You are Old. We are Greedy. Get the Hell Out!
By Murray Gottheil | June 5, 2023 Since professional firms are usually partnerships, the well-compensated people at the top of the pyramid are partners, not employees. As a result, all of that stuff that protects employees from discrimination on the basis of age in the Human Rights Code does not apply to them, at least […]
Boards must have a long-term risk management strategy in light of global crises: experts
Clemens Mayr says businesses must strengthen and generate trust in distrusting times. By Julius Melnitzer | June 1, 2023 Beginning with COVID-19, crises and disruptions – geopolitical uncertainty, the Ukraine war, supply chain issues, workplace upheaval, inflation, interest rates, energy transition – seem to be de rigueur. The upshot is that may be time to revisit […]
Ontario court overturns $249K judgment against employer that denied worker LTD benefits
By Julius Melnitzer | May 31, 2023 The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned a $248,931 judgment against an employer that denied long-term disability benefits to an employee, citing the trial judge’s misinterpretation of eligibility requirements. “The employee’s position was that he was on temporary medical leave, but he had been working until the day […]
Silent Stupidity
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 […]
Ontario Superior Court acknowledges the risks and obstacles facing the medical malpractice bar
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 and Fasken form unique partnership to create in-house department for SE Healthcare
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 […]
Creating a new legal department can be daunting and fraught with challenges
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 […]
FLO’s Chief Legal and Public Affairs Officer Travis Allan has a broader job description than most
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 […]
High focus, a pragmatic bias and technology are keys to navigating cost-cutting pressures in-house
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 […]
Too Nice For This World
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 […]