Canada’s online legal magazine.

The Limits of AI for Your Foreign and Comparative Legal Research Needs

There is no doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many industries, the legal sector among them. Furthermore, it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future in ways that we haven’t even begun to comprehend. However, I fear that its promise of solving and revolutionizing every single legal challenge or area is often overstated, especially when it comes to Foreign, Comparative, and International Legal (FCIL) research. AI promises of easiness, rapidity, and exclusively results-oriented approaches fundamentally clash with FCIL work, which demands robust research steps, awareness of processes, and a sense of curiosity in a globalized world that . . . [more]

Posted in: Legal Information

Book Review: Organizational Structures of Academic Law Libraries: Past, Present, and Future, Volume 1

Several times each month, we are pleased to republish a recent book review from the Canadian Law Library Review (CLLR). CLLR is the official journal of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL/ACBD), and its reviews cover both practice-oriented and academic publications related to the law.

Organizational Structures of Academic Law Libraries: Past, Present, and Future, Volume 1. Edited by Elizabeth G Adelman & Jessica de Perio Wittman. Getzville, New York: William S Hein, 2023. xxii, 250 p. Includes illustrations. AALL Publication Series No 87. ISBN 9780837742724 (softcover) US$110.00.

Reviewed by Alexia Loumankis
Reference and Research . . . [more]

Posted in: Book Reviews, Thursday Thinkpiece

Wednesday: What’s Hot on CanLII? – January 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. R.B., 2025 ONSC 153

[1] The Applicant is facing charges of historical sexual assault and physical assault of his ex-wife. His trial is scheduled to commence on February 10, 2025, with jury selection scheduled to take place on January 10, 2025.

[2] This Decision relates to a pre-trial application brought by . . . [more]

Posted in: Wednesday: What's Hot on CanLII

Swipe Right on Empathy: The Key to Legal Design Success

What was the last good first date you had? There may have been an element of physical interest, but it is highly likely it was a “good” date because it lasted for hours, and the longer you spoke, the more interesting you found the other person, and vice versa. Maybe the conversation didn’t start off strong, but at some point you hit on a topic that you both found interesting. You found common ground and that led to connection. It is also likely that the date was better because it involved a “ping-pong” style of conversation. You asked the right . . . [more]

Posted in: Practice of Law

Revisiting Section 33 of the Charter: The Bill 21 Case

INTRODUCTION

The Supreme Court of Canada (“the SCC”) has granted leave to appeal English Montreal School Board, et al. v. Attorney General of Quebec, et al., in which the English Montreal School Board and others are challenging Quebec Bill 21, Act respecting the laicity of the State (“Bill 21”). In enacting Bill 21, the Quebec government invoked 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (“the Charter”) (“the notwithstanding clause” or “the override”), as well as the section 52 override in the province’s human rights statute, the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. Here I . . . [more]

Posted in: Substantive Law

Access to Justice in 2025: What Does the Year Ahead Hold?

As we contemplate 2025, the NSRLP is considering how to tackle the ongoing challenges in access to justice. While the barriers facing individuals attempting to access justice remain many, it is challenging to consider where the focus on improving access should be directed, given limited resources and capacity. Moreover, the coming year is likelier than not to have a fair share of political, social, and economic upheaval, all of which may also serve to impact access to justice in both anticipated and unanticipated ways. Thus, thinking about where the NSRLP goes next is a necessary exercise, and one requiring flexibility . . . [more]

Posted in: Justice Issues

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. The Defence Toolkit 2. All About Information 3. BC Injury Law Blog 4. National Magazine 5. Legal Sourcery

The Defence Toolkit
The Defence Toolkit – February 1, 2025: Disclosure of Videos of Complainant Violence

This week’s top three summaries: R v Haley, 2025 ONSC 265: s.7 #disclosure,

. . . [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.

PÉNAL (DROIT) : Le tribunal condamne une accusée à l’emprisonnement à perpétuité sans possibilité de libération conditionnelle avant 25 ans dans le cas des meurtres au premier degré de ses 2 enfants, mais avant 20 ans pour le meurtre au deuxième degré de sa conjointe.

Intitulé : R. c. Al . . . [more]

Posted in: Summaries Sunday

Canadian Legal Ethics: 2024 Unwrapped

What happened in Canadian lawyers’ ethics and legal services regulation in 2024? This column looks back on three high-profile areas of development. It also flags several major court cases and disciplinary proceedings from 2024, as well as cases to watch for the year ahead.

Three High-Profile Areas of Development

1. Generative AI and the delivery of legal services

AI was one of the big stories in 2023 and continued to be big in 2024.

The year started with a cautionary note: there were headlines about a British Columbia lawyer who had included non-existent cases – provided to her by ChatGPT . . . [more]

Posted in: Legal Ethics

Getting Resolution Right: 5 Things to Consider When Making Settlement Agreements

When issues arise in condos, there are benefits to working with those involved to address them. Collaborating offers advantages unavailable through an adversarial path – such as relationship preservation and creative, sustainable outcomes which extend beyond a tribunal’s jurisdiction. The Condominium Authority of Ontario offers an array of online resources to support collaboration, from communication guidance to help identifying issues, to understanding how the law applies to them and more.

The CAO’s Condominium Authority Tribunal further encourages collaboration within its three-staged online process. Once a case is filed, parties experiencing a dispute are invited to address their issue together through . . . [more]

Posted in: Dispute Resolution

Redefining Business Development for Modern Canadian Lawyers

The traditional business development approaches for lawyers – expensive dinners, conferences, and rigid networking events – are not the only ways to build your book. In today’s rapidly evolving legal landscape, we have an opportunity to reimagine business development into something you will want to do rather than feel obliged to do.

The Authenticity Revolution in Business Development

The most significant shift in legal business development is moving away from “should-do” activities to “want-to-do” initiatives. This is not about following a prescribed set of actions. It is about creating a sustainable practice growth strategy that energizes you.

The most successful . . . [more]

Posted in: Legal Marketing

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. Legal Sourcery 2. Sport Law Blog 3. Eloise Gratton 4. Labour Pains 5. Librarian of Things

Legal Sourcery
Upcoming Legal Conferences Roundup – February

Information has been provided on several upcoming conferences with legal themes: First Nation Land Governance Registry Regional Open Houses February 5-6, 2025 The

. . . [more]
Posted in: Monday’s Mix