Law Times

PAGE 16 The Inside Story LSUC DISBARS 2 TORONTO LAWYERS Th e Law Society of Upper Canada has revoked the licenc- es of two Toronto lawyers fol- lowing disciplinary hearings. A panel found John Law- rence Burns had misappro- priated almost $500,000 from funds held on behalf of four diff erent clients between July 2004 and February 2008. Burns, who didn't show up for his hearing, was also found guilty of failing to maintain proper books and records of his law practice. In addition to a costs award of $20,000 against him, the panel ordered him to pay $93,000 to the law society's compensation fund. Meanwhile, the LSUC disbarred Arnold Fitzgerald Kelly for his role in a mortgage fraud scheme. A law society panel found he had obtained mortgage funds under false pretences and acted for mul- tiple parties in transactions de- spite confl icting interests. Th e panel also found he had failed to produce client fi les for inves- tigators and hadn't met them for an interview since Novem- ber 2007. Th ere was no costs award in the case. In addition, the law society has also denied a paralegal licence for Maureen Boldt, a former North Bay, Ont., city councillor previ- ously jailed for the unauthorized practice of law. During a good character hearing, a panel found Boldt had "no moral compass" and posed a public risk. She served four months under house ar- rest in 2007 for contempt of court for the illegal practice of law after preparing a separation agreement. Th at sentence also cost Boldt her seat on North Bay's city council after she missed too many meetings. In an interview with the North Bay Nugget, Boldt said she planned to appeal the ruling. FEDS NAME 3 ONTARIO JUDGES Federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson has announced three appointments to the On- tario Superior Court of Jus- tice bench. In Kitchener, Ont., Justice James Sloan of Sloan Strype LLP in Waterloo takes up a position following 36 years at the fi rm. He has also been a deputy judge of the Small Claims Court since 1998. His main practice areas included family law, civil litigation, and wills and estates. Justice Th omas Carey makes the move from his role as a sole practitioner in Missis- sauga, Ont., to join the Supe- rior Court in Windsor. Carey has practised on his own since 1984 following his admission to the bar in 1979. He has been a deputy judge of the Small Claims Court since 1992 and was certifi ed as a specialist in criminal litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1989. He also had two spells as a bencher between 1988 and 1991 and then between 1994 and 2003. Justice Deborah Chappel will sit in the Superior Court's family division in Hamilton, Ont. A sole practitioner since 2006, Chappel had previously worked in several government roles, including for the federal Department of Justice and Ontario's Ministry of the At- torney General. BLAKES SCORES THREE HONOURS Lawyers at Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP have had an eventful month so far after picking up three awards in the fi rst two weeks of March. Toronto partner Joseph Grignano won the NAIOP, Commercial Real Estate De- velopment Association's De- veloping Leaders Real Estate Excellence Award after peers in the industry singled him out for his leadership, professionalism, community involvement, and business accomplishments. He picked up his award at the Real Estate Excellence Awards host- ed by the association's Toronto- area chapter on March 3. Meanwhile, fellow Blakes partner Stephen Ashbourne received the International Law Offi ce Client Choice Award in the area of securitization and structured fi nance. Th e awards recognize lawyers around the world for excellence in cli- ent care and quality of service based on nominations by cor- porate counsel. In addition, Paul Schabas, another partner in the Toronto offi ce, has been named one of BTI Consulting Group Inc.'s 2011 Client Service All-Stars. For more Inside Story, please visit www.lawtimesnews.com. JUDGE'S RUGBY MOVE HALTS ESCAPE LONDON, England — It took a judge — who's also a former Irish guardsman — to stop Paul Reid's alleged second attempt at escaping custody. Reid, 34, is currently on trial for escape and attempted escape over the events last August. Th e unusual circumstances will see Judge Douglas Marks Moore take the stand to testify over his role in rugby-tackling the sex off ender who's half his age. Th e events happened when Reid allegedly decided to make a run through a side door to the judge's room he noticed was open, the Daily Mail reported. To do so, he dashed out of the witness box, climbed over the lawyer's benches, and took off . At the time, the jurors were fi l- ing out of court for the day. "One thing stood between Paul Reid and freedom — the judge trying his case," prosecu- tor Rupert Gregory told Old Bailey. "As he went through the door, his honour Judge Marks Moore grabbed him round the throat to try to bring him down. Together they went down three steps and then Mr. Reid broke free and ran down the judge's corridor." Gregory continued: "Th e judge gave chase. Just as Mr. Reid was about to open a push-handle fi re door, HHJ Marks Moore rugby-tackled him around the throat and march 14, 2011 • Law Times According to Reuters, the Bizarre Briefs By Viola James waist and brought him crash- ing to the ground, landing on top of him." According to the Daily Mail, Reid denied the charg- es. At the time of the alleged attempt to escape, he was on trial for undisclosed off ences. Th e judge's door was un- locked for safety reasons. It's the second time Reid has faced such allegations. In 2008, he elbowed a security guard and took off following a court appearance. He then remained on the run for three months. COUPLE TIES KNOT VIA SKYPE LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A couple gave a whole new mean- ing to the idea of videoconfer- encing when they held their wedding via Skype. Samuel Kim and Helen Oh, both 27, found themselves in a conundrum when the groom began spitting up blood and ended up in the UCI Medical Center just before their wed- ding in the southern California city of Fullerton. But that didn't stop them from tying the knot as they went ahead anyway by holding the wedding through online conferencing. "Guests said it was inspira- tional, they really admired my fi ancée for being able to stand at the altar in the manner that she did, alone and not crying the whole time," Kim said from his hospital bed. wedding used fi ve live cam- era operators at the couple's high-tech Korean church. Kim watched the proceedings on a laptop from the hospital's iso- lation ward. Th e presentation included split-screen images and an audio crew that gave Kim his cue before his face was to appear on video. Kim has yet to recover from his lung infection. Once he does, the couple will opt for a relatively traditional honey- moon to Europe. COPS SEND EVACUEES TO SCENE OF CRIME PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — It seems reasonable to take neigh- bours to a doughnut shop while police search for a robbery sus- pect, but it's a bit strange to do so when the restaurant is the scene of the crime. Th at's exactly what hap- pened after a man robbed a Dunkin' Donuts location. Police later located a van be- lieved to be the getaway ve- hicle at a nearby house. After the suspect barricaded him- self inside, cops asked several families in nearby homes to evacuate, WTSP reported. Surprisingly, police sent the evacuees to Dunkin' Donuts. "But once we got there, they said that was the place that was robbed," said a neighbour. As a result, she, her hus- band, and her children walked some distance away to a more appropriate location: the Egg Platter restaurant. At the house, meanwhile, a confrontation with police ended with the suspect getting shot by a tactical team mem- ber. He was taken to the Bay- front Medical Center. "Ah! A second opinion on this matter, if you please, Dr. Jones! Is it your view that the increased transparency resulting from the application of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to hospitals will extend to Dr. Gillespie's golf handicap?" www.lawtimesnews.com Confidential

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