Law Times

Page 16 December 10, 2012 Law Times • u The u Bizarre Briefs InsIde story By Viola James MONTREAL CONVENTION PUTS KIBOSH ON DILDO CLAIM NORFOLK, Va. — An international convention has put the kibosh on a gay couple's claims against Continental Airlines for allegedly removing a dildo from their luggage and taping it to the outside of their bag. According to Courthouse News Service, a federal judge has dismissed the claims as the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, also known as the Montreal Convention, limits lawsuits for damages related to the mishandling of luggage. The couple, Christopher Bridgeman and Marin Borger, alleged the incident happened while returning to Virginia from Costa Rica as they waited at the baggage carousel, Courthouse News Service reported. Someone, they claimed, taped it to the bag and smeared it with a greasy substance. According to Courthouse News Service, the Montreal Convention places limits on the damages passengers can seek. TV REGULATOR UPSET OVER DEVIL'S TREATMENT OF GOD ANKARA, Turkey — You'd think Turkey's broadcasting regulator would have better things to do than monitor episodes of The Simpsons. According to Reuters, the regulator is fining a TV channel for insulting religious values after it aired an episode of The Simpsons that shows God taking orders from the devil. Radio and TV watchdog RTUK said it was fining private broadcaster CNBC-e 52,951 lira (about $30,000) over the episode of the hit U.S. animated TV series. The scenes included the devil asking God to make him a coffee, Reuters reported. "The board has decided to fine the channel over these matters," said an RTUK spokeswoman. Turkey is a secular republic, but most of its 75 million people are Muslim. Religious conservatives and secular opponents vie for public influence and critics of the government say it's trying to impose Islamic values by stealth. Elected a decade ago with the strongest majority seen in years, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted AK Party have overseen a period of unprecedented prosperity in Turkey. But concerns are growing about authoritarianism. According to Reuters, Erdogan last week tore into a chart-topping soap opera about the Ottoman Empire's longest-reigning sultan and the broadcasting regulator has warned the show's makers about insulting a historical figure. CNBC-e has been airing The Simpsons in Turkey for almost a decade. "I wonder what the script writers will do when they hear that the jokes on their show are taken seriously and trigger fines in a country called Turkey," wrote Mehmet Yilmaz, a columnist for the Hurriyet newspaper. VOODOO FETISHES SPARK BOOMING MARKET FOR SKULLS PORTO NOVO, Benin — Who knew there could be a vibrant market for human skulls? According to Reuters, tomb raiders have dug up more than 100 graves at a cemetery in Benin for what authorities suspect is a black-market trade in human organs and skulls for voodoo ritual fetishes. The incident is the most serious case of graverobbing in the West African state, the world capital of voodoo where most of the country's nine million residents practise a benign form of the official religion. According to Reuters, authorities in Dangbo, a village 10 kilometres from the capital Porto-Novo, began an investigation after a mason working at the cemetery said he spotted several masked men digging up the graves. "The desecration of graves is about money in this region," said Joseph Afaton, director of the cemetery. "It is for sacrifices or for bewitching." Body parts of humans and rare animals are prized by some people in central Africa for their supposed supernatural powers and are used in occult ceremonies. Traffickers often obtain human remains from grave robbers. LT "I'm sorry, sir. Due to the negative impact on competition in the gorilla kidnapping business, we are currently unable to arrest you." FMC LAUDED FOR STAFF-FRIENDLY POLICIES Fitness subsidies and extra maternity leave benefits are among the factors that earned Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP a spot on Mediacorp Canada Inc.'s list of the Greater Toronto Area's top employers for 2013. "FMC is honoured to be named one of the GTA's top employers for 2013 alongside these other prestigious organizations," said Chris Pinnington Chris Pinnington, chief executive officer at FMC. "At FMC, our people are our greatest strength and we are committed to the professional and personal development of our team to ensure each member achieves his or her career aspirations." Mediacorp highlighted FMC policies such as providing extra maternity leave benefits for 17 weeks, allowing for flexible work arrangements, and granting subsidies of up to $500 for fitness club memberships. "We are committed to designing and executing programs that engage and inspire firm members, such as leave for change and our diversity and inclusion programs," said Mike Kaplan, managing partner at FMC in Toronto. PARALEGALS CAN TAKE AFFIDAVITS NEXT YEAR Paralegals will be able to take affidavits under a new regulation enacted by the Ontario government. As of July 1, 2013, the commissioners and other persons who may take affidavits regulation will designate licensed paralegals as commissioners who can take affidavits without having to apply for a commissioner appointment and pay a fee. The new status will continue unless the Law Society of Upper Canada revokes or suspends their licence or they surrender it. Paralegals who already have an appointment won't have to renew it. GOWLINGS BOOSTS INSOLVENCY PRACTICE Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP is boosting its restructuring and insolvency practice with the hiring of two lawyers at its office in London, England. David Wright and Andrew Mace have acted for clients in both Europe and the United States and bring significant experience in restructuring and insolvency matters, the firm said last week. "We are excited to have David and Andrew join Gowlings' international team," said firm chairman and chief executive officer Scott Jolliffe. "It's been a tremendous year of growth and momentum for the firm's restructuring and insolvency group and for our London office." The firm says it has been making efforts to boost its restructuring and insolvency practice at the London office in recent months with the hiring of people like Derrick Tay and Jennifer Stam as well as its addition of six international mining lawyers in March. "We are delighted to be part of the growth story at Gowlings," said Wright, who has been an insolvency lawyer for almost two decades. Previously head of the insolvency and restructuring group at a British law firm, Wright's experience includes acting as British agent for the U.S. government on the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. Mace, meanwhile, has practised in the area for 15 years. He acts for a number of high-profile investors, banks, and insolvency practitioners. POLL RESULTS The results of the latest Law Times online poll are in. According to the poll, 67 per cent of respondents disagree with the Law Society of Upper Canada's bid to have Toronto lawyer Joe Groia pay $250,000 in costs for his disciplinary hearing. Groia's lawyer is resisting the law society's position on that issue, arguing he has already paid a significant price for the civility-related proceedings against him. Earlier this year, a panel found him guilty of misconduct for his actions in court on behalf of client John Felderhof. The law society justifies the cost submission based on the time spent on the case. It's also seeking a suspension. The hearing panel has reserved its decision. LT Recruiting? Post your position on Great rates. Great reach. Great results. Contact Sandy Shutt at sandra.shutt@thomsonreuters.com for details. www.lawtimesnews.com JobsInLaw 1-8 pg 5X.indd 1 2/15/11 4:12:27 PM

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