario office recently to do something the government requires of me every five years: renew my driver's license. Fifteen minutes, a few signatures and a… [more]

Law Firm Partnerships and the Retention of Women Lawyers

by Linda K. Robertson

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

The retention of women in private practice continues to be a challenge. Although women now form the majority of graduates from law school, they leave the profession at much higher… [more]

An Extra Pair of Hands – Virtual Assistants for Busy Professionals

by Allison Wolf

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

The days run by so swiftly it seems like the world is spinning faster and time has compressed. Everyone I speak to feels this same rush as summer disappears into… [more]

Disability insurance is the most complicated type of personal insurance you can own. Even experienced insurance agents can find it challenging, so I pity the poor lawyer that attempts to… [more]

Women on the Bench

by Linda K. Robertson

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

The Globe and Mail reported recently (November 12, 2011) that only 30% of judges appointed by the Conservative government since 2006 have been women. (So far in 2011 just under… [more]

On the Subject of Strategic Focus

by Patrick McKenna

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

This post has its origins in a particular incident that compelled me to share some further thoughts with the firm’s managing partner.
Dear Managing Partner:
In our strategic planning committee… [more]

SlawTips      

SlawTips Top 10 Financial Errors: #9 Avoid Having a Written Office-Sharing or Partnership Agreement
Thursday, February 9

Max Amsterdam once said: “Business is the art of extracting money from another man’s pocket without resorting to violence.” The purpose of having a written agreement between all … »»

Practice

SlawTips Open Access Journals
Wednesday, February 8

There is good leagal content that doesn’t necessarily come in the neat packages that we usually look in.  Though our commercial legal database subscriptions have linked, vetted, edited, and easily. […] »»

Research

SlawTips Use join.me to Get on the Same Page Across the Web
Wednesday, February 8

When you need to collaborate on a document displayed on your screen, it’s great to have a colleague from down the hall come into your office and look over your … »»

Technology

noted on Slaw    

MLB Selected Case Summaries    

These summaries of selected recent cases are provided each week to Slaw by Maritime Law Book.
More information.

  • Banks and Banking - Liability of banks to third parties - Negligence - General

    The plaintiffs were the former shareholders of a company that failed. They sued the defendant bank alleging that it breached its contract with the company and the plaintiffs and breached a duty ...

  • Actions - Cause of action - General principles - New or extended cause of action - Opening of floodgates

    The plaintiff and defendant worked at different branches of the same bank. The defendant’s common-law husband was the plaintiff’s ex-husband. Over a four year period, the defendant ...

  • Aliens - Definitions and general principles - Immigration consultants

    The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) had been designated as the sole regulatory body of immigration consultants in Canada from 2004 until June 2011. On June 30, 2011, Bill C-35 came into force, which significantly amended ...

  • Criminal Law - Sexual offences, public morals and disorderly conduct - Public morals - Obscenity - Possession of child pornography

    The accused was convicted of making child pornography available and two counts of possession of child pornography (see [2010] Sask.R. Uned. 197). Subsequently, he was sentenced ...

  • Criminal Law - Procedure - Charge or directions - Jury or judge alone - Directions regarding pleas or evidence of witnesses, co-accused and accomplices

    Rowe was convicted by a jury of five offences. He appealed.

    The Ontario Court of Appeal allowed ...

  • Narcotic Control - Offences - Possession - General

    The accused wished to access marijuana for medicinal purposes but did not have an authorization to possess marijuana issued under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations. He was notified that a package of marihuana addressed to him had been ...

  • Narcotic Control - General - Legislation - Exemptions - Medicinal marijuana

    McCrady, who had an application pending under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) to possess and grow marijuana, was convicted of possession of marijuana (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), s. 4(1)). Hearn pleaded guilty ...

  • Criminal Law - Sentence - Trafficking in hashish or marijuana (incl. possession for purposes of trafficking)

    The accused pleaded guilty to one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment to be served intermittently and 11 months’ ...

  • Municipal Law - Powers of municipalities - Particular powers - Imposition and collection of taxes or fees 

    Catalyst Paper Corp. operated a paper mill in the District of North Cowichan. Catalyst objected to the tax rate that it paid compared to residential ratepayers. In 2009, the ...


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