Patent Term Adjustment in Canada and the US: A Comparison
By Julius Melnitzer | February 3, 2026 “Applicant behaviour during prosecution has little bearing on PTA in most instances in Canada.” — Jeff Leuschner Patent term adjustment (PTA)—the mechanism that extends a patent’s term beyond the usual 20-year expiry date when granting authorities have unreasonably delayed its issue—is now available in Canada, more than a quarter […]
Top 10 business decisions of 2025, part one
Bedrin-Alexander: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM By Julius Melnitzer | February 1, 2026 Here is my annual list of the top 10 business decisions in Canada for the year just ended. This two-part series begins with the cases ranked sixth through tenth, in ascending order. Part two will cover the top five cases. Top 10 business decisions of 2025, […]
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 […]
Tribunal rules employer’s conduct creating emotional discomfort isn’t discrimination
By: Julius Melnitzer | January 28, 2026 The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has ruled an employers’ conduct that creates mere emotional discomfort for employees during the accommodation process may not amount to discrimination. “What emerges from the Cillis v. Hamilton decision is an objective standard requiring employers to act reasonably, not perfectly,” says Jeff Goodman, a commercial […]
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 […]
Drop that carrot. You’re under arrest.
When do you have the right to return to an all-you-can-eat salad bar? Did you know you can be arrested for salad bar abuse? We all thought COVID-19 would signal the end of the salad bar. However, these sumptuous buffets have made a resurgence. The number of establishments offering all-you-can-eat salad bars (AYCESB) is forever […]
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 […]
Be it resolved: Finders keepers
By Marcel Strigberger | January 14, 2026 Ever hear of a place in Russia called Khanty-Mansiysk? Didn’t think so. Vladimir Rychagov was a factory worker there, until he hit the jackpot, or rather helped himself to it. Through a software glitch, his employer deposited the salaries of 34 of its employees into his bank account, being over […]
Nothing to See Here: How coercive control hides in plain sight – from states to households
By Natascha Ibowski | January 12, 2026 When powerful states act in secrecy and justify it afterward as “necessary,” the problem is not a lack of intelligence. It is a failure of attention. Recent developments on the stage of global affairs got me thinking about how the current climate reveals an all too familiar pattern: […]