In a legal industry increasingly defined by change and disruption, micro-credential courses can give lawyers the flexibility they need to adapt and thrive in the profession.

With over 50 certificates offered across more than 25 subject areas that run the gamut of legal practice, Osgoode Professional Development’s micro-credential courses allow attendees to:

• Expand their practical legal knowledge and skills
• Make their professional development and career goals a reality
• Fit their learning around a busy work schedule
• Grow their professional network with influential peers and acknowledged experts

Laser focused learning

Although they come without a formal university credit, Osgoode’s certificate programs . . . [more]

CALL/ACBD is accepting nominations for the 2025 Hugh Lawford Award for Excellence in Legal Publishing.

The Canadian Association of Law Libraries has long had an annual award for excellent legal publishing. Some years ago, we renamed the award we present after Queens University Professor Hugh Lawford (1933-2009) to recognize his contributions to legal publishing in Canada. As a group of legal information specialists, our work depends on being able to access and share high-quality legal knowledge.

We value innovation and this award is open to legal content in all information formats.

The award honours a publisher (whether for-profit or . . . [more]

Contracts are integral to how institutions operate – from government, to banks, to non-profits, to commercial markets, and beyond. However, the past few years have rocked our understanding of how we work with contracts. The continuing effects of pandemic disruptions, rising prices, and the proliferation of artificial intelligence and blockchain are just some of the system-wide changes that have filtered down into the fundamentals of contracting.

Whether your role involves drafting, negotiating, enforcing, or litigating contracts, you need to be up to date on how contract law is changing today.

Make sure you’re prepared with OsgoodePD’s National Annual Symposium on . . . [more]

Late last week, I received a large parcel delivered to my home. As I opened the package, I began to realize that a group of Slaw’s authors had banded together to create a gift for me!

Below is a photo of the very large framed canvas that I received. You can click on the image to read through the many notes of thanks, encouragement, and even a poem. :)

I am more than appreciative. Our authors here at Slaw are very busy with their professional lives, not to mention their dedicated writing.

Like my friend Simon before me, Slaw is . . . [more]

Before J.D. Vance, we had our own cat lady, Twiss—an unapologetic lover of cats and Cats. Twiss, along with a cast of other lovable characters and a fantastic script inspired by the great Shakespearean actress Seana McKenna, is set to take the stage at the Palmerston Public Library Theatre (Toronto) from October 25-27.

Watching Seana McKenna Watch Paint Dry is exactly what it sounds like—the title doesn’t mislead. A group of people attend a play to watch Seana McKenna watch paint dry. And why not? She’s Seana McKenna, after all. She’s that good. But as Cecil, the logical character, . . . [more]

As advances in technology have made the sheer volume of electronically stored information immense, there has never been a more critical time to manage e-Discovery efficiently and cost effectively.

Whether your work involves litigation, legal transactions, analytics, records management, or legal support, the Osgoode Certificate in E-Discovery, Information Governance and Privacy will give you a practical, deep dive into the e-Discovery process, including strategies to manage information governance records, and how to handle new challenges related to privacy and artificial intelligence.

Led by Program Director, Susan Wortzman of MT>3, and an Advisory Board consisting of Lisa Alleyne, Senior Legal . . . [more]

Contracts are integral to how institutions operate – from government, to banks, to non-profits, to commercial markets, and beyond. However, the past few years have rocked our understanding of how we work with contracts. The effects of pandemic disruptions, rising prices, and the proliferation of artificial intelligence are just some of the system-wide changes that have filtered down into the fundamentals of contracting.

Whether your role involves drafting, negotiating, enforcing, or litigating contracts, you need to be up to date on how contract law is changing today.

Make sure you’re prepared with , running December 6, 2023. Fully updated for . . . [more]

Applications and nominations are now being received for the Walter Owen Book Prize offered by the Canadian Foundation for Legal Research. The deadline for submissions is May 26, 2023. Additional information is available at:
https://cflr-fcrj.ca/walter-owen-book-prize/ . . . [more]

Shareholder disputes are a notorious part of business life: What every legal professional needs to know about managing bitter conflicts and disputes that often engulf the shareholders of closely-held corporations in 2023. When the relationship sours among shareholders in a closely-held company, legal professionals need to be prepared to rapidly deploy the latest strategic and tactical advice to their often distraught clients, and with the highest standards of ethics and professionalism, in order take advantage of the full range of available shareholder rights and remedies. Business counsel and litigators must stay current on key legal developments and best practices in . . . [more]

Leading up to ABA TECHSHOW 2023 this March 1st thru 4th, our Slaw friend and occasional writer Colin Lachance has alerted me to these five Canadian legal tech startups who have made the Top-40 for this year’s Startup Alley.

• CiteRight is an essential litigation tool that simplifies legal research and writing by allowing users to save cases, generate automatic citations and produce court documents.
• Jurisage AI accelerates legal research through instant access to case law insights.
• Fidu helps legal teams ditch the billable hour for good in exchange for flat fee and subscription legal services by systematizing and scaling

Pop quiz!

• What year do wizards come of age in the Harry Potter universe?
• How many syllables are there in a haiku?
• What is the “least random number” according to MIT?
• What are you afraid of if you have heptakaidekaphobia?

Did you get it? That’s right – the answer is the number 17, which is how many years of Clawbies we’re celebrating this year. While this year we continue our long-standing December tradition of seeking nominations for the Canadian Law Blog Awards, we’ve got to admit this year feels a little shaky, what with the Elon Ego Fest happening over . . . [more]

Evidentiary considerations remain critical from the earliest stages of the case so one cannot competently undertake a litigation file without a thorough understanding of the rules of evidence, as interpreted by current case law. This knowledge will allow you to shape the strategy of your civil case and maximize the odds of a favourable outcome, whether or not the matter proceeds to trial. The law and best practices concerning evidence are continually evolving. As a litigator, it is critical to not just keep on pace but to stay ahead of emerging issues. Now in its 17^th year, Osgoode’s celebrated . . . [more]