Canada’s legal tuition fees among highest in the world
Chris Bentley says tuition fees are hardly the only costs law students face in getting their training By Julius Melnitzer | December 12, 2022 Canada is the third costliest country in the world to train as a lawyer, according to an analysis of university tuition and administrative fees in 50 countries conducted by The Mobile Bank […]
Lawyers may ask courts to invalidate their retainer agreements: Ontario Court of Appeal
Gavin MacKenzie says the decision will not lead to lawyers bringing a “flood of applications.” By Julius Melnitzer | December 5, 2022 In a case of first impression, the Ontario Court of Appeal has been asked to strike a written retainer agreement because it was not “fair and reasonable” to the lawyer. But the court declined to […]
Courthouse law libraries get funding boost at Law Society of Ontario Convocation vote
Douglas Judson says courthouse libraries are “mission critical” to lawyers in remote areas. By Julius Melnitzer | November 17, 2022 The Federation of Ontario Law Associations, which penned an open letter to benchers seeking support for courthouse law libraries in the current budget, has achieved its goal. In early November, Convocation passed the 2023 budget, which included […]
OCA confirms lawyers’ duty to communicate terms of retainer clearly
Gary Boyd says circumstances can’t change the plain meaning of a contract By Julius Melnitzer | October 31, 2022 In siding with two law firms’ interpretation of a retainer agreement, the Ontario Court of Appeal has confirmed lawyers’ duty to communicate the agreement’s terms to their clients clearly. “If there is any ambiguity in a […]
Tips for Lawyers: Moving to a New City for Work
By Vanessa Holwell | April 27, 2022 Moving to a new location for work can be an exciting time. The fresh start is often a chance to find the house of your dreams and set it up in the way you desire. However, moving comes with challenges and stresses, from picking out a home to […]
The Advocacy Club: virtual reality for law students
By Julius Melnitzer | June 9, 2021 Law school and the practice of law, it often seems, have only the law in common. But as many inductees to the profession have discovered, that’s not necessarily enough – practically or psychologically. “I was astounded how different the practise of law is from what we’re told in […]
The Advocacy Club: a special place for junior advocates
By Julius Melnitzer | April 13, 2021 Some 15 years ago, a seasoned Ottawa lawyer’s frustration with the failed potential of young advocates led to the creation of The Advocacy Club, a unique program that has quietly trained hundreds of junior lawyers and students at law firms and governmental organizations in the arts of civil […]
Ten key tips: pivoting to a mediation practice
April 7, 2021 | By Rafeena Bacchus, guest contributor In Part I of this series, I provided 10 tips by way of a general roadmap to pivoting a legal career. Here, I will expand on those tips in the context of embarking on a mediation practice. Know your skill set and determine your area of […]
Ten key tips: how to pivot your legal career
February 10, 2021 | By Rafeena Bacchus, guest contributor I’ve been a Toronto-based insurance defence and human rights counsel for more than 15 years. I’m now transitioning to a focus on mediation. The first installment of this two-part series will provide a general roadmap to pivoting a legal career; the second will specifically apply the […]
Writing & practice tips for paralegals
January 23, 2021 | By Julius Melnitzer Recently, I appeared as a guest presenter on an episode of Justice in Pieces, presented by triOS College’s Paralegal Program, and hosted by its coordinator, award-winning lead legal instructor, John-Paul Rodrigues. The discussion included writing , formatting, marketing, practice and practical tips for paralegals who intend to strike […]