Law Times

December 5, 2011

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PAGE 16 The Inside Story LAW PROFESSOR WINS GOLD Th e Social Sciences and Hu- manities Research Council has named Ottawa's Constance Backhouse the recipient of its 2011 gold medal for achieve- ment in research. Th e University of Ottawa professor and research chair is known for her publications on sex discrimination and the legal history of gender and race in Canada. "Professor Backhouse has been an infl uential leader in the interdisciplinary study of law," said council president Chad Gaffi eld. "Her work has illuminated valuable lessons to be learned in the struggle for social justice and enriched our understanding of Canada's legal history and our sense of equality and justice." It's the fi rst time Backhouse has received the award, for which fi nal selections are based on can- didates' dedication, originality of thought, and leadership to- ward advancing their fi eld of re- search. With the honour comes a $100,000 research grant and the opportunity to advance the recipient's studies. "Professor Backhouse is an in- spiration to the next generation of scholars," said Gaffi eld. "Th e importance of her research and the energy and dedication with which she carries it out, encour- age and inspire young scholars in disciplines that extend beyond law. Th is is what the gold medal seeks to reward — an enduring energy and contribution to not only a body of research but to everyone around her and to the broader Canadian society." Backhouse began her research career more than 30 years ago, combining both gender and ra- cial inequality issues with law in several published books and re- search papers. "In legal history, every time you are able to demonstrate that a law was unfair, the next genera- tion of lawyers and judges take that and use it to make diff erent arguments and diff erent judicial decisions," said Backhouse. "It helps move us closer to becom- ing a truly just society." TERRITORIAL AGREEMENT RENEWED Th e Law Society of Upper Can- ada has renewed the Federation of Law Societies of Canada's territorial mobility agreement for an indefi nite term. Under the territorial deal, transfer provisions of the national mobility agreement will apply to the territories but the temporary mobility aspects will not. Th e agreement allows lawyers to practise in other provinces and territories under specifi ed condi- tions. Th ey include maintaining insurance, hearing a maximum number of matters, and obtain- ing a permit. In the meantime, Convoca- tion also approved measures to urge the federation to investigate what may be limiting the territo- ries' involvement in the tempo- rary mobility provisions of the agreement. TORONTO LAWYER DISBARRED Th e Law Society of Upper Can- ada has disbarred Toronto lawyer Moorsaleen Kaiyume Baksh for professional misconduct stem- ming from a series of fraudulent mortgage transactions. According to the LSUC, Baksh knowingly assisted or par- ticipated in fraudulent or dishon- est conduct by several clients and associated persons in connection with three mortgage transac- tions; lied to a lender client in one mortgage transaction; and failed to serve his lender client in two mortgage transactions. In addition, Baksh disbursed mortgage funds from his lender client before registration of the transfer and charge and regis- tered a discharge of his client's charge without authorization, the law society found. LERNERS LANDS MCCARTHYS PARTNER Darryl Ferguson has joined Le- rners LLP's Toronto offi ce as a partner after leaving McCarthy Tétrault LLP. "We are thrilled to welcome Darryl Ferguson as a partner in our fi rm," said Brian Grant, managing partner of Lerners' To- ronto offi ce. "With his proven track record in commercial litiga- tion and health law, he is a wel- come addition to any fi rm and a perfect fi t for Lerners." Since his call to the bar in 1992, Ferguson has spent 19 years at McCarthys. He also served as clerk for the chief jus- tice of the Court of Queen's Bench in Saskatchewan. At Lerners, Ferguson will work as a partner focusing on health law, class actions, and commercial litigation. For more Inside Story, please visit www.lawtimesnews.com. "Mars Rover Curiosity! Th is is Houston. Th at is a mortgage fraudster! Repeat: Th at is a mortgage fraudster! Do not sign that cheque! Repeat: Do NOT . . . dang!" The title insurer that puts you front row, centre Putting the legal community front and centre has made us the #1 choice with Canadian lawyers for over a decade. Stewart Title does not support programs that reduce or eliminate the lawyer's role in real estate transactions. TEEN SLAMS VICTIM IN APOLOGY LETTER LEEDS, England — If ever there was proof of a lack of remorse, this teen's apology letter was it. According to Reuters, a convicted British burglar forced to write a letter of apol- ogy instead delivered a barely literate diatribe in which he blamed his "dumb" victim for the crime because the kitchen window was open. Th e letter from the un- named crook, which was not delivered to the victim, was released by West Yorkshire police in the northern Eng- lish city of Leeds to dem- onstrate the mindset of the criminals who target people's homes, Reuters reported. Th e 16-year-old burglar was told to write a letter of apology as part of an Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Program (ISSP), a non-custo- dial plan for young off enders. Instead of apologizing for his off ence, the teen thief wrote: "I don't no (sic) why I am writing a letter to you! I have been forced to write this letter by ISSP. "To be honest I'm not bothered or sorry about the fact that I burgled your house. Basicly (sic) it was your own fault anyways (sic). I'm going to run you through the dumb mistakes you made." Th e young off ender went December 5, 2011 • Law Times Bizarre Briefs By Viola James on to say the victim failed to draw the curtains before go- ing to sleep and was "thick enough" to leave the down- stairs window open. "But anyways I don't feel sorry for you and Im (sic) not going to show any sympath (sic) or remores teen concluded. (sic)," the AN EXTREMELY RISKY MAKEOVER MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Call it the case of a very ex- treme and, in fact, very dan- gerous makeover. In fact, as Reuters reported, more alleged victims are com- ing forward in the case of a Flor- ida resident accused of injecting "super glue" and fl at-tire repair materials into the buttocks of a woman in a botched illegal cos- metic surgery procedure. According to Reuters, Miami Gardens police have arrested Oneal Ron Morris, 30, and charged him with causing bodily injury and practis ing health care with- out a licence. Police referred to Morris as a man, although he had the appearance of a woman in the arrest photo released by police. According to the charge, Morris, acting without a re- quired medical practitioner's licence and, starting in May 2010, injected substances into the buttocks of a woman client to improve their "shape AD BAN AIMS 'TO UNIFY THINKING' BEIJING — People thought the Canadian Radio-televi- sion and Telecommunica- tions Commission was a meddling regulator. In a true show of state in- terference, China has ordered a ban on advertisements dur- ing broadcasts of TV dramas in a bid "to unify thinking," the country's top broadcast- ing regulator declared. According to Reuters, the government's latest move to clean up China's airwaves will come into eff ect in January. "Radio and television are important mouthpieces of the [Communist] Party and the people and are impor- tant battlefi elds in publicity and ideology," the State Ad- ministration of Radio, Film, and Television said on its web site. "Th ey bear important re- sponsibilities in the public cultural service system, they must fully play up their ad- vantages and earnestly per- form their duties," the agency said. and cosmetic appearance." "Initial laboratory analysis conducted by medical per- sonnel determined the for- eign substances injected into the victim consisted of a host of household and automotive products including super- glue, mineral oil, and 'Fix-a- Flat' (a tire repair material)," Jennifer Hirst, deputy press secretary of Florida's Depart- ment of Health, said in an e-mail. Th is treatment resulted in life-threatening injuries, ac- cording to the accusation. For more information call (888) 667-5151 or visit www.stewart.ca. Untitled-2 1 www.lawtimesnews.com 7/19/11 12:31:45 PM

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