Law Times

Page 20 February 4, 2008 / Law Times BREDT REPLACES CURTIS AT CONVOCATION The Law Society of Upper Canada's Convocation has insert- ed Toronto lawyer Christopher Bredt as a bencher following the departure of Carole Curtis, who has been appointed a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice. Bredt, a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, was next in line for a seat. He placed 22nd among Toronto candidates in the 2007 bencher election with 2,563 votes. Admitted to the Ontario bar in 1984, Bredt received an LLB from the University of Western Ontario in 1979 and an LLM from Yale University in 1981. His practice focuses on commer- cial and corporate disputes, class actions, and constitutional and administrative law issues. Law society treasurer Gavin MacKenzie noted that Curtis, first elected a bencher in 1991, was the longest-serving female at Convocation. He thanked the accomplished family lawyer Jan. 24 on behalf of the law society for her "enormous contributions" and wished her well in her new role. The law society will honour Curtis at a Feb. 21 reception. FORMER SCC JUDGE DE GRANDPRE DIES Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, on behalf of the Supreme Court of Canada, last week mourned the death of for- mer SCC justice Louis-Philippe de Grandpré. "Louis-Philippe de Grandpré was an eminent jurist," said McLachlin in a release. "His dis- tinguished career demonstrates his devotion and dedication to the legal profession. As a lawyer, and a judge, he recognized that the law must not be isolated, but must respond to the needs of the society it serves. His presence and contributions to the law and jus- tice will be sorely missed." De Grandpré, who died Jan. 24. in St. Lambert, Que., was born in Montreal and studied law at McGill University. He was called to the bar of Quebec in 1938 and practised law in Montreal. He co-founded the firm Tansey, de Grandpré and de Grandpré. He lectured at McGill from 1960 to 1963, served as presi- dent of the bars of Montreal and Quebec in 1968 and 1969, and in 1971 was made a companion of the Order of Canada. De Grandpré also was president of the Canadian Bar Association from 1972 to 1973. He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1974 and retired in 1977. OSLER'S OLYMPIAN Canadian Olympian and Order of Canada member Clara Hughes will have the financial backing of one of the country's top law firms as she prepares for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Hughes, who won gold and silver medals in speed skating in the 2006 Winter Games, and who is the only Canadian to medal in both the Winter and Summer Games, has signed a sponsor- ship deal with Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. "Osler is delighted to be able to support such an accomplished ath- lete and committed individual," said Ward Sellers, managing part- ner of the firm's Montreal office, in a release. "We admire Clara's com- mitment to excellence and dedica- tion to achieving her goals. "We look forward to a long- term relationship with Clara. Canadians love their Olympians, but these athletes need our sup- port before the Games, as well as during them." MILLER THOMSON ELECTSNEW CHAIRMAN Gerry Courage has been elect- ed the new chairman of Miller Thomson LLP, taking over for Jud Whiteside, who recently stepped down after 16 years in the position. Courage is a senior partner at the firm's Toronto office and was head of its national tax group before taking on the new role. He has 25 years of tax law experience and has worked on matters, both domestically and internationally, involving major businesses in a wide range of industries. Courage also has expertise in mergers and acquisitions, corpo- rate reorganizations, corporate finance, and business succession planning. The Inside Story Confidential Enabling Lawyers through Technology Tel: 416.322.6111 Toll-free: 1.866.367.7648 www doprocess com Real Estate • Corporate • Estates For more Inside Story, please visit www.lawtimesnews.com Corporate Promotional Products We will develop an exciting & unique program to brand your corporate image. Select customized products from key chains to high quality lead crystal products. Name it and we'll brand it. Our Gavel with Sound Block is great for a judge, lawyer or chair. Finely crafted solid hardwood in traditional style. Engravable brass band. Walnut finish. 10-1/2" long. dyedurham.ca • 1-888-393-3874 • Fax: 1-800-263-2772 Choose Dye & Durham your ONE source supplier W e ' r e a C a n a d i a n C o m p a n y To order please quote product code #LG000004 DD LT GRLBBC-04 Promo bw 1/23/08 4:54 PM Page 1 www.lawtimesnews.com "I'm terribly sorry but, if you don't know anything about the case, you can't be a surprise witness." SURELY THEY'LL GO TO HELL ARLINGTON, Texas — A thief with obviously no soul broke into a car belonging to a Greek Orthodox bishop and stole, among other things, a New Testament bible. But the item probably worth the most to the thief is likely to prove difficult to sell: a jew- eled crown of gold and silver. Bishop Metropolitan Isaiah es- timates it to be worth $6,000 and $10,000. The Denver-based Isaiah was dining with friends at an Arlington restaurant with his car nearby in a well-lit spot. "We came out at 10 o'clock, and the window was smashed," he told local media. The burglar also made off with a veil, a cell phone and a black fabric bag, which had special meaning to the ex- Marine because it was given to him years ago by the widow of a fellow Marine. Isaiah offered a reward of at least $1,000 if the crown is re- turned undamaged. "That was the first gift I received as a bishop 22 years ago," he said. "I feel lost with- out it. "I just hope and pray that those who took it will have a change of heart." JUST HANGING AROUND DURBAN, South Africa — An unlucky thief found himself hanging by a thread last week. The man was allegedly try- ing to steal goods from hawk- ers in the city's centre when his plans went awry and he tried to flee. His world was turned literally upside down when he became impaled on palisade fencing. The next morning, para- medics found the unfortunate fellow hanging upside down with one foot still impaled on the large metal rods, and an unlit cigarette hanging from his pursed lips. "He had been trying to climb over the fence and both his feet had been impaled. Dur- ing the course of the evening he had managed to free one foot. According to bystanders, he had been hanging on the fence for nearly 12 hours," paramed- ic Katya Evans told the local paper. "Sometime during the night someone had obviously felt sorry for him and given him a cigarette. It appears that no one was kind enough to offer him a light." The man was sent to hos- pital for treatment. Police will question him further once he's released. YOU CAN ALWAYS USE A DWARF STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Always looking for ways to profit, Swedish gangsters have enlisted dwarfs small enough to hide in luggage compart- ment on buses to help with robberies. The pint-sized criminals have been found hiding in luggage storage spaces going through the belongings unsus- pecting bus passengers, accord- ing to Sky News. "It is very possible that a small person is being placed in a bag in order to search through the other bags. We are taking extra security measures and are thinking of installing video surveillance cameras," a Swebus spokeswoman said. Officials said small kids have been put to the same use in similar theft scams and they have urged bus riders in Swe- den not to keep valuable items in their stored luggage. TESTICLE-TEARING EX JAILED LIVERPOOL, England — Amanda Monti was so enraged that Geoffrey Jones rejected her advances after a party that she tore of his left testicle with her bare hands. Then, tried to swallow it. Monti, 24, admitted her guilt in Liverpool Crown Court and has been sentenced to 2.5 years in jail. Sentencing Monti, Judge Charles James said it was "a very serious injury" and that Monti was not acting in self- defence. The court heard that a friend saw Monti put Jones's testicle into her mouth and try to swallow it. She choked and spat it back into her hand be- fore the friend grabbed it and gave it back to Jones. Doctors were unable to re- attach the organ. Seen, heard, or been involved in a bizarre brief? Tell Viola James about it at viola.james@gmail .com Bizarre Briefs By Viola James LT LT *Pages 1-20.indd 20 1/31/08 6:56:29 PM

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