Fools believe silence is a void needing to be filled; the wise understand there’s no such thing as silence – Michael J. Sullivan, Age of Myth By Murray Gottheil | May 30, 2023 Client: Why do I want to pay for two lawyers to be in this meeting? Acceptable answers: Unacceptable answers: You might think that […]
Ryan Marinacci and Richard Bogoroch on what Hemmings v Peng means for access to justice By Julius Melnitzer | May 29, 2023 This article was produced in partnership with Bogoroch & Associates LLP The recent Ontario Superior Court decision in Hemmings v. Peng (2023 ONSC 66) awarding plaintiffs some $4.2 million in costs and disbursement lays […]
Farah Ismail By Julius Melnitzer | May 27, 2023 Good general counsel know that “at the beginning” is frequently the best time to call in the troops from their trusted law firms. But “before the beginning” taxes the imagination – unless you happen to be Farah Ismail, senior vice-president and chief legal, privacy and compliance officer […]
Giselle Basanta says GCs need to control the money if they are to control legal services By Julius Melnitzer | May 25, 2023 The Association of Corporate Counsel’s guide on establishing an in-house law department begins with a warning. “Whether the attorney hired to create the organization’s first in-house legal department has served as in-house counsel […]
Allan says scaling the legal team as his company grows is his greatest challenge By Julius Melnitzer | May 24, 2023 It’s fashionable to observe that good general counsel are integrated with their organization’s business. If that’s so, Travis Allan’s position at FLO Services Inc., the Quebec City-based operator of one of North America’s largest electric […]
Mark Dodd says in-house lawyers in cost-cutting environments should attend only essential meetings. By Julius Melnitzer | May 23, 2023 In uncertain economic times, the great conundrum for in-house counsel is that cost-cutting and workload are inevitably inversely proportional. Faced with this dilemma, Mark Dodd, head of market insights at Lawyers on Demand, an international alternative […]
Photo by Francesco Ungaro at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | May 22, 2003 Before you read this story, I should let you know that this is a sad story which does not end well. Long ago I had a great professional relationship and friendship with Laurence. I liked Laurence a lot. He was honest and […]
By Julius Melnitzer | May 18, 2023 There are very few Black females leading legal departments in Canada. Giselle Basanta, a latecomer to the law after the better part of two decades as a public servant, is one of them. She is only aware of four others. When George Brown College went looking for a […]
Photo by Amirr Zolfaqari at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | May 15, 2023 I spoke to a young lawyer the other day who hails from another country. I will call her Natalie. Natalie explained to me that where she comes from, the culture is such that self-promotion is frowned upon. In her country, people do not […]
Christine Silversides says teamwork, hard work, dedication, creativity, and training are key to managing the demanding workload By Julius Melnitzer | May 13, 2023 In 2006, Christine Silversides joined York University’s Office of the Counsel as director of legal services, becoming the fourth lawyer on the team. Thirteen years later, Silversides became general counsel. As it […]