Law Times

October 5, 2009

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PAGE 24 WillBuilder Tel: 416.322.6111 Toll-free: 1.866.367.7648 doprocess com ntitled-2 1 The NEW BENCHERS The Law Society of Upper Canada has refilled Convocation benches with the addition of Fort Frances sole practitioner Larry Eustace and Point Edward small firm lawyer Carl Fleck. Both new benchers unsuccess- fully ran in the 2007 election but were called upon to replace a pair of departed benchers. Melanie Aitken left Convocation earlier this year to become Canada's new competition commissioner, while University of Ottawa assistant law professor Joanne St. Lewis departed to focus on other work. Eustace, who is a past chairman of the County & District Law Presidents' Association, runs a general law practice. Fleck — who works mainly on family, criminal, and general civil litigation matters at Fleck & Daigneault — is a past director of the Ontario Bar Association executive. NEW OTTAWA LAW HELPLINE People without the means to af- ford civil law representation at Ot- tawa's Superior Court of Justice can now lean on a new resource from Pro Bono Law Ontario. The organization recently unveiled a new self-help legal resource centre through its Law Help Ontario project. It will be based in the same building as the 161 Elgin St. Superior Court. PBLO rolled out a similar cen- tre in Toronto in late 2007, which last year helped nearly 3,000 peo- ple get free legal assistance. The centre's popularity continues to grow with more than 6,000 people served in the first half of 2009. The Ottawa centre was cre- ated thanks to the US$50,000 Emil Gumpert Award from the American College of Trial Law- yers, which PBLO received for its enhancement of the administra- tion of justice. FISHER LANDS CIVILITY AWARD A penchant for integrity, fairness, civility, and dedication to the ideals of the legal profession have helped Heenan Blaikie LLP counsel Stanley Fisher land an award from The Advocates' Society. Reinventing the Will www 2/2/09 10:53:45 AM Inside Story "The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Stan is his dedication," said the firm's national co-managing partner, Norman Bacal. "From serving as director of the Canadian Friends of Shalom Hartman Institute, to his work with the Gilda's Club of Greater Toronto, his dedication to the community, to his clients, and to the firm is remarkable." Fisher is the first recipient of The Advocates' Society's Catz- man Award for Professionalism and Civility. The award was cre- ated in honour of the late justice Marvin Catzman, a former On- tario Court of Appeal judge. GOTTHEIL TO LEAD CLUSTER Former Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario chairman Michael Gottheil has been nominated to lead the province's environment and land use planning cluster, the Ministry of the Attorney Gen- eral has announced. He will be replaced by David Wright, who will act as interim chairman of the tribunal. The nomination must be re- viewed by the standing commit- tee on government agencies be- fore becoming official. Gottheil has headed up the tribunal since April 2005. He is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the bar in 1987. He co-founded the En- gelmann Gottheil law firm in Ottawa, where he worked on la- bour, employment, and human rights law. He also served as a professor at Algonquin College and the University of Ottawa Law School. Wright moves to the interim position from his role as vice chair- man of the tribunal. He received his law degree from McGill Uni- versity in 1998 and his master of laws from New York University in 2000. He previously practised labour, administrative, and human rights law in Toronto and worked as an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall. LT For more Inside Story, please visit www.lawtimesnews.com. "But Igor! ... As you know, Bill 8, The Commitment to the Future of Medicine Act (2004), specifically bans TWO-tier medical services, so I thought..." WHICH DIRECTION IS BEST FOR YOU? RainMaker Group 110 Yonge Street, Suite 1101 Toronto, Ontario M5C 1T4 Untitled-7 1 Tel: 416-863-9543 Fax: 416-863-9757 www.rainmakergroup.ca www.lawtimesnews.com 5/29/08 1:05:49 PM JOINT CUSTODY FOR PUG SALEM, N.J. — A three-year battle over who gets to keep Dexter the pug has ended with a joint custody order. The former couple, who never married, had been fight- ing over who gets to keep the pint-sized pug since they sep- arated in 2006. After finding out she would get to see the dog for the first time in two years and seven months, Do- reen Houseman said, "I just can't wait to have him in my hands," adding that it would be an emotional reunion with "a lot of hugs and kisses." The other half of the for- mer couple, police officer Eric Dare, said he was still considering a possible appeal of the decision after he fought against any shared agreement. Dare said he is engaged to be married and doesn't know what this ruling will do to impact the relationship. According to his lawyer, the ruling sets a new precedent whereby those who cannot work out their differences will now "be forced to continue to have a relationship." THREE BORN EVERY MINUTE MALVERN, Australia — A trio of businesses has been duped by promises that a special spray can double their money. Police said three businesses gave about $160,000 in cash ™ OctOber 5/12, 2009 • Law times Bizarre Briefs By Viola James to two men in the belief their money would double when soaked in the magic spray. Police said the two men would conduct the "proce- dure" out of sight each time, transfer the money into their possession, then wrap up worthless paper in aluminum foil or another opaque casing. Police said the business owners were told to leave the wrapped package for 24 hours while the chemical worked. Police arrested and charged two Caroline Springs men, aged 23 and 25, after be- ing alerted by two owners who gave the men $20,000. They became suspicious after opening the package to find no money. Two other businesses were also deceived by a similar scam, losing $20,000 and $120,000. THAT'S SOME UNIFORM LONDON, England — A G20 protestor charged with impersonating a police of- ficer says a more fitting cita- tion would be impersonating a stripper. The semi-clad G20 protest- er was wearing a riot helmet and boiler suit rolled down to the waist to reveal a black bra. Following the charge, she said, "If I'm guilty of any- thing, it's of impersonating a stripper, not a police officer. Our lawyers never thought anyone would be charged because it is so ridiculous." The "bra girl," as she is be- ing dubbed in British media, was part of a group calling itself the Space Hijackers. They drove around on an ar- moured personal carrier play- ing Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries, a stunt they claim was an April Fool's joke as world leaders met in London April 1. The group's lawyer said the prosecution needed to prove those charged intended to deceive others into believing they were police. "Far from pretending to be police officers, they were protesting in a way that was both peaceful and designed to be entertaining. The pro- tests were on April Fool's Day, and this prosecution is like an April Fool's joke." HAMBURGLARS BE WARNED WORCESTER, Mass. — A Massachusetts man who stole a hotdog from someone sit- ting under a tree in a park has received an 18-month jail sentence. Antonio Judd pleaded guilty in Worcester Central District Court to charges in- cluding larceny from a per- son. Police say Judd grabbed the hotdog in August af- ter flashing what appeared to be a gun in Elm Park in Worcester. Police reports say Judd began to devour the hotdog, spilling mustard all over his shirt. LT Seen, heard, or been involved in a bizarre brief? Tell Viola James about it at viola.james@ gmail.com.

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