Quebec class action raising questions over DB pension liability following plan sponsor reorganization
By: Julius Melnitzer | October 8, 2024 A recent Quebec Superior Court decision has unleashed uncertainty over the liabilities of companies and their directors when a pension deficit appears in the context of a reorganization. The court authorized a group of defined benefit pension plan members to proceed with a $65 million class action against companies […]
Monkhouse Law v. Belyavsky: Could this be among the worst attempts ever to justify lawyers’ fees?
By Julius Melnitzer | September 18, 2024 It’s not just that Justice Robert Centa of the Ontario Superior Court cut Monkhouse Law’s bill to Yefim Belyavsky by over 90 percent, from $25,163 to $2,000: what’s really astounding is the Toronto employment law boutique’s misplaced presentation of the case it made to support its fees. Centa […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: Lawyer disbarred for extramarital affairs | Five-year ban for harassing associate with 900 texts | How not to respond to disciplinary proceedings
By Julius Melnitzer | September 11, 2024 PHILLIPPINES SUPREME COURT HAS A PLACE IN LAWYERS’ BEDROOMS The Phillipines Supreme Court, concluding that sex with a third party while married amounts to grossly immoral conduct, has disbarred a lawyer who had extramarital affairs with at least three different women, “completely disregarding his marital vows”. It’s not […]
Vacation Frustration
By Murray Gottheil | September 10, 2024 A junior associate at a law firm called me the other day to complain. There is nothing unusual about that. Associates complain a lot, often with good reason. Her complaint this time was that she had told H.R. that she needed to take a day off for personal reasonS and […]
Employees seeking alternatives to substance abuse treatment must provide evidence of effectiveness: Alberta court
By Julius Melnitzer | September 8, 2024 The Court of King’s Bench of Alberta has ruled that employees who suggest an alternative to an employer’s accommodation for substance abuse treatment must provide evidence that their proposal is an effective alternative to the employer’s recommendation. “The decision confirms that an employee doesn’t get to dictate what […]
What Does Loyalty Have To Do With It?
Photo by Roman Odintsov at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | September 4, 2024 Leadership is a two-way street, loyalty up and loyalty down – Grace Murray Hopper I thought it might be fun to test my skills as a writer by writing about two things that have virtually nothing to do with each other. I considered writing […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: Talent-starved law firms offer staff $50,000 for hiring referrals | IPH pays $82.5 million for Bereskin & Parr | More lawyers coughing up as cyberattacks rise 77% | Report: regulating working hours will promote EDI in profession | IP firm sets new standards for parental leave
By Julius Melnitzer | September 3, 2024 EARN $50,000: BRING US A LAWYER A&O Shearman, Kirkland & Ellis, Goodwin, and Paul Weiss are among the law firms offering their junior lawyers US$50,000 to refer acquaintances as possible hires. According to Financial Times, referral bonuses as part of recruitment strategy have been around for awhile, but […]
Mental Health in Law Firms
Rose Avarino By Rose Avarino | August 21, 2024 This is a condensed version of an article that first appeared on Walker Law’s website. Mental health is at the forefront of many social media platforms: from psychotherapists offering advice on self-care to individual influencers posting about their mental health journeys. But are we really prioritizing […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: Lawyer prosecuted for “overstating” client’s case | Failed lawyers cost creditors $1.42 billion | Lawyers abandon Musk | Must-read: Rotfleisch on crypto tax | Japan liberalizes foreign lawyer rules
By Julius Melnitzer | August 20, 2024 IT’S GETTING RISKY TO THREATEN LITIGATION The Law Society Gazette reports that the Solicitors Regulation Authority has decided to prosecute one of the UK’s top media lawyers, Christopher Hutchings of London firm Hamlins LLP, for making false or misleading claims and improperly threatening litigation during a phone call […]
Understanding Crazy
By Murray Gottheil | August 19, 2024 Photo by Cottonbro Studio at Pexels According to the fictional Professor Kingsfield in the movie The Paper Chase, law students “come in … (to law school) … with a skull full of mush and … leave thinking like a lawyer.” I have often wondered whether I would have been […]