Canada’s online legal magazine.

Algorithms Without Anchors: The High Stakes of North America’s AI Regulatory Void

In previous columns, I have examined the evolving trajectory of AI regulation and warned of the precarious path ahead. Regrettably, I must now report that the regulation of artificial intelligence in North America has become a project stalled by political circumstance. In both Canada and the United States, efforts to establish comprehensive governance frameworks for AI have encountered untimely political disruption, legislative dissolution in Canada and executive reversals in the United States.

This confluence of events has left two of the world’s most influential jurisdictions without durable regulatory mechanisms to manage the profound legal, ethical, and societal risks posed by . . . [more]

Posted in: Legal Technology

A Voice That Matters: Help Young People Co-Lead the Transformation of BC’s Family Justice System

All of us have seen the consequences of a family in distress. Whether through separation, divorce, or child protection, the family justice system profoundly shapes the lives of children—often without truly hearing them.

Too many young people describe feeling invisible, disempowered, and voiceless in the very processes meant to protect their best interests.

That’s why the Family Justice Innovation Lab (via its Youth Voices Initiative) and the Transform the Family Justice System Collaborative are working to find new approaches—by centring youth with lived experience at the heart of reform.

We are expanding our network of young people who have . . . [more]

Posted in: Dispute Resolution

The Prospect of Law Firms Acquiring Their Information and Software Suppliers: Collaboration and Integration (Almost) Everywhere

It is normally frowned upon to suggest that experiences from the past might be indicators of outcomes in the future. The problem is that invariably to follow that line runs a significant risk of naivety, for want of understanding that history does indeed frequently repeat itself, and humans are inclined to repeat their own mistakes, as they search to replicate their successes from the past. It was, therefore, noteworthy that the global US-based law firm, Cleary Gottlieb, has acquired the small London-based AI-focused startup, Springbok AI, the latter described in The Lawyer as “a challenger to the Harvey . . . [more]

Posted in: Legal Publishing

“Physicians as Patent Infringers? Putting Pharmascience Into Perspective”

Abstract

Authored By: Professor Wissam Aoun, Associate Professor & Member of Windsor Law LTEC Lab and Caitlyn Massad, JD Candidate at Windsor Law

1. INTRODUCTION Pharmascience Inc. v. Janssen Inc.[1] is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) this coming October. In Pharmascience, the SCC will revisit the decades old prohibition against patenting of methods of medical treatment. The case revolves around a fact pattern common to several recent ‘skinny label’ cases.

URL
https://www.lteclab.com/post/physicians-as-infringers-putting-pharmascience-into-persepective . . . [more]

Posted in: Legal Information: Publishing, Substantive Law

Monday’s Mix

Each Monday we present brief excerpts of recent posts from five of Canada’s award­-winning legal blogs chosen at random* from more than 80 recent Clawbie winners. In this way we hope to promote their work, with their permission, to as wide an audience as possible.

This week the randomly selected blogs are 1. David Whelan 2. Meurrens on Immigration 3. Susannah Tredwell on Slaw 4. Civil Resolution Tribunal blog 5. Flex Legal Blog

David Whelan
In With the In Crowd

One thing that I attempt with this blog is to share what I know. It may not be much and

. . . [more]
Posted in: Monday’s Mix

Summaries Sunday: SOQUIJ

Every week we present the summary of a decision handed down by a Québec court provided to us by SOQUIJ and considered to be of interest to our readers throughout Canada. SOQUIJ is attached to the Québec Department of Justice and collects, analyzes, enriches, and disseminates legal information in Québec.

CONSTITUTIONNEL (DROIT) : La demande en sursis d’application de la Loi instaurant le Tribunal unifié de la famille au sein de la Cour du Québec pendant l’instance visant à faire déclarer cette loi invalide et inopérante est rejetée.

