Canada

Major Canada firm makes staff layoffs, plans restructuring amidst attorney defections

A major Canadian law firm is planning to restructure and may be considering a return to its original roots as a Montreal regional practice after the departure of several of its best-known lawyers in an attorney exodus from its Montreal and Ottawa offices. Meanwhile, Heenan Blaikie laid off employees and…

Feb 5, 2014 7:30 PM CST

Reporter vows to pursue defamation suit against Toronto Mayor Rob Ford

Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale is vowing to follow through on his threat to sue Mayor Rob Ford for suggesting in a television interview that Dale is a pedophile. Dale said Tuesday that he would proceed with a defamation suit against Ford after rejecting the mayor’s attempt at an apology,…

Dec 18, 2013 10:14 PM CST

Inebriated man who drove injured friend to hospital wins acquittal in drunken-driving case

A cigarette break outside during a night of drinking became an emergency last year when Roger Pleau’s friend, Eldon Deegan, fell down some stairs and gashed his head on a metal railing. At that point, the two Canadians realized they were locked out of Deegan’s apartment—their wives, who had gone…

Dec 3, 2013 10:15 PM CST

Police don’t pay judgments against them, article says | A bulletproof business suit? Is that legal?

Corrected: When University of Denver law professor Nancy Leong teaches criminal procedure, she always arranges for a police officer to come to class. “I remember one time in particular when a student asked an officer whether the officer would be more unhappy if evidence he found was excluded from trial…

Nov 8, 2013 2:30 PM CST

See the video: Accused biker acquitted in case over 186-mph wild ride but loses motorcycle

A man accused of taking a wild ride on a motorcycle at up to 186 mph (300 kph) last year has been acquitted of dangerous driving by a Canadian judge. A helmetcam recording of the Vancouver Island ride, which can be seen on YouTube, clearly shows the speedometer. However, a…

Oct 25, 2013 5:33 PM CDT

‘Law student’ attacks classmate snacks; email probe and rally for ‘pineapple justice’ result

At a top Canadian law school, an anonymous email attack on students’ in-class snacks on Wednesday has created an uproar. By lunchtime Thursday, a “Pineapple Appreciation Day” event was apparently underway, the National Post reported. Organizers say on their Facebook page that the eat-in at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law…

Sep 19, 2013 7:30 PM CDT

Lawyer who abandoned $200,000 Ferrari to get to court on time gets new Ferrari

A Toronto lawyer who famously abandoned his $200,000 Ferrari in rising flood waters to get to a court hearing on time has been richly rewarded for his efforts. Employment lawyer Howard Levitt has gotten a “very generous” deal on a new Ferrari, courtesy of the Italian sports car company, the…

Sep 10, 2013 4:39 PM CDT

Even an AK-47 wouldn’t have helped him during polar bear attack, says recovering lawyer

A Maine lawyer who was attacked by a polar bear in a Canadian national park while camping with a Sierra Club group last month continues to recover from what a physician on the trip initially expected to be fatal injuries. However, in response to those who wondered whether it wouldn’t…

Aug 13, 2013 4:10 PM CDT

Critically injured by polar bear, lawyer will survive to tell vacation stories, his wife predicts

A Maine lawyer on vacation in a remote area of Canada was attacked and mauled by a polar bear while camping with others last week in a national park. Now in intensive care after being airlifted to a hospital in Montreal, Matthew Dyer is in critical but stable condition. His…

Jul 29, 2013 5:25 PM CDT

Man swims from Canada to Detroit, is found in water on way home and cited for public intoxication

Fueled by eight beers, a Canadian man admits, he didn’t use the best judgment when he swam from Windsor to Detroit on Monday night. But, since John Morillo has to face the music anyway, he wants it on the record that he did make it all the way to the…

Jul 24, 2013 9:45 PM CDT

ABA, IABA pledge cooperation on issues involving human trafficking, rule of law

The American Bar Association and the Inter-American Bar Association have agreed to work together on issues involving human trafficking, the globalization of the legal profession and funding for judicial systems in the Americas. Leaders of the two organizations signed a memo of understanding (PDF) to that effect Friday in Paraguay.…

Jun 21, 2013 8:49 PM CDT

Blogger reads between lines of NSA lawyer’s ‘false myths’ speech, knowing what we know now

Forbes blogger Kashmir Hill remembers a speech that National Security Agency general counsel Rajesh De made at Georgetown in February. “In light of recent reports that the NSA has been routinely sweeping up metadata from phone companies about all calls made in the United States, it’s worth revisiting the remarks…

Jun 7, 2013 1:30 PM CDT

Law clerk of 28 years diverted $3M from real estate lawyer, authorities say

After 28 years, real estate attorney James Naumovich had implicit trust in his law clerk, Gina Kioussis, and considered her a friend and family member. But she allegedly diverted $3 million in client funds for her own use, when it came down to a choice between what she was supposed…

May 14, 2013 4:00 PM CDT

Guilty plea ends record $38M fraud case that doubled assessments for British Columbia lawyers

After nearly five years of legal battle, a former real estate developer pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud in a Vancouver, B.C., court Friday, putting an end to a record $38.4 million Canadian lawyer-fraud case that doubled the client-compensation assessment payments for attorneys in the Law Society of British…

May 6, 2013 6:35 PM CDT

Students protest would-be law school’s relationship policy

A Canadian university’s plan to establish a law school has drawn fire from students at other institutions. They contend that the covenant at Trinity Western University, which requires students at the private Christian school to abstain from “sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a…

Mar 21, 2013 6:48 PM CDT