Law Times

PAGE 16 Enabling Lawyers through Technology Tel: 416.322.6111 Toll-free: 1.866.367.7648 doprocess com www The Inside Story BUSINESS LAW SUMMIT SET Business law practitioners in the Greater Toronto Area will have a rare local opportunity to talk shop later this month. The third annual Business clude Scotiabank, Cannon & Iacobelli, DeRusha Law Firm, RBC, TD Bank Financial Group, HSBC, and lead sponsor Pallett Valo LLP. "The law changes regularly and it is important to know your rights as well as your obli- gations," says Pallett Valo man- aging partner Anna Esposito, in a release. "In today's fast-paced business environment, keeping abreast of legal developments is vital because they have an im- pact on the business decisions our clients make every day and often represent opportunities." Law Summit will focus on the theme, "Economic Uncertain- ties: Prepare, Prevent, and Pro- tect — Mitigating the Risks and Discovering the Opportu- nities." It will be held Thursday, Sept. 25 from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Mississauga Grand, at 35 Brunel Road, Mississauga. Registration costs $75, and can be carried out online at www. businesslawsummit.com. Sponsors for the event in- ADVISORS NAMED TO SECURITIES PANEL A number of Ontario lawyers have been named among a legal advisory committee for the Ex- pert Panel on Securities Regula- tion in Canada. Thomas Hockin, chairman of the panel, noted that the six-person committee is made up of lawyers from across the country and repre- sents several legal specialties. They will help the panel with its task of creating a model common securi- ties act for the country, due by the end of this year. "We are very pleased to have the legal expertise and experience of such a distinguished group of Ca- nadians," said Hockin in a release. "Their guidance will be invaluable as we chart a new course for securi- ties regulation in Canada." Ontario members of the legal advisory committee include lead- ing Toronto securities lawyer and commentator Philip Anisman, Torys LLP Toronto corporate and securities lawyer Richard Balfour, and Glorianne Strom- berg, a securities lawyer, author, and former commissioner of the Ontario Securities Commission from 1991 to 1998. Other members of the commit- tee are Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP Calgary commercial and cor- porate lawyer Patrick Finnerty, Farris Vaughan Wills & Murphy LLP Vancouver corporate and se- curities lawyer Mitchell Gropper, and Ogilvy Renault LLP Mon- treal business and securities lawyer Francis Legault. MCCARTHY'S LAWYER NABS OBA AWARD The Ontario Bar Association has recognized McCarthy Té- trault LLP lawyer Thomas Heintzman for his work as a top litigator. "We are proud of Tom, whose contributions and commitment to the community over 40 years since his call to the bar have been ex- traordinary," said the firm's CEO and chairman Iain Scott, in a re- lease after it was announced that Heintzman had received the 2008 OBA Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation. "He has enhanced and strength- ened the reputation of our firm, particularly its litigation practice — and also has been a role model to the profession with his commu- nity leadership," said Scott. TORONTO LAWYER MAKES ABA HISTORY Davies Ward Philips & Vineberg LLP partner Carol Hansell has become the first non-U.S. law- yer appointed chairwoman of the American Bar Association's com- mittee on corporate governance. Hansell is an international ex- AMTRAK ZAPPED WITH LAWSUIT NEW YORK — Two years ago, Brian Hopkins decided quite late to return home to New York after a night of bar hopping in Boston. The 25-year-old went down to Boston's South Station at 2 a.m., where he tried to force his way inside an Acela high- speed train, then climbed on top of a parked train car where he was jolted by 27,500 volts from arcing overhead wires. Hopkins is now suing Amtrak, claiming that it should have taken more precautions to keep trespassers out of the poten- tially dangerous area. He was discovered engulfed in flames around 4 a.m. He suf- fered third-degree burns over 85 per cent of his body, and doctors have since amputated his left hand and leg. Amtrak "should have known that persons trespassed" in the South Station area where Hop- kins was found, he and his par- ents contend in court papers filed last month. The family claims that Amtrak should have monitored the area, cut off the electricity going to the overhead wires, and even parked its trains somewhere else when they weren't in use. GIVE ME MY LEG BACK ALLIANCE, Neb. — Val Mc- Cabe was shot five times and some of the bullets made their way into his prosethic leg, which prosecutors took to run tests on. September 8, 2008 • Law times Bizarre Briefs By Viola James But McCabe wanted his leg back, paying $28,000 for a replacement was not on his agenda. go to court to get the Box Butte County Attorney's office to give his prosethtic back, which it fi- nally did after a judge ordered it. Alliance Police removed The 58-year-old was forced to the bullet from the leg before returning it. The investigation continues. SWISS BAN THE FISH FLUSH GENEVA — Kids get bored with them, parents get fed up with cleaning their bowls, and next thing you know the fam- ily goldfish has been given the flush — while still alive. Swiss authorities have had that include not leaving ham- sters by themselves and mak- ing sure sheep and goats have at least "a visual contact with their fellows." On a more sensible plane, Swiss dog-owners wishing to "customize" their pets as a fash- ion accessory will not be allowed to crop their tails or ears — nor "force them to have surgery to get droopy ears." DRUG MOLE ALLIGATORS NABBED RIO DE JANEIRO — Police in the Brazilian city seized two alligators during a raid against drug traffickers. were used to intimidate oppo- nents and get rid of bodies, ac- cording to the BBC. The two animals, one of which was 6.5 feet long, and the other quite a bit smaller, were found at the house of one of the alleged drug deal- ers' mothers-in-law. They've now been handed over to local zoo. Cops say the giant reptiles enough. The government has brought in a new animal pro- tection law that makes it ille- gal to flush the critters uless they're dead. The new legislation spells out in exhaustive detail how all domestic animals are to be treated, whether they be pets, farm animals, or destined for scientific experiments. Goldfish should now be af- forded a more "dignified" death than being dispatched round the S-bend, but it is now also forbid- den for Swiss anglers to practise catch-and-release fishing or rec- reational catching only to throw the fish back in the water, or to use live fish as bait. There's a host of new rules paper O Globo that caiman alligators are a symbol of pow- er for traffickers, who would kill their rivals and then give the bodies to the animals. The police say as well as finding the animals, they arrested three people and seized several guns and a small quantity of drugs. Drug gangs in the city of Rio A senior officer told news- de Janeiro are known for their often brutal methods, but the po- lice seem to believe their tactics for spreading fear are more unortho- dox than previously thought. LT Seen, heard, or been involved in a bizarre brief? Tell Viola James about it at viola.james@ gmail.com. pert in the area of corporate gov- ernance, advising corporations and individuals on governance and structuring matters relevant to big transactions, board investi- gations, and other issues. Hansell will serve a three-year term in the position, leading some 2,000 committee members in terms of legal education, publica- tions, advancement of the law and profession, as well as attraction and retention of members. LT For more Inside Story, please visit www.lawtimesnews.com "So this moose walks into a bar. He's wearing a ballet tutu and an ugly pair of kitschy pink swim-fins and, get this, he's a senior partner at the firm where I'm articling!" 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 Confidential

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