Law Times

PAGE 16 sepTember 13, 2010 • Law Times Bizarre #1 Power House application for real estate. www.doprocess.com ntitled-7 1 The Inside Story LAWYER JUMPS FROM CAYMANS TO BAY STREET Michael Davies has joined Heenan Blaikie LLP as a part- ner in the financial services law group. Davies moves from Ogier, an offshore law firm based in the Cayman Islands, where he served as counsel for the last three years. Davies has more than 20 years of experience in banking and finance law and has repre- sented borrowers, institutional lenders, real estate investment trusts, pension funds, and in- vestors in connection with do- mestic and cross-border financ- ings, secured and unsecured bank credit facilities, subordi- nated debt, loan syndications, structured finance, and inter- lender arrangements. "Michael brings a combina- tion of national and international experience to our financial ser- vices law group, having worked extensively in the Caribbean, the United States, and Canada," said the firm's co-managing partner Norman Bacal. LEGAL PUBLISHER HELPS PRO BONO GROUP Pro Bono Students Canada has teamed up with legal publisher Carswell to provide students with specialized legal research training. The arrangement will see Car- swell, a division of Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd., provide financial support over the next three years, as well as developing a program that will cover legal re- search services relevant to public interest and social justice issues. "Thanks to this exciting and unique partnership with Car- swell, PBSC law student vol- unteers across the country will benefit from a legal research training program that has been customized to focus on the kind of public interest and social jus- tice work that we do. This will significantly improve the qual- ity of the pro bono legal services our students are able to provide," said Nikki Gershbain, the orga- nization's national director. Now in its 15th year, PBSC has chapters in every law school in Canada. Each year, about 1,500 volunteers provide roughly 120,000 hours of free legal services. "I believe we are making a real difference in improving ac- cess to justice for community- minded organizations that rely on pro bono legal services to continue their important work," said Don Van Meer, president and CEO of Carswell. LFO ANNOUNCES JUSTICE FELLOWSHIPS The Law Foundation of Ontar- io has announced the recipients of its Community Leadership in Justice Fellowships. Danielle McLaughlin, di- rector of education and admin- istration at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Education Trust, will spend six months in residence at the University of Windsor Facul- ty of Education helping teach- ers to prepare students to think critically about civil liberties. "Students have an interest in exploring their rights and freedoms even in the primary grades," McLaughlin said. "And if we want them to be- come engaged citizens who can constructively resolve differ- ences, one of the best things we can do is equip teachers to en- courage that interest and build it into classroom activities." Vincent Greason's one-year part-time fellowship will see him delivering workshops and lectures on community mobili- zation in the Outaouais region of Quebec near Ottawa, as well as conducting research on anti- poverty practices in Quebec and Ontario. "It will be an opportunity to share key learnings from both sides of the Ottawa River and across language communities," Greason said. LT "A total publication ban, in some cases, I can understand. For more Inside Story, please visit www.lawtimesnews.com. But a total existence ban? Under any circumstances, I find that very hard to believe." Recruiting? Post your position on GREAT RATES. GREAT REACH. GREAT RESULTS. Contact Sandy Shutt at sshutt@clbmedia.ca for details. www.lawtimesnews.com 7/5/10 3:02:16 PM 1.8-CENT THEFT NO REASON TO FIRE BERLIN, Germany — A Ger- man company has lost its case for dismissing an employee who plugged in his Segway at work and used 1.8 euro cents of electricity. The court dismissed the firm's appeal against the em- ployee's reinstatement, Reuters reported. The case dates back to 2009, when Oliver Beel plugged his electric vehicle to the company's power source for more than an hour. At that point, his boss asked him to dis- connect, and 12 days later Beel was out of a job. Noting the "minimal elec- tricity cost involved, the plain- tiff's 19-year employment with the company, and the fact that other employees charged mo- bile phones and digital frames at the firm's expense without punishment," the court ruled the company's actions were dis- proportionate to the offence, according to Reuters. LAWYER IN TROUBLE FOR SPIRITUAL SERVICE PHOENIX, Ariz. — It goes without saying that channelling the dead isn't the type of service lawyers usually offer. But that's exactly what Ari- zona lawyer Charna Johnson Briefs By Viola James is accused of doing. According to law.com, Johnson is facing possible sanction after an in- vestigation found she told the client she was channelling his dead wife. The pair had met in a ballroom dancing class, after which Johnson began representing the client in di- vorce proceedings. Johnson then handled probate matters after the client's wife commit- ted suicide the following year, the web site reported. The investigation found that at that point, Johnson be- gan saying the dead woman's spirit was inside her and that she could communicate her thoughts. The lawyer then be- gan pushing for a sexual rela- tionship, the client testified. According to law.com, the investigation found Johnson lied about the issue during an unrelated disciplinary matter. The report recommends sus- pending her for six months. TEEN TEXTS COP FOR DRUGS HELENA, Mont. — A Mon- tana teen got a lesson in look- ing before dialing when he ac- cidentally sent a text message seeking to buy marijuana to a local sheriff. "Hey Dawg, do you have a $20 I can buy right now?" the teen allegedly wrote to someone who turned out to be Lewis and Clark County Sher- iff Leo Dutton. Police then probed the case further when a detective pre- tending to be a dealer set up a meeting at a store, according to The Associated Press. There, the officer saw two teenage boys and one of the boy's fathers. The detective repeatedly called the boy's phone to make sure he had the right person, after which he showed the teens his badge. One of them fainted in response, The Associated Press reported. According to reports, the father at the store didn't know what was going on. Police is- sued no citations after the boys' parents got involved. STOP REGURGITATING LIVE FISH, CIRCUS TOLD SYDNEY, Australia — Swal- lowing a live fish and regurgi- tating it isn't cool even if the act is part of a circus, Australian of- ficials have ruled. The New South Wales De- partment of Industry and In- vestment banned the practice by the Great Moscow Circus during a performance in Syd- ney following complaints from the public, Reuters reported. "Circuses operating in NSW must comply with prescribed standards for the welfare of ani- mals," a government statement declared. Authorities decided the act was in breach of the Animals Protection Act, a move wel- comed by animal rights advo- cates, according to Reuters. LT

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