Patent Enforcement in North America: Canada or the U.S.?
“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 and Copyright Lawyers: Threat, Challenge, and Opportunity
“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 […]
Partnership, Not the Holy Grail, Part Six: The Non-Equitable Type
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 […]
Employee’s termination following mental-health leave not discriminatory: tribunal
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 […]
What Do AI Copyright Cases Tell Us About the Future of AI Regulation?
“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. […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: Insurers hit hard: OCA upholds $300K costs award for $16K judgment | Law Firm Marketers: Forget SEO – “Authority” is what matters in the AI era
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 […]
Partnership – Not The Holy Grail, Part Five: Change is Inevitable, so Evaluate How the Partnership Admits Partners
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 […]
Partnership – Not The Holy Grail, Part Four: The Beginning of the Journey
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. […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: Ontario Superior Court approves $900M counsel fee | Equity partners’ income soars 42% | Four-day work week making inroads for lawyers | Airlines can’t hide behind “safety” excuse in denying passengers compensation for delay or cancellation
By Julius Melnitzer | August 26, 2025 $900M COUNSEL FEE APPROVED IN TOBACCO LITIGATION Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz, who is presiding over the CCAA proceedings brought by victims of tobacco-related diseases against the tobacco companies, has approved (2025 ONSC 4497) a request by plaintiffs’ lawyers in the two Quebec class actions for […]
Going the Distance: 45 years of Litigation, 10 Golden Nuggets
By Jeffrey Leon | August 22, 2025 Editor’s Note: The author, Jeffrey Leon, is an active arbitrator and mediator at Arbitration Place in Toronto, capping a 45-year career as a trial lawyer and strategic advisor who recently retired from Bennett Jones LLP, where he formerly led the litigation group. He is a past president of […]