Settlement counsel: a little-known idea that appeals to many in-house counsel
Ralph Cuervo-Lorens says hiring yet another lawyer for dispute resolution may be counterintuitive, but clients like it By Julius Melnitzer | May 2, 2023 Just about any legal department would concur that legal costs are high enough, thank you. The prospect of adding another lawyer to the dispute resolution team is, at best counterintuitive, at worst, […]
How will crypto disclosure rules impact federally regulated pension plans?
By: Julius Melnitzer | April 25, 2023 In its 2023 budget, the federal government announced plans to require that federally regulated pension plan sponsors disclose their cryptocurrency asset exposure. To that end, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions will be consulting with impacted organizations on the content of the forthcoming guidelines. “Just how these guidelines […]
BMO legal department’s pro bono efforts cross borders
Theresa Ducket says it’s not difficult to get buy-in for pro bono from her team By Julius Melnitzer | April 21, 2023 Law firms seem to do a much better job touting their pro bono work – not to mention themselves – than do in-house legal departments. Surprising it may be, then, to discover that more […]
FCA rejects privilege for end product where claimant fails to show how document reveals legal advice
The danger is that CRA can use end products to reverse engineer legal advice By Julius Melnitzer | April 19, 2023 A recent Federal Court of Appeal decision has done little to assuage the uncertainty as to whether and when legal advice “end product” is subject to solicitor-client privilege. In BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. v. Canada (National […]
Critical minerals sector will have to wait on speedier timelines for development
By: Julius Melnitzer | April 18, 2023 Ottawa has made critical minerals development a centrepiece of its economic agenda, but when it comes to the bureaucracy surrounding impact assessment and other permitting processes for major projects, much is still up in the air. The March 28 federal budget proposed a raft of measures to advance the sector, seen as […]
Kashif Zaman, VP, legal at Toronto-Dominion Bank, on his new formula for success in-house
Zaman says integrating his M&A group with other departments is his proudest achievement so far By Julius Melnitzer | April 13, 2023 Serendipity and career path often intertwine – which is how Kashif Zaman finds himself helping steer the ship as vice-president, legal at the Toronto-Dominion Bank. Called in Ontario in 2002, Zaman articled at Torys […]
Rusty Juma lives his dream as Volkswagen’s new general counsel
Success in automotive industry isn’t that different from success in professional services, he says By Julius Melnitzer | April 12, 2023 Rusty Juma has spent his entire in-house career with professional services firms; he’s also been a car aficionado all his life. So, his new job as general counsel and corporate secretary to Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. and […]
No need to distinguish between Catastrophic and non-CAT injuries, says Matt Sutton of Thomson Rogers
Process would be more equitable if claimants only had to prove necessity of treatment This article was produced by Canadian Lawyer in partnership with Thomson Rogers Lawyers By Julius Melnitzer | April 11, 2023 Ontario’s no-fault insurance scheme should do away with the distinction between catastrophic and non-CAT injuries, says Matt Sutton, a personal injury lawyer […]
Dow’s Lorne O’Reilly relishes being a one-person show
He’s the only in-house lawyer involved in the construction of the world’s largest ethylene cracker By Julius Melnitzer | April 5, 2023 When you think of Dow Chemical, you think big, which makes it somewhat surprising that Lorne O’Reilly is the only lawyer in Dow Chemical Canada’s legal department. But he relishes the opportunities his job […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: Celebrities abound for BLG’s Guy Pratte’s new podcast | BJ’s Will Osler chairs Calgary Stampede | SCC has opportunity to resolve test for appealing domestic arbitral awards | SCC launches new electronic filing portal | Wildeboer’s 30th anniversary
By Julius Melnitzer | March 30, 2023 BLG’s Pratte launches Art of Persuasion podcast Borden Ladner Gervais LLP’s Guy Pratte, one of Canada’s top litigators will launch The Art of Persuasion, his new podcast, on April 21. The podcast will feature conversations with notable Canadians including former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, defence counsel Marie Henein, […]