Intitulé : Goldwater c. Procureur général du Québec, 2025 QCCS 2057
Juridiction . . . [more]

Posted in: Summaries Sunday

Exploring Gen AI Opportunities for Plain-Language Writing

I’ve always prided myself on being a good writer. I spent years honing my grammar skills and natural instinct for sentence flow and ‘what just sounds right’. However, it has also become second nature to rely on some writing tools in my day-to-day work. Like most, I utilize spell check. I also rely upon tools like Hemingway App to ensure my plain-language projects are at the appropriate grade level for the intended audience. Yet I haven’t incorporated Generative AI into my writing toolkit.

What is holding me back from potentially a more efficient writing process? Even if I believe my . . . [more]

Posted in: Legal Information

Thursday Thinkpiece: Acts of Darkness: Notorious Criminals, Their Defenders, Their Prosecutors, and Their Jailers

Periodically on Thursdays, we present a significant excerpt, usually from a recently published book or journal article. In every case the proper permissions have been obtained. If you are a publisher who would like to participate in this feature, please let us know via the site’s contact form.

Acts of Darkness: Notorious Criminals, Their Defenders, Their Prosecutors, and Their Jailers

Author: John L. Hill
Foreword by: Salvatore Caramanna
Publisher: Durvile
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
True Cases Series, Book 13
ISBN: 978-1-990735-75-2 (pbk)
E-book and audiobook also available
6” x 9” | 288 Pages | B/W Photographs
$35 in Canada, . . . [more]

Posted in: Thursday Thinkpiece

Wednesday: What’s Hot on CanLII? – June 2025

Each month, we tell you which three English-language cases and French-language cases have been the most viewed* on CanLII in the previous month and we give you a small sense of what the cases are about.

For this past month, the three most-consulted English-language decisions were:

1. R. v. Kinamore, 2025 SCC 19

[1] The increasing complexity of sexual offence trials in Canada poses a challenge to our overburdened criminal justice system. One source of complexity lies in the application of the rules that govern evidence of a complainant’s sexual history. Although these evidentiary rules are essential to eliminate

. . . [more]
Posted in: Wednesday: What's Hot on CanLII

Succession — It’s Not How You Start; It’s How You Finish

Succession is a critical yet often ignored component of business strategy that left undone can lead to unfortunate outcomes from client and legal talent departures to law firm failure. Best to act now because it’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.

Do you plan to work forever? Or live forever? For your sake, I hope not. After all, as Bugs Bunny—probably the world’s most famous cartoon rabbit—says: “Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out of it alive.”

Because change happens throughout our lives is exactly why succession and the planning of it is a critical business . . . [more]

Posted in: Legal Marketing, Practice of Law

The Universality of Inefficiency – and the Case for Expedited Hearing Processes

Sometimes it’s nice to know you are not alone. A recent survey of international arbitration practitioners shows that Canadian administrative justice practitioners are not the only ones with frustrations about slow and inefficient processes. The survey results are also a strong indicator of the universality of process challenges – these challenges exist in both public and private sector dispute resolution fora and across many (all?) countries.

Every year, White and Case – an international arbitration firm – conducts surveys of international arbitration participants, including in-house counsel of public and private sectors, arbitrators, private practitioners, representatives of arbitral institutions and interest . . . [more]

Posted in: Dispute Resolution

Monday’s Mix

Each Monday we present brief excerpts of recent posts from five of Canada’s award­-winning legal blogs chosen at random* from more than 80 recent Clawbie winners. In this way we hope to promote their work, with their permission, to as wide an audience as possible.

This week the randomly selected blogs are 1. Blogue du CRL 2. Avoid a Claim 3. SOQUIJ | Le Blogue 4. Barry Sookman 5. PierreRoy & Associés

Blogue du CRL
Protection de la jeunesse — 252052, 2025 QCCS 1956

PROTECTION DE LA JEUNESSE La juge de première instance a appliqué les critères prévus à l’article

. . . [more]
Posted in: Monday’s Mix

3li_EnFr_Wordmark_W

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada | Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada