International Law

Fired on Facebook

Posted on March 23, 2010
Fired via Facebook - a U.K. first?:"hiya Chelsea its Elaine from work. I had to tell the owner bout u losin that tenner coz obviously the till was down. she wasn't pleased and said I have to let u go. I'm really sorry. If u call in in the week with your uniform i'll sort your wages out...

David Frum on the Republican Health Care Defeat

Posted on March 22, 2010
David Frum's verdict is in. This pretty much sums it up:We followed the most radical voices in the party and the movement, and they led us to abject and irreversible defeat.The commentary is, of course, entirely correct.Having said that, wouldn't it have been easier to swallow this stirring indictment of conservative hyperbole if it had come from someone who hadn't played so vital a role in coining the neocon catchphrase, "axis of evil" that was at root of so much of the tumultuous, global reverberation America faced by the end of the last Bush presidency?It wasn't so long ago that Mr...

Link Love

Posted on March 22, 2010
Thanks to Canadian Cynic and Toronto Marketing Blog for their links today to Wise Law Blog.And welcome to readers from those sites.- Garry J. Wise, Toronto Visit our Toronto Law Firm website: www.wiselaw.net EMPLOYMENT LAW ? CIVIL LITIGATION ? WILLS AND ESTATES ? FAMILY LAW & DIVORCEORIGINALLY POSTED AT WISE LAW BLOG ? SUBSCRIBE TO WISE LAW BLOG

Opening and Closing Statements in Ontario Civil Jury Trials

Posted on March 22, 2010
The Ontario Court of Appeal has concisely restated many of the key "rules of the road" on lawyers' civil jury addresses in a new decision, Fiddler v. Chiavetti, 2010 ONCA 210, released March 19, 2010.Also of note, the decision establishes that the current cap on damages awards under Ontario's Family Law Act for loss of care, companionship and guidance is $125,000...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Spammiest. Professional Announcement. Ever.

Posted on March 20, 2010
I have no idea whether the law firm involved had anything to do with the creation of this "press release" (and I suspect it did not - I'd like to believe that nobody who writes so poorly could ever have made it through three years of law school), but someone, somewhere sure does like using the keyword phrases "Ottawa Family Law lawyers" and "Ottawa Wills and Estates lawyers...

U.S. Democrats Release Final Health Care Bill

Posted on March 20, 2010
U.S. Democrats have released their final health care bill. A vote in the House of Representatives on the landmark legislation is expected Sunday.Among the bill's highlights:32 million currently-uninsured Americans will gain health care coverage by 2014;No public option or government insurance plan is included in the legislation;Most Americans will be legally required to buy health care coverage;Denials of coverage for children with pre-existing conditions will be immediately prohibited;Denial of coverages for all adults with pre-existing illnesses will be banned, effective 2014;The bill does not include the restrictive abortion language demanded by Representative Bart Stupak...

Stewart on Beck

Posted on March 19, 2010
Comedian Jon Stewart riffs for fifteen minutes on Glenn Beck, and leaves me thinking, yet again, that he might well be the most astute, incisive - and influential - progressive thinker in America.See: Tonight, the Role of Glenn Beck will be Played By...

Court of Appeal Upholds Ontario "Stunt Driving" Law

Posted on March 19, 2010
We reported last November on decisons by Welland and Belleville courts holding the Province's stunt driving laws unconstitutional. In those rulings, Provincial Court Judges aquitted two Ontario drivers of "stunt driving, or driving in excess of 5o kilometres over a posted speed limit:In view of the very significant penalties applicable under the section, Mr...

Section 13

Posted on March 19, 2010
Our friend BCL provides an update on the (lack of) movement to amend the hate speech provisions of Canada's federal and provincial human rights codes.See: Section 13 Repeal On Back Burner- Garry J. Wise, Toronto Visit our Toronto Law Firm website: www...

The Legal Profession and Stress - A Therapist's View

Posted on March 18, 2010
You're in Trouble, a provocative article by Manhattan therapist (and former lawyer) Will Meyerhofer, examines the underlying causes of anxiety in the legal profession, and reaches a cloudy conclusion:The cloud hangs over you in the office and follows you home...

Ontario To Announce New Taser Guidelies March 30

Posted on March 18, 2010
Canadian Press reports that the Ontario's government is about to announce new guidelines on the use of Taser stun guns by to province's police forces:TORONTO ? Ontario is poised to revamp its guidelines on the use of stun guns by police, The Canadian Press has learned...

Jon Stewart On Politics and Pro Wrestling (and Lawyering Too?)

Posted on March 17, 2010
The Daily Show's Jon Stewart enlists pro wrestler Mick Foley to demonstrate the talent and art of arguing both sides of the same issue with equal vigour and zeal.While the Stewart satire pointedly targets U.S. congressional politicians, perhaps litigation lawyers might also recognize something vaguely familiar in the point being made...

Report: Smileys, Frowns Taint Florida Traffic Tickets

Posted on March 14, 2010
According to an investigation by reporter Carmel Cafiero of Fort Lauderdale's WSVN-TV, some Florida police officers scrawl "smileys" and "frowns" on traffic tickets to note their observations on accused drivers' attitudes.These "doodles" are not disclosed to drivers...

Obama Spokesman Loses Bets, Dons Canada Hockey Sweater at White House Briefing

Posted on March 13, 2010
Meet Robert Gibbs, White House Press Secretary:Feast your eyes, Canada...MSNBC tells the story:The White House spokesman came to his daily on-camera briefing on Friday wearing a red-and-white Canadian hockey jersey ? the result of not one, but two losing bets on the U...

Quotable - Marshall Jones on Jaffer

Posted on March 12, 2010
Marshall Jones, Managing Editor of Kelowna.com, on prosecutorial power, discretion and accountability in Canada:What we should be talking about in the Jaffer case and many, many more is the immense power of Crown prosecutors. A hundred cases just like this one goes through our courthouse every day...

The Reconciliation Option

Posted on March 12, 2010
Ezra Klein makes a strong point:But the proper way to decide this is with a vote. Sen. Bernard Sanders has promised to bring the public option up in an amendment to the reconciliation package. Good. And if it passes, then Republicans can take a good, long look in the mirror and ask themselves if forcing the Democrats to use a reconciliation strategy rather than compromising to make the bill friendlier to conservative insights was really such a good idea...

The Jaffer "Wrist Slap"

Posted on March 11, 2010
Was a bungled strip-search at root of the lenient, $500 fine received by the former Conservative MP?Calgary Herald reports:Charged with impaired driving, possession of cocaine and speeding, he received what even the judge in the case conceded was a "break" -- a $500 fine for a careless driving plea, with the more serious charges dropped...

Ridiculous Celebrity Lawsuits

Posted on March 11, 2010
Time Magazine offers up another top ten list: Hollywood's Most Outrageous Court CasesLindsay Lohan vs. the Talking BabiesTara Reid, ChoirgirlCarrie, Those Belong to UsFiddy and the TacosAmEx vs. CourtneyMen At Work vs. 'Kookaburra'Ralph Lauren vs.Polo Miley Cyrus and the Million-Person ApologyNicolas Cage vs...

Obama, Roberts and the State of the Union Speech

Posted on March 11, 2010
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts' ignited considerable controversy Tuesday with his comments on the January 27, 2010 State of the Union speech, in which President Barack Obama was critical of a recent campaign finance ruling by the Court:U...

Canadian Water Consumption During Olympic Hockey Final

Posted on March 11, 2010
Another great Canadian tradition in action.Apparently, we tended to wait - en-masse - for breaks in the action before visiting our restrooms.- Garry J. Wise, Toronto Visit our Toronto Law Firm website: www.wiselaw.net EMPLOYMENT LAW ? CIVIL LITIGATION ? WILLS AND ESTATES ? FAMILY LAW & DIVORCEORIGINALLY POSTED AT WISE LAW BLOG ? SUBSCRIBE TO WISE LAW BLOG

Is Health Care Bill Too Costly?

Posted on March 11, 2010
Make up your own jokes, ladies and gentlemen...- Garry J. Wise, Toronto Visit our Toronto Law Firm website: www.wiselaw.net EMPLOYMENT LAW ? CIVIL LITIGATION ? WILLS AND ESTATES ? FAMILY LAW & DIVORCEORIGINALLY POSTED AT WISE LAW BLOG ? SUBSCRIBE TO WISE LAW BLOG

U.K. Law Firms "Go Public"

Posted on March 10, 2010
Times Online reports:City law firms are preparing to raise millions of pounds from external investors as the British legal market braces for its own version of Big Bang.At least 20 firms are planning to raise outside funding under rules that will allow non-lawyers to own a stake in legal practices for the first time, accountants advising the firms told The Times...

Michael Bryant to Appear in Toronto Court Today

Posted on March 07, 2010
Ontario's former Ontario Attorney General, Michael Bryant will appear in a Toronto court today on charges of criminal negligence causing death. The charges arise from an August 31, 2009 incident in which cyclist Darcy Allen Sheppard, 33, was killed during a traffic altercation with Mr...

Child Custody Assessors Seek Protection from Misconduct Complaints

Posted on March 05, 2010
The National Post reports today on lobbying efforts by the Ontario Medical Association to seek legislation protecting child custody assessors from professional conduct complaints by parents who are unhappy with assessment results:One of the country's largest doctors' groups wants more protection for psychiatrists, psychologists and others whose advice to judges in child-custody cases often leads to unfounded disciplinary complaints from the losing parents...

Ontario Judge Rules for Associates in Messy Law Firm Breakup

Posted on March 03, 2010
In law firms, as in life, breaking up is hard to do.The ground rules governing the fallout, however, have now been made abundantly more clear.A strongly-worded ruling by Mr. Justice Edward Belobaba of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice unequivocally articulates the very significant limits on the fiduciary duties that are owed by Ontario's associate lawyers when they leave the law firms that employ them...

Blaming Lawyers for Representing Their Clients

Posted on March 02, 2010
Yet another low point in yellow conservatism - "The Al Qaeda Seven."According to Orin Kerr at Volokh (who rather agrees with the sentiment expressed, apparently), this one has Liz Cheney's fingerprints all over it. For more on this "smear campaign," see TPM...

Articling Position Available - Wise Law Office, Toronto

Posted on March 02, 2010
Wise Law Office invites applications for an articling position with our firm for the coming year. The position is available commencing on or after April 1, 2010.We ask that interested applicants

Re: Hockey Celebrations at Dundas Square, Toronto

Posted on March 01, 2010
Memo to Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf, Luke Schenn, Nazem Kadri et al.:See the video below:I understand it won't be this year, but we'd like to do this again soon, please.Yours very truly,WISE LAW BLOG- Garry J. Wise, Toronto Visit our Toronto Law Firm website: www...

Canada Wins Olympic Hockey Gold!!!

Posted on February 28, 2010
Team Canada has just captured Olympic hockey gold, with a stunning 3-2 overtime win over Ryan Miller and his never-say-die American team. Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal for Canada at 7:40 of the gold medal game's overtime period.The gutsy Americans battled back from a 2-0 deficit, forcing overtime with a Zach Parise goal that tied the game with only 24 seconds to go in the third period...

Early Reports From 8.8 Magnitude Chile Earthquake

Posted on February 27, 2010
Via Twitter:First #tsunami predicted to hit #Peru in less than 45 mins. #quake#Chile @DropsofreignBreaking news: Tsunami wave up to 9 feet recorded http://bit.ly/buqNdO @BreakingNews: #Chile President Michelle Bachelet says 6 deaths confirmed so far after quake, much damage - BNO News@bccohan: Reports already coming in that buildings in Santiago, Chile that are 210 mi away from epicenter are wiped out...

Bloggers, promote your law blog by nominating your blog for inclusion in USLaw.com's Law Blog Directory and RSS Reader. Benefits described.