Pro Bonzo
Photo by Arindam at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | April 8, 2026 A brave articling student once quipped that, “If you say ‘pro bono’ near Murray, you’d better be talking about Sonny and Cher”. Now that was a tad unfair. It was not that I was against our firm doing pro bono work, but I did […]
How Agentic Prior Art Searches Have Changed Patent Practice
By Julius Melnitzer | April 1, 2026 What stands out about agentic technology is the extent to which it has allowed penetration of a system that has so frequently seemed impenetrable. — David Hughes It’s no surprise, perhaps, that the advent of AI-driven agentic prior art searches marks a turning point in patent law practice. How, […]
I am Perfect. Why Aren’t You?
Photo by Furkan Salihoğlu at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | March 22, 2025 Paul is a junior lawyer. His supervising lawyer expects every document that Paul creates to be perfect. To ensure this, the supervisor reviews and often revises all of Paul’s draft documents, no matter how routine they may be. Paul resents the extra time […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: A classic case of hubris: lawyers protecting misbehaving lawyers | Regulator says lawyers naughtier than accountants | Environmentalists: at least lawyers don’t make bombs or help sell cigars | Should AI-generated docs attract privilege? | DLA Piper appoints Regional Managing Partners
RECORD FINE FOR AI MISUSE IS NO DETERRENT TO LAWYERS In what is said to be the highest fine imposed so far in Canada on lawyers who misuse AI, the Alberta Court of Appeal has imposed personal costs of $17,500 + GST on an Alberta lawyer who filed a factum drafted by a contractor that […]
Law Means Never Having To Say You’re Sorry
By Murray Gottheil | February 20, 2026 The old timers among us will remember the 1970 movie Love Story, which featured what may be the stupidest line of dialogue ever. I refer to the statement that “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” It would take a lawyer to build upon that bit of nonsense […]
Cruising with Bill W. and Doctor Bob
By Murray Gottheil | February 16, 2026 I have been on many cruise ships. Every single one featured a daily meeting listed in the schedule of events for the “Friends of Bill W. and Doctor Bob”. After my first 10 or 12 cruises, I remarked to someone that these fellows must cruise a lot, because they […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: Lawyer disbarred for failing to ID known Client | PE law firm takeovers on the Rise | Farting is a Crime in NB | Trump would have deported Beatles | IACA launches Global Passport for arbitration Community
By Julius Melnitzer | January 30, 2026 CERTIFYING COPIES OF ID DOCUMENTS LEADS TO DISBARMENT Andrew Jackson, a UK solicitor for more than two decades who led the commercial property at Chester firm Cullimore Dutton Solicitors, lost his license to practise when he admitted certifying copies of of a client’s passport and driving license without […]
Poison Darts
Photo by Cottonbro at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | January 20, 2026 My friend Peter was an accountant. He told me that there were partners at partners meetings who worked hard to build the firm for the benefit of all. Then there were others who stayed mostly quiet and out of sight, but every so […]
Bare Bones Briefs: Bennett Jones’ national partner raids bolster energy, mining and M&A groups | LSO stalls on new allegations against disbarred, jailed, and readmitted lawyer | Mathews Dinsdale booming, adds 10 lawyers | Russel Drew is DLA Piper’s new Canada managing partner | BorderPass transforms immigration law practice
By Julius Melnitzer | January 16, 2026 BENNETT JONES ADDS THREE CORE PARTNERS Seeking to align both with the priorities of the firm and the Canadian economy, Bennett Jones has scooped three high-profile lawyers from other national firms to join its energy, mining, and M&A groups. They are: DELAY STILL THE NORM AT LSO Just […]
Sharing Tips
Photo by Mads Donald at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | January 15, 2026 I spent last winter on cruise ships, trying to escape the cold, the snow, and everything back home that reminded me of working in a law firm. With a cruise ship comes shore excursions, and with shore excursions come buses, and with buses […]