By Julius Melnitzer | September 24.2025 An Ontario arbitrator has confirmed the validity of the long-term disability exception to the mandatory retirement rule. When Ontario eliminated mandatory retirement in 2006, the legislation provided an exception for insured employment benefit plans to maintain a cutoff based on age. “This was intended to avoid destabilizing existing insurance plans […]
“We have been surprised to find that some American patent owners have, over the last eight or nine years, chosen to initiate litigation in Canada first.” – Bob Sotiriadis By Julius Melnitzer | September 19, 2025 Due to the countries’ proximity and their shared common law roots and court systems, cross-border litigation involving parallel cases […]
“AI is creeping into everything we do, and doing so daily.” – Tamara Céline Winegust Whether artificial intelligence (AI) will create more or less work for copyright lawyers is a question that demands a multi-layered response. “The answer depends on the kind of AI you’re talking about, bearing in mind that it’s a huge topic, embracing […]
By Murray Gottheil | September 10, 2025 In prior parts of this series, I wrote about the advantages and disadvantages of becoming an equity partner in a law firm. In order to complete the picture, I really should address the fantasy of a non-equity partner (“NEP”) as well. Some years ago, law firms decided that they […]
Tweedledum and TweedledeeAgreed to have a battle;For Tweedledum said TweedledeeHad spoiled his nice new rattle. — Lewis Carroll, from Through the Looking-Glass What is the oldest profession? You’re wrong. The oldest profession is fighting. People have this innate need to confront one another. It’s in our DNA. It all starts off in biblical times, when Cain […]
By Julius Melnitzer | September 8, 2025 The Human Rights Tribunal of Alberta has ruled that termination of employment on the day an employee returns from a year-long mental-health leave doesn’t, in and of itself, support a discrimination complaint. “In this case, the employer had valid grounds for termination before the medical leave started, and […]
“Recent decisions give us some guidance about how to frame AI regulation, but only partial guidance.” – Vincent Bergeron If there’s a narrative emanating from the host of copyright suits against artificial intelligence (AI) companies across the globe, including 40 in the United States (U.S.) alone, it doesn’t augur well for a harmonised international regulatory scenario. […]
By Julius Melnitzer | August 31, 2025 INSURER PUNISHED FOR “HARDBALL” APPROACH The Ontario Court of Appeal has awarded $300,000 in partial indemnity costs to a claimant who recovered only $16,000 by way of a jury award in a motor vehicle accident proceeding in which she had sought over $1 million. In doing so, the […]
Photo from Pexels By Murray Gottheil | August 28, 2025 In this Part, I would invite you to live in an imaginary world where you respect and appreciate all of your partners, each of them is a phenomenally talented lawyer who is also productive, respectful, collaborative, ethical, and has an amazing client base. And they all love […]
Photo by August De Richelieu at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | August 27, 2025 Becoming a partner in a law firm is easy enough. You pay your money, you take your chances. But what exactly have you bought into? We all know that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Partnership meetings are much the same. […]