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BARE BONES BRIEFS: Pandemic spurs unprecedented satisfaction with lawyers | Non-humans can be patent ‘inventors’ | SCC revisits statutory interpretation? | EU declares open season for environmental challenges | Best of: law firm webinars & bulletins

By Julius Melnitzer | October 29, 2021 CLIENT SATISFACTION WITH LAWYERS PEAKS DURING PANDEMIC A UK survey suggests the inability to meet lawyers in person has, at the very least, not diminished clients’ satisfaction with their services. Indeed, according to the Law Society Gazette, satisfaction levels reached an all-time high during the pandemic. The Legal […]

Uncategorized 0

Fossil fuels may be in doldrums but energy lawyers are adapting to the new environment

By Julius Melnitzer | October 25, 2021 Fossil fuels may be in the doldrums with a precipitous future ahead, but energy law and the demand for energy lawyers is alive and well. “Generally speaking, recruitment activity in the overall energy sector has increased,” said Carrie Heller, president of The Heller Group Legal and Executive Search, […]

Environmental & Aboriginal Law 0

Why Canadian companies are preparing for a wave of ESG cases coming their way

By Julius Melnitzer | October 25, 2021 By all accounts, environmental, social and governance (ESG) litigation will soon be flooding Canada’s courts. The international trend, after all, is undeniable: according to the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, more than 1,385 lawsuits seeking relief from climate change, which is but one […]

Pensions & Employee Benefits 0

Solvency reserve accounts missing from Manitoba’s new pension amendments

By Julius Melnitzer | October 20, 2021 Although Manitoba’s Pension Amendments Act takes effect on Oct. 1, pension plan sponsors are disappointed that the provisions allowing them to use reserve accounts to fund solvency deficiencies have been excluded from the proclamation. “The government has not indicated when the reserve account provisions will come into effect […]

Labour & Employment Law 0

Ontario court upholds employees’ right to sue for wrongful dismissal in cases of chronic stress

By Julius Melnitzer | September 17, 2021 Ontario’s Divisional Court has affirmed employees’ right to sue for wrongful and constructive dismissal in the civil courts in cases of chronic mental stress arising from workplace harassment. “That’s important because workplace compensation claims by employees suffering from mental stress as a result of harassment might increase an […]

Business Law 0

Violating property maintenance, safety and sanitation laws in Quebec: beware the consequences

September 17, 2021 By Aubie J. Herscovitch and Alexander Rigante, guest contributors This article examines the rules and regulations regarding the maintenance, safety and sanitation of buildings in Quebec, with emphasis on the penalties and powers of which municipal authorities can avail themselves should a property owner fail to maintain these standards. According to the Loi […]

Environmental & Aboriginal Law 0

Rising municipality charges stalling efforts to develop green buildings in Canada

The Hastings-Quinte Social Services committee announced Wednesday that five retirement complex buildings in Belleville will have solar panels installed on their rooftops, like here at The Prince William building. PHOTO BY POSTMEDIA FILES By Julius Melnitzer | September 8, 2021 Rising development charges and insufficient incentives are stifling some major municipalities’ efforts to encourage developers […]

Environmental & Aboriginal Law 1

Ottawa’s Muskrat Falls bailout triggers First Nations lawsuit

Given the number of natural resource projects that have Indigenous support, this type of litigation could become more frequent A pair of disputes in Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta relating to resource projects on Indigenous territory, suggests that federal and provincial governments still don’t get it when it comes to their well-established duty to consult […]

Pensions & Employee Benefits 0

Court of Appeal decision highlights importance of clear pension communications

By Julius Melnitzer | August 13, 2021 A recent Saskatchewan Court of Appeal decision illustrates the importance of clear communications from pension administrators seeking to avoid liability from lawsuits by claimants alleging they’re entitled to a plan member’s death benefits. “What it comes down to is that employers and pension plans that want to avoid […]

Environmental & Aboriginal Law 0

Shell-shocked: Could a Dutch court’s ruling on Shell’s emissions encourage similar cases in Canada?

‘It’s a decision that’s worth paying attention to, and that people are talking about’ By Julius Melnitzer | August 11, 2021 If there’s any doubt about the extent to which societal and legal expectations regarding climate change are evolving, a Netherlands court’s ruling ordering Royal Dutch Shell Plc. to reduce the CO2 emissions of its 1,100 companies […]