Canada

Dire Situation at Dreier: Bills Unpaid, Client Funds Allegedly Missing

Just when it seemed that the alleged situation involving the founder of Dreier and his disintegrating 238-attorney law firm could hardly get much worse, even more bad news is being reported. After he was arrested and jailed in Toronto last week, Marc Dreier allegedly managed to transfer $10 million in…

Dec 10, 2008 10:06 PM CST

Dreier Controller: I Refused Jailed Boss’s Request for Escrow Millions

The controller of the Dreier law firm says in a sworn statement that he refused to wire up to $10 million in escrow funds to his boss sitting in a Canadian jail. The statement was contained in court filings by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Wall Street Journal reports.…

Dec 10, 2008 1:52 PM CST

How Attorney Marc Dreier Allegedly Sold Worthless Forged Paper for $113M

In an era of high-tech fraud, the founder of the Dreier law firm is accused of doing it the old-fashioned way. Using little more than his position and skills as a prominent and seasoned attorney, Marc Dreier allegedly tricked sophisticated investors into paying more than $100 million for worthless forged…

Dec 9, 2008 8:20 PM CST

Dreier Founder Charged in ‘Brazen’ Alleged $100M Investment Fraud Attempt

The founder of the not quite 250-attorney Dreier law firm was charged today by federal prosecutors in Manhattan with securities and wire fraud, in connection with what an Securities and Exchange Commission official describes as an alleged “brazen” attempt to cheat three unnamed hedge funds out of $100 million. Marc…

Dec 8, 2008 8:09 PM CST

Is DLA Piper Seeking a Canadian Presence?

Megafirm DLA Piper is apparently looking to expand into Canada and may be considering a merger there. “The firm has held talks with Canadian heavyweight Fasken Martineau about a potential tie-up and is also considering a number of other options to gain a presence in Canada,” Legal Week reports. The…

Nov 14, 2008 10:12 PM CST

Canadian Judge Castigates Pathologist; Money Pledged to Wrongfully Convicted

Officials in Ontario, Canada, promised compensation to wrongfully convicted criminal defendants today after a judge commissioned by the government to investigate a pediatric pathologist castigated Dr. Charles Smith in a written report. Despite being proclaimed as a leading expert, Smith actually knew little, had sloppy work practices and rarely visited…

Oct 1, 2008 8:40 PM CDT

Why Does Law Firm’s Ad Feature ‘Law Student’s’ Traffic Violations?

A major Canadian law firm has caught the attention of a local newspaper with a recent ad that features a business-suited “law student” with long blond hair. She is seemingly riding a red motor scooter through metropolitan traffic. Yet she isn’t wearing a helmet. Nor are her hands on the…

Sep 16, 2008 3:14 PM CDT

New CBA Conduct Code Offers Solution to Canadian Conflicts Issue

A former president of the Canadian Bar Association has been an easy mark in recent years for savvy litigants in family law cases. If they wanted to prevent her from representing a spouse in a divorce case, they made an appointment to meet with her. Under conflicts rules, that was…

Aug 18, 2008 6:32 PM CDT

‘Frequent Flier Program’ at Guantanamo Didn’t Involve Planes, Report Says

A secret Canadian government report says a youth detained at Guantanamo Bay was deprived of sleep in an effort to make him more willing to talk during interrogations. The report, unsealed this week, said Omar Khadr was transferred to a new cell every three hours to interrupt his sleep, the…

Jul 11, 2008 4:07 PM CDT

Are Lawyers Becoming ‘Luxury Goods’?

Lawyers increasingly are becoming like luxury goods to many would-be clients, an expensive article that they can’t afford or don’t want to make a priority. And that is bad news for the profession as well as for the public, says a recent article in the National (PDF), a magazine published…

Jul 7, 2008 8:42 PM CDT

Would-Be Partner’s $12M Suit Says Law Firm Discriminates Against Women

A would-be partner’s suit against one of Canada’s top-tier law firms doesn’t just claim that McCarthy Tetrault discriminated against her because of her gender. It contends that the firm systemically discriminates against other women lawyers, too. But the Ontario-based firm, which has already paid Diane LaCalamita about $200,000 in severance,…

Jun 25, 2008 3:00 PM CDT

Hot Law Firm Swag: Wool Hats, Maple Syrup; Not: Cheap Plastic Pens

When selecting swag to give out to potential clients, many law firms, for some reason, focus on cheap plastic pens. This is not a recipe for marketing success, writes the Lawyers Weekly. Instead, Canadian law firms have found, useful items that also provide a bit of luxury or style are…

Jun 24, 2008 3:34 PM CDT

Summer Associates at Toronto Firm Blog About their Experience

Life as a summer associate may include editing footnotes, juggling multiple due dates, writing memos and, at least at one Toronto law firm, recording your experiences on a blog. Summer associates at Cassels Brock & Blackwell express their nervousness and the lessons they are learning on a daily basis on…

Jun 23, 2008 11:54 AM CDT

Stepmom Spat Sparks ‘Tween Suit Against Dad Over School Trip; Appeal Planned

A 12-year-old in Quebec successfully sued her father to win permission to go on a three-day trip celebrating her final year in elementary school with classmates. But he is reportedly appealing in an effort to win a victory for parental rights, even though, at this point, she has already gone…

Jun 19, 2008 10:44 PM CDT

Hate Speech Prosecuted in Other Countries, Including Canada

Hate speech about minorities and religions is protected by the First Amendment in this country. But elsewhere prosecutions are not that unusual. In Canada, the newsweekly Maclean’s was on trial last week before the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal for publishing a cover story that contends the popularity of Islam…

Jun 13, 2008 4:38 PM CDT