By: Julius Melnitzer | March 24, 2025 Ontario’s small claims court has ruled that recalling an employee from a remote working arrangement to in-person work can amount to a constructive dismissal giving rise to liability for damages. The employee in question, Lesley Byrd, had worked for Welcome Home Children’s Residence Inc. in Ottawa since 2018, but […]
By Julius Melnitzer | March 23, 2025 DENTONS MUST FACE AML CHARGES The Law Society Gazette reports that the UK’s High Court has overturned the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal’s (SDT) dismissal of anti-money laundering charges against Dentons. The SDT ruled that Dentons’ breach was “inadvertent” and did not amount to professional misconduct. But on appeal by […]
By Julius Melnitzer | March 20, 2025 It’s been years since Jewish lawyers in Canada had a united voice, and about 18 months since the horror of Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. But the recent formation of the Canadian Jewish Lawyers’ Association (CJLA) has at last given a voice to a professional group that has largely […]
Photo by Min An at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | March 17, 2025 I don’t consider myself a pessimist. I think of a pessimist as someone who is waiting for it to rain. And I feel soaked to the skin – Leonard Cohen I have a friend who is a dermatologist. I will call him Howard. Howard […]
By: Julius Melnitzer | March 13, 2035 Quebec’s approach to legislation impacting remote workers’ rights holds lessons for the rest of Canada, says Geneviève Beaudin, a Montreal-based partner in Lavery de Billy LLP’s labour and employment law group. “There have been five cases in Quebec that focus on the meaning of ‘establishment’ [in a remote working […]
By Murray Gottheil | March 9, 2025 Photo by Max Fischer at Pexels At My First Rodeo Client (C): We need to close this transaction in two weeks. Murray (M): That is impossible. C: The vendor said that his lawyer told him that deadline is perfectly reasonable. Why are you creating roadblocks? If you cannot get […]
By Marcel Strigberger | February 24, 2025 Can farting constitute an assault? Gone with the wind? Not exactly, but how do I start a commentary on a case about farting? In Wales. Rhionan Evans had some issues with Deborah Prytherch, her current beau’s ex-girlfriend. Rhionan decided to clear the air. She recorded eight videos of […]
By Julius Melnitzer | February 22, 2024 CHAOS RULES IN LAW SOCIETY DISCIPLINE INVESTIGATIONS A recent Law Society Tribunal (LST) decision leads to the vexing conclusion that a five-year delay in investigating complaints against lawyers causes no prejudice to them. And combined with the ongoing brouhaha about a $400,000 pay raise for a senior executive, […]
By Murray Gottheil | February 13, 2024 Imagine the following scenario: Jordan is a third year associate with Big Law targets. He typically achieves that target and receives a bonus of $18,000. He is also paid 10% of the billed and collected business that he brings in. Despite the “reasonableness” of the target, Jordan is […]
By Murray Gottheil | February 10, 2025 Back in the day, before I became as warm, compassionate, empathetic, and all-around loveable as I am today, I had a reputation as someone who did not suffer fools gladly. There were even a few people around the office who found me to be intimidating. Of course, self-awareness not […]