Law Times

PAGE 16 Enabling Lawyers through Technology Tel: 416.322.6111 Toll-free: 1.866.367.7648 doprocess com www The Inside Story DEMAND CONSISTENT FOR LEGAL PROFESSIONALS Robert Half Legal last week re- leased its "2009 Salary Guide," and the news is good for lawyers in this country. "Demand is steady for legal professionals in Canada," the report states. "Law firms and corporate legal departments seek specific practice area expertise, and they are willing to compen- sate practitioners with the right skills when they can find them." On top of hiring remaining as the legendary Ron Davis and Reide Kaiser from Jeff Healey's Jazz Wizards, and lawyers from all areas of the justice community. Tickets for The Law Revue cost $30 in advance, and are purchased through Hugh's Room. Reserva- tions are highly recommended. Call 416-531-6604. steady, the guide forecasts that salaries will increase "slightly" or remain the same in the year ahead. While growth has lagged at some law firms, corporate legal depart- ments are still hiring in order to meet heavy workloads, according to the study. In terms of regional trends affecting Ontario markets, the study states that salaries in To- ronto are higher than the national average. Securities, IP, insolvency, and litigation are the hottest spe- cialties, according to the study. Ottawa lawyers looking for work should direct their searches at mid-size firms, the study sug- gests, as they are doing the bulk of the hiring. Overall, salaries in Ot- tawa have risen slightly throughout 2008, according to the study. LAWYERS RAISE FUNDS FOR AIDS CAUSES A pair of fundraisers on Thurs- day have lawyers raising funds for HIV/AIDS. Give a Night 2008, organized by articling students at several Toronto law firms, is a cocktail party and auction that will con- tribute to recipients of the Give a Day Campaign. The Canadian initiative by the medical and legal communities encourages people to donate a day's pay on Dec. 1 — World AIDS Day — to either the Stephen Lewis Foundation or Dignitas International. The event will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 27 at C Lounge in To- ronto. Call Jennifer Kelley at 416- 646-3462 for more information on the event or how to offer support. Also on Nov. 27 starting at 6 FLSC NAMES NEW LEADERSHIP The Federation of Law Societies of Canada has named Stéphane Rivard of Montreal its new presi- dent, taking on the one-year term following a stint as vice president and president-elect. Toronto's John Campion has been named the federation's vice president and president-elect, while Ronald MacDonald of Antigonish, N.S., will serve as vice president. The federation's former leader Michael Milani will now take on the role of past-president. The terms of office expire on Nov. 15, 2009. SOUTH ASIAN BAR HONOURS LAWYER The South Asian Bar Asso- ciation of Toronto has named Lang Michener LLP lawyer Pradeep Chand its Young Prac- titioner of the Year. This is the first year the as- sociation has held an awards cer- emony, and aims to showcase the best and brightest South Asians in the legal community. Chand joined Lang Michen- er's commercial litigation group as an associate in October 2006. p.m., lawyers are presenting a mu- sical offering, The Law Revue, to support the Stephen Lewis Foun- dation. The event, to be held at Hugh's Room in Toronto, will include world-class musicians such EMERSON JOINS FARRIS AS ADVISER David Emerson, Canada's former minister of foreign affairs, has been hired by Farris Vaughan Wills & Murphy LLP as a senior adviser. "Mr. Emerson, having served in leadership roles with Prime Min- ister Stephen Harper and prime minister Paul Martin, and pro- vincially with premiers . . . brings exceptional expertise and insight to our firm and its clients," said the firm's managing partner Alan Hamilton in a release. "I am looking forward to LT MAYOR OF BATMAN TAKES ON THE DARK KNIGHT BATMAN, Turkey — The Caped Crusader made his comic debut in 1939 but it's in 2008 that the mayor of Batman, Tur- key, has decided to try and get in on the hero's fame and fortune. He's battled fiends such as the Joker and the Riddler, but never has Batman been forced to take on a pro-Kurdish mayor of a southeastern Turkish town. Huseyin Kalkan is not tak- November 24, 2008 • Law Times Bizarre Briefs By Viola James JOBLESS LAWYERS GET A BREAK LONDON, England — Get- ting laid off is as good a reason as any to take a trip around the world, so one British tour com- pany is doing its best to get new- ly freed-up lawyers to book trips through them. Dragoman, a Suffolk-based pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree" and was sen- tenced to 19 years in prison. SBLI seeks rescission, saying the contract was void ab initio, reports the Courthouse News Service. The insurance company's claim says while the first pay- ment on her husband's policy was made in cash on Nov. 26, 2003, it didn't come into effect until Dec. 12. ing DC Comics, the originators of Batman, to court. Oh no, he's going after the big bucks, suing director Christopher Nolan and film studio War- ner Bros., who are responsible for the blockbuster The Dark Knight. He wants royalties for the use of the city's name with- out permission. "There is only one Batman in the world," Kalkan reportedly said. "The American producers used the name of our city with- out informing us." He said the film's psychologi- cal impact on Batman inhabit- ants is to blame for a number of unsolved murders and a high fe- male suicide rate. Former natives of Batman are also said to have encountered obstacles when at- tempting to register their busi- nesses abroad. Cynics might think it's more of a money grab as the Batman franchise has been quite success- ful, just never as successful as this latest flick, which is about to pass the $1 billion mark at the box office. travel company, says it'll give a 10 per cent discount to any lawyer who can show their of- ficial redundancy documents, known as a P45. "Redundancies don't have to be all negative. Most people who are travelling are having life-changing experiences. It is a good place for lawyers to reas- sess options and their career and what they want to do in life," managing director Adam Dix- on-Smith told The Lawyer. "If people say: 'I don't want to show you my P45 and I've been made redundant' — we'll probably be flexible. We're not in the business of humiliating anyone." WHEN DOES COVERAGE REALLY START? NEW YORK, N.Y. — SBLI U.S.A. Mutual Life Insurance is arguing that it won't pay the $100,000 life insurance policy for Medine Jeanty's common- law husband because she killed him within minutes of the pol- icy taking effect. "The Queens County District Attorney charged Jeanty with murder, manslaughter, arson, and reckless endangerment," the insurer's complaint states. "Jeanty SBLI claims "roughly 80 minutes after the policy went into effect, Jeanty started a fire at her residence while the insured and Jeanty's two daughters were sleeping inside the apartment." Her companion, Sam So- lise, the father of at least one of her children, died, and so did 2-year-old Rianne, the com- plaint states. FINALLY, IT'S HAPPENED TO ME! NEW YORK, N.Y. — Single gays and lesbians can rejoice! The geniuses behind eHarmony are going to launch a same-sex dating site. Let's get it straight though, it's not because eHarmony wants to. It's part of a settlement in a dis- crimination lawsuit filed in New Jersey by Eric McKinely. His 2005 lawsuit will be dismissed as part of the agreement. eHarmony was founded in 2000 by evangelical Christian Dr. Neil Clark Warren and had ties with the influential religious conservative group Focus on the Family. The agreement to launch "Compatible Partners" by March 31 should also render moot a similar California law- suit, says eHarmony vice presi- dent Antone Johnson. LT Seen, heard, or been involved in a bizarre brief? Tell Viola James about it at viola.james@gmail. com. working with Farris, a British Co- lumbia-based firm with a national perspective," said Emerson. For more Inside Story, please visit www.lawtimesnews.com. "It's that time of year again: class-action season." 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

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• Lipton Makes a Move
• Queens Park
• Focus On Environmental Law