Law Times

Page 16 June 17, 2013 • Law Times u The u Bizarre Briefs InsIde story By Viola James PET PASSPORT EXPANDED BRUSSELS —  The European Union was always an effort to break down borders, and officials have now applied that notion to the continent's pets. According to Reuters, EU member countries have broadened a law governing the movement of pets, removing a limit of five pets per person crossing a border, if owners can prove their animals will take part in a competition, exhibition or sporting event. The legislation adds to the European Union's so-called pet-passport scheme where Fido, Whiskers, or even a favoured ferret can move freely through the 27-member bloc if it has microchip identification and has been vaccinated against rabies. Pet lover and member of the European parliament Chris Davies, who helped draft the new law, said it showed the EU could ease burdens on citizens instead of adding to them. Just 10 years ago, it wasn't easy to take a dog on a family car holiday. "The great thing about this piece of legislation is it just confirms that the legislation produced a decade ago has worked very successfully," he said. "There has been no increase in rabies or apparent risk of increase [of human infection]." According to Reuters, the five-pet limit was an attempt to prevent unrestricted cross-border trade by puppy farmers. But Davies said the relaxed rules offer owners the chance to take pets abroad to compete or for "sexual liaisons" while keeping oversight to prevent abuse. "We have freedom of movement and freedom of capital and all that sort of stuff. We also have freedom of pet movement." PRINCE RILED OVER FORBES WEALTH ESTIMATE LONDON, England — You'd think a Saudi prince wouldn't want to bring more attention to his wealth by suing a magazine for underestimating his worth. But Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is reportedly suing Forbes magazine for libel in a British court. The prince alleges the magazine's valuation of his wealth at $20 billion was short of the mark by $9.6 billion, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported. According to Reuters, the prince, a grandson of Saudi Arabia's founder and nephew of King Abdullah, has attacked the U.S. magazine's ranking of world billionaires as flawed and biased against Middle Eastern businesses after it ranked him No. 26 on this year's list. An official at the High Court in London confirmed that Prince Alwaleed had filed a defamation suit against Forbes, its editor Randall Lane, and two of its journalists on April 30. Details of the claim weren't immediately available. Through his Kingdom Holding Co., Prince Alwaleed owns large stakes in Citigroup, News Corp., and Apple Inc., among other companies. He's also owner or part owner of luxury hotels including the Plaza in New York, the Savoy in London, and the George V in Paris. This year's Forbes world billionaires list was published on March 4, and the following day Kingdom Holding said the valuation process used incorrect data and "seemed designed to disadvantage Middle Eastern investors and institutions." The public spat attracted a lot of comment, but Forbes stuck by its estimate of Prince Alwaleed's wealth and published an in-depth article in its March 25 issue about him. The article gave details about how Forbes had arrived at the figure of $20 billion and criticized what it described as a lack of transparency by Kingdom Holding in detailing its assets. The Guardian article quoted the magazine as saying: "We're very surprised at claims that Prince Alwaleed has decided to sue Forbes, particularly if he has done so in the United Kingdom, a jurisdiction that has nothing whatsoever to do with our recent story which raised questions about his claims about his wealth." LT JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED Justice Minister Rob Nicholson has appointed two lawyers to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice bench. Wendy Matheson, a lawyer with Torys LLP and a bencher at the Law Society of Upper Canada, is replacing Justice Frank Marrocco, who becomes associate chief justice of the Superior Court. Matheson was also an Wendy Matheson adjunct professor and lead instructor in intellectual property law at Osgoode Hall Law School. Ronald Laliberté is also joining the bench in Cornwall, Ont., as Justice D.R. Aston leaves his post to become a supernumerary judge. Laliberté, who served as a Crown attorney, joined the bar in 1988. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Stephen Harper also announced the appointment of Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Alexandra Hoy as associate chief justice of the court. Hoy joined the Court of Appeal in 2011 after serving as a Superior Court judge since 2002. She replaces justice Dennis O'Connor following his resignation last year. FILION WAKELY OPENS HAMILTON OFFICE Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP has opened a new office in Hamilton, Ont. The firm also announced it's adding three more lawyers to its legal team. "We're very pleased to welcome Mark Zega, Jane Gooding, and Kamila Polus to our practice," said Paul Young, managing partner at the firm. "The addition of these excellent lawyers and the opening of our Hamilton office will allow us to continue to provide exceptional legal services to new and existing clients in Hamilton and the Niagara region." The Hamilton office "complements our Toronto and London offices, making us more accessible to our growing base of clients across Ontario," Young noted. NEW PARTNER AT GOWLINGS Financial services lawyer Jim Shanks is joining Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP as a partner in the Toronto office. Shanks has "extensive experience" in restructuring, private equity, and acquisitions in both Canadian and international settings, the firm noted. "Over the years, Jim has built an outstanding reputation as a lawyer who knows how to get deals across the finish line," said Scott Jolliffe, Gowlings' chairman and chief executive officer. "His clients value his pragmatic style, his comprehensive knowledge of the financial services sector, and his strategic insight into the constantly changing market. We're excited to have him as a member of our financial services industry group — his presence further adds to the strength and depth of our firm-wide team." FASKENS BOOSTS HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICE Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP is boosting its occupational health and safety practice with six new lawyers. Norm Keith, Deanah Shelly, Cathy Chandler, Carla Oliver, Susan Carter, and Cassandra Patrick are the newest members of the firm's team. Keith will be joining the firm as a partner. "We are delighted to welcome Norm and team to our firm," said Martin Denyes, regional managing partner for Ontario. "Norm is recognized as one of the country's leading OHS lawyers and his joining our firm dramatically increases our capabilities in this area and will add tremendous value for our clients." POLL RESULTS The results of the latest Law Times online poll are in. According to the poll, more than 50 per cent of participants thought the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario was wrong to order the Town of Penetanguishene to stop opening council meetings with a non-denominational prayer. Of all respondents, 52 per cent said the tribunal got it wrong while the rest agreed with the ruling. Penetanguishene, Ont., resident Henry Freitag succeeded in having the prayer stopped after he complained the practice exposed him as a non-believer and made him feel like an outcast. 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