Regardless of the function being outsourced (whether it is data centre networking services, business process outsourcing, call centre services, application development and programming), performing a detailed and thorough due diligence is the first step in cementing a successful and healthy relationship for both supplier and customer. The objectives of performing due diligence are to allow both parties to understand customer’s business requirements and objectives, to evaluate the supplier’s capabilities, to understand the cost components, to ascertain the risks to both parties, and to establish the level of cultural fit of both organizations. The extent to which the parties can minimize . . . [more]

Way back in December rumours were flying about the social bookmarking site Delicious. Various reports had it that owner Yahoo! would be closing it down. Slaw’s own Steve Matthews even put together the post R.I.P. Delicious tracing its pending demise. Many people looked for an alternative and exported their bookmarks to other sites in anticipation of it being closed. Some of those alternative services welcomed the new members with open arms, even creating tools for transferring the bookmarks over.

Fast forward: an announcement came out in May 2011 announcing the sale of Delicious to AVOS, owned by YouTube . . . [more]

Ontario has the unique position of having more applicants for articling positions than available positions. A panel at the Second Annual Conference Association for Canadian Clinical Legal Education discussed the future of articling in Ontario on September 24, 2011 at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Tom Conway of the Law Society of Upper Canada Task Force on Articling shared some of his personal views on the subject. He indicated there were 1,700 people who registered for articling in 2010-2011, and the situation is expected to get worse with UofO expanding its common law section, and the new law schools recently launched. . . . [more]

As an update to my posting of 19 September 2011, the Canadian government introduced on 29 September 2011, Bill C-11, An Act to Amend the Copyright Act. This bill is identical to Bill C-32 which was introduced in June 2010. Bill C-32 died in March 2011 when the Canadian government fell in a vote of no confidence. This is the 4th attempt at amending the 1924 Canadian Copyright Act in order to address newer ways in which we all create, distribute and use copyright-protected works, and in order for Canada to be able to join the two digital WIPO . . . [more]

On the 26th, Newspapers Canada released its 2011 National Freedom of Information Audit.

Everybody fails, apparently, (and especially BC, and Ottawa) except PEI. At least, that’s what the reporting emphasizes, though the report itself is more balanced. 88% of BC requests were not filled within the required 30 business days, though all eventually were.

Newspapers Canada also followed up on its audit with further requests for department emails, some of which it has released, concerning the audit itself, and that is where the really interesting story is, as reported by the Tyee. . . . [more]

In recent presentations and teaching I have been sharing some numbers about social network use compared against mobile use by Canadians. I have put those numbers together in a few slides that might be of interest–these slides are downloadable for anyone who would like to use them.

I have included a disclaimer (second slide) just to warn everyone these numbers are from a range of sources and therefore likely were compiled using different methods. So, these numbers are meant for general interest rather than to be used to make business decisions that would rely on the numbers.

I note these . . . [more]

Fenerbahçe S.K. is a football club based in Istanbul; aka the Yellow Canaries. Fenerbahçe are defending league champions in the Turkish Süper Lig. On July 21, 2011, Fenerbahçe’s fans rushed the field in a protest against perceived slights of the team by the media. As you might be aware international football has been plagued with fan violence in recent years and football’s governing bodies have taken steps to punish teams where such violence has taken place. In response to the incident on July 21, the Turkish FF (TFF- Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu) sentenced Fenerbahçe to a closed door match, . . . [more]

Ok, this is cool. Well, cooler than you think it’s going to be when the instructions say, “Draw a stickman.” How often do you get to create a hero or heroine? Here’s your chance. And lest you think some modicum of artistic talent is necessary, or even useful, let me reassure you that nothing could be further from the truth. Witness my… effort:

I sense, even from this distance, that you believe my drawing could be improved. Sure. You might attach hair — or a superhero cape — to your figure. Or do a better job than I . . . [more]

This is a post in a series to appear occasionally, setting out some articles, videos, podcasts and the like that contributors at Slaw are enjoying and that you might find interesting. The articles tend to be longer than blog posts and shorter than books, just right for that stolen half hour on the weekend. It’s also likely that most of them won’t be about law — just right for etc.

Please let us have your recommendations for what we and our readers might like.

We have been watching the ascent of social media in legal marketing for a few years now. Law blogs, once considered a frivolity suitable only for the technogeek outliers at the fringe of the law firm, are now recognized as legitimate business development vehicles at many, if not most, firms. Likewise, other social media channels including Linkedin, Twitter, YouTube and to some extent Facebook, have all been moving (at varying paces) along a recognizable continuum inside the law firm environment that looks a bit like this:

Derision >> skepticism >> grudging curiosity >> cautious adoption >> widespread use

As social . . . [more]

Site news for those who read Slaw only via RSS or email

1. Comment Watch:

In the last week there were 29 comments. You might be particularly interested in two lengthy and detailed comments by Don Laird on Is It Possible to Secure Law Firm Data?

You can subscribe to the comments on Slaw either as a separate matter (RSS, email) or as part of a subscription combining posts and comments (RSS, email).

2. SlawTips

This week’s tips on SlawTips are:

• Tuesday: Technology: Send a Text Message to a Mobile Phone via

You’ve built your evidentiary PowerPoint. It’s ready to take to court. It’s chock full of interesting and persuasive images, maps, diagrams documents etc. needed to prove your case. What’s next?

Previous columns covered the basics of creating an evidentiary PowerPoint (PPT). In this column I’ll begin to cover considerations for using a PPT in court.

The PowerPoint as an Exhibit

A crucial first step is to decide is how the PowerPoint will be filed as an exhibit.

Like any object or photo used in court the PowerPoint (PPT), once referred to by a witness or displayed in court, must be . . . [more]