This being my first Slaw column, it would seem to be a good place to reflect on where I’ve been and what I use now. In the late 70’s at UBC Law I was a “TA” to one of Bob Franson’s early “Law and Computers” courses — featuring 300 baud access via a Texas Instruments Silent 700 thermal paper terminal to something called “Quick Law” (Well it did see quick, even at 300 baud). In 1982 $5,000 or so bought me my first computer, an Apple II Plus with various accessories and software — and then I splurged for . . . [more]

This week in biotech, indirect effects were predominant.

The generally poor performance of most recent biotech IPOs has indirectly boosted M&A activity. Only 1 of 8 U.S. biotech IPOs in 2010 is currently trading above its IPO price. IMRIS was the last Canadian biotech IPO, completed in November 2007 at $6.00, and it is currently trading at $5.50. M&A exits are healthy, though, with two recent sales at decent prices.

As we pass the 10-year anniversary of the sequencing of the first human genome, some say we have little to show for it. Part of the reason the . . . [more]

Since I’m just back from France I thought it might be fun to point to one of the few government sponsored videos (entitled Crepes) that actually uses humour to get across a point about the necessity for interjurisdictional co-operation in the handling of accident benefits.

It comes from an excellent French blog, Precisement.org.

Les différentes voies de la communication juridique de l’Union européenne
Une histoire de crêpes
Ou la nécessité de coordination des sécurités sociales en Europe exposée en vidéo

It’s all about the need to carry your social security card on holiday. The EU Video . . . [more]

What is the best practice for making a notarial copy of an official document that is in electronic form only?

I am aware of a few US states that have provided for electronic notarization, and work is being done on a Uniform Act on notarial practice in such matters. (The current draft, if I recall correctly, leaves the technology to the state supervisor of the notarial profession.) I am also aware of preliminary developments of electronic apostilles (certificates of authenticity under the Hague Apostille/Legalization Convention), though they are not widespread yet, and the technology will not exist in every . . . [more]

Lawyers are big consumers of news: by and large it helps in practice not to be “out of it.” And newspapers have likely been the primary source of lawyers’ general news at least. As everyone knows, in order to cope with the impact that the loss of advertising to the internet has had, newspapers now offer their news online. But there’s a different quality to reading the news online, of course. Most people fix on the difficulty of reading on a screen or on the confusing complexity of the web page, when explaining their preference for paper. Phil Gyford, . . . [more]

“How are things in the library?” A door opens – not the elevator door, but the door of opportunity. Are you ready?

The concept of the “elevator speech” has been popping up all over the place lately. At the Ontario Government Libraries Council AGM, keynote speaker Farida Karim challenged us to come up with a 30-second synopsis of what our libraries do. Umair Haque, blogging for The Harvard Business Review, has dumped the elevator speech in favour of the Dumbwaiter Speech. In other reading, I’ve seen librarians chastised because they are unable to explain what their library does in . . . [more]

Congratulations to Sue Conner: her comment was our 8000th. Less than a year ago we were celebrating our 6000th comment. This is heartwarming for those of us who post to Slaw: your comments, whatever their complexion, are our rewards, and you’ve been bountiful.

But. There are those who lurk, those whose fingers hesitate uncertainly over mouse or keyboard, debating whether to send us their thoughts. You know who you are. Hesitate no longer. Talk to us, and you’ll see that it turns into a conversation. We’re a friendly group here, and we try to be interesting and accurate; your comments . . . [more]

As a small business owner I am gearing up to start applying the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) to my company’s services, in effect July 1, 2010 or earlier. I note this has implications for both those of us who reside in these provinces and those who reside outside these provinces but provide goods and services to residents of B.C. and Ontario. Here are some of the explanatory resources I have found:

• Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) for Ontario and British Columbia – Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
• Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) – Videocasts – CRA
• HST news updates – CRA
• HST for

. . . [more]

Cloud computing is a new and fascinating set of technologies that is changing the way the world does business. Is the legal profession ready for it?

Cloud computing is the generic term used to describe a variety of technologies that transfers the responsibility for a computing activity (storage or processing) from a local computer to a network of remote computers. The remote computers are generally operated by one or more third parties. The principal benefit of cloud computing is cost. By using the cloud, a business can reduce the amount of money it spends on procuring and maintaining its own . . . [more]

Yesterday a conference in Kampala, Uganda concluded over terms of the Crime of Aggression under the International Criminal Court. The press release from the court can be found here.

To date, the Rome Statute (pdf) only had subject-matter jurisdiction for three crimes, as listed under Article 5:

1. Genocide
2. Crimes against humanity
3. War crimes

A fourth crime is listed in Article 5, but it is was not defined at the time of the signing of the statute,

2. The Court shall exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression once a provision is adopted in accordance with articles

. . . [more]

A ramble on law firm names.

Facebook's founder says we're all to have one identity now. There is legal danger here & moral wrongheadedness.