Law Times

www.lawtimesnews.com Page 4 January 21, 2008 / Law Times Paralegals just want a 'niche' for themselves It is our position that in order to protect the public interest it is appropriate for the law society to regulate paralegals just as they regulate lawyers." Simms says the application aims to get paralegals "a better deal . . . The law society has done a really good job here with the regu- lation. I think they've worked real- ly hard and they've given people a lot of opportunities." Simms. But she says, "We want to be self-regulated. We don't mind hav- ing guidance from the law society, but basically we want to control our own destiny. If we're part of the law society, we're a small min- ority; we don't really have a voice on how things are being done." Simms says paralegals are "out- numbered" at Convocation, where only two of 40 benchers represent them. She adds paralegals want members of the standing commit- tee, who were appointed by the at- torney general, to be elected. "We didn't get to elect those people and we don't feel that they really are representative of some of the things that we would like to see. We know that eventually there are going to be elections but we really felt that we should have had a say in the appointments." Paralegals can play an import- ant role in the administration of justice, in light of the high cost of legal representation, says Simms. "What we're trying to say is paralegals just want a niche for themselves. They don't want to take work away from lawyers," says Simms. NEWS Office & Furniture Products • Corporate Promotional Products Printing & Graphic Services • Law Office Essentials Corporate Supplies • Search & Registration Services your ONE source supplier for We carry a complete line of Corporate Promotional Products Antique Brass finish makes these Scales of Justice an attractive addition to any legal office. Made in Italy. Size 8-3/4" W x 11-3/4" H. To order please quote code #LG000003 W e ' r e a C a n a d i a n C o m p a n y dyedurham.ca • Phone: 1-888-393-3874 • Fax: 1-800-263-2772 OFFICE & FURNITURE PRODUCTS DD LT RXQTC-03 Promo ad 1/2/08 3:55 PM Page 1 M ATHEWS, D INSDALE & C LARK LLP is pleased to host the 10th Annual Canadian Labour Arbitration Competition January 25-27, 2008 at the Ontario Labour Relations Board A national competition for law students. This year's participants are: University of Alberta University of British Columbia University of Calgary Dalhousie University Queen's University University of Toronto University of Western Ontario York University - Osgoode Hall (2-5 years with strong court experience) for busy, salaried, associate position at established Richmond Hill general practice law fi rm. peong@hotmail.com Forward your resume/references/transcripts in confi dence by email to ASSOCIATE LITIGATION LAWYER REQUIRED jobsinlaw.ca jobsinlaw.ca Continued from page 1 rights with pilots who had joined Air Canada from the defunct Canadian Airlines. Among Montenegrino's 11 clients listed last week on the fed- eral public registry of lobbyists were Reader's Digest Magazines, Wendy's International Inc., the Association of Canadian Distillers, and Sandoz Canada Inc. Press reports describe Monte- negrino as a former Liberal who switched to the Tories under Brian Mulroney in 1984, but joined the Reform party in the wake of Mul- roney's failed constitutional gam- bits. He was a fundraiser for the United Alternative movement that eventually led to the Canadian Alli- ance and ultimately to the reunited Conservative Party of Canada. Montenegrino is a networker in Ottawa who, while at the vanguard of efforts to keep the NHL Sena- tors franchise in the city in 2000, arranged a meeting between then- Ottawa mayor Bob Chiarelli and Alberta Treasurer Stockwell Day (now the federal public safety min- ister), to help the team. Montene- grino was described in press reports as a friend of Chiarelli's. Lang Michener, which former Liberal prime minister Jean Chré- tien joined during his interlude from politics between 1986 and 1990, describes Montenegrino in the firm's biography as an "emis- sary" who takes concerns to the forefront of government circles and initiates action early on in client re- lations with government to "allevi- ate bureaucratic confusion. "This proactive approach also results in immense financial and organizational rewards for those he represents," the biography says. "Through astutely crafting a po- litical win-win resolution to the parties, Manny assists his clientele in avoiding lengthy and expensive litigation." The description adds that Mon- tenegrino's approach also is a "palat- able solution for the governmental authorities involved." His legal work for Harper while acting as a lobbyist drew attention to high-profile cases of prominent Conservatives who became lobby- ists after the election of the Harper government. They include former MP John Reynolds from B.C., at Lang Michener in Vancouver, and Ken Boessenkool, one of Harper's closest former confidantes. Montenegrino represented Baird last year in a potential defa- mation case, serving a libel notice to a former Liberal strategist over comments she made about Baird on a television political talk show. He later wrote the Liberal party on behalf of Ottawa Conserva- tive MP Pierre Poilievre to defend Poilievre against allegations he de- famed a Liberal MP during a radio interview. Harper and his wife, Laureen, eventually settled the lawsuit from the former chef out of court. Continued from page 1 Ottawa networker LT LT *Pages 1-16.indd 4 1/17/08 7:18:39 PM

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