Law Times

PAGE 16 u BIZARRE BRIEFS By Viola James WOMAN FIRED AFTER DONATING KIDNEY NEW YORK — Generosity, it seems, doesn't always get you ahead, a New York woman has found out. The woman, who donated a kidney so her ailing boss would move up the transplant waiting list, says she was fired shortly aſter the operation, according to a complaint she filed with the New York State Divi- sion of Human Rights. According to Reuters, Deborah Stevens said her former employer, Atlantic Automotive Group, dis- criminated against her over disabilities brought about by complications from the surgery and she plans to sue the company for lost earnings and damages. The company, which runs car dealerships on Long Island, said Stevens' complaint is groundless. Stevens, of Hicksville, N.Y., said she learned that Jacqueline Brucia, who worked at Atlantic Auto- motive, was in need of a kidney in November 2010. Stevens had worked there as well but at the time had temporarily moved to Florida, Reuters reported. Stevens said she told Brucia she would donate a kidney. Brucia initially declined, the complaint said. Stevens learned the company would rehire her following her return to New York and not long aſter- ward, Brucia told her a potential donor hadn't been approved by the hospital and asked if she was still willing to donate. According to Reuters, Stevens' kidney wasn't a OCTOMOM IN BANKRUPTCY COURT LOS ANGELES — What a surprise that a woman who had eight kids at once would end up in fi- nancial trouble. According to Reuters, the California mother of May 7, 2012 • Law TiMes u The INSIDE STORY NEW CRIMINAL RULES INTRODUCED The Ontario Court of Justice is imple- menting new criminal rules as of July 1. "The Ontario Court of Justice hears octuplets, dubbed Octomom, filed for bankruptcy last week aſter previously admitting she was on pub- lic assistance to support herself and her 14 children. Nadya Suleman, 36, gave birth to eight babies the vast majority of all criminal matters in Ontario, as a single mother in 2009. But goodwill turned to anger in the media aſter it was revealed Sule- man had undergone fertility treatments when she already had six children. Her children became the second set of octuplets known to have survived birth in the United States. Suleman, who lives in the southern California suburban community of La Habra, has less than $50,000 in assets and owes between $500,000 and $1 million, according to legal papers submitted to the U.S. bankruptcy court for the central district of California and posted at the entertainment web site E! Online. good match for Brucia, but she agreed to donate it to a stranger in St. Louis, setting up a transplant chain that enabled Brucia to receive a better-matched kid- ney from someone else. Surgeons removed Stevens' leſt kidney in August, and she returned to work about a month later. But at work, Brucia became "curt and dismissive, plaint said. Stevens said she was berated for taking sick days and forced to relocate to a less desirable of- fice aſter she complained to human resources about Brucia' " the com- mance reasons. Atlantic Automotive released a statement saying: On April 11, the company fired her, citing perfor- s behaviour. "It is unfortunate that one employee has used her own generous act to make up a groundless claim." BEER COMPANIES, STORES SUED FOR SELLING ALCOHOL LINCOLN, Neb. — A lawsuit against beer compa- nies for selling alcohol to natives would force them to discriminate, the defendants argue. According to the Omaha World-Herald, the Ogla- Annemarie Bonkalo. "The court con- stantly looks for ways to be more respon- sive to the needs of our modern society and to increase accessibility and demystify the criminal justice process. These new criminal rules will clarify the court' dures and provide clear, simple, consistent, and relevant direction to everyone involved in criminal proceedings in our court across the province. s criminal proce- Annemarie Bonkalo three new forms. For more details on the new rules, see ontariocourts.ca/ocj/ criminal-rules. LAWTECHCAMP THIS WEEK LawTechCamp will take place at the University of Toronto Fac- ulty of Law this week. The event on May 12 will include la Sioux Tribe is seeking $500 million in damages for health-care and law-enforcement costs, develop- ment problems in children, and other effects of alco- hol consumption. It also wants the court to restrict alcohol sales in Whiteclay, Neb., a town near the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. But lawyers for the beer companies are arguing a court order would force stores to discriminate against native Americans, the World-Herald report- ed. Jerald Rauterkus, a lawyer for State Line Liquor in Whiteclay, called the request absurd. The Pine Ridge reserve bans alcohol, but Whiteclay, with a population of 11 people, sold 4.3 million cans of beer last year. According to the World-Herald, tribal leaders blame Whiteclay businesses for alcohol problems on the reserve. LT several speakers who will discuss topics ranging from digital legacy to knowledge management in law firms and the role of technology in the legal workforce. For more information, see law- techcamp.com. LOCAL LAWYER TO HELM NORTON ROSE GROUP Norton Rose Canada LLP chair- man Norman Steinberg is the new group chairman of the Norton Rose Group. Steinberg will oversee the global management of the Norton Rose Group in his new role. "Having a Canadian group chairman is a reflection of the glo- balization of the practice. With his significant management and client relationship experience, Norman is a natural choice for this position," said Peter Martyr, the Norton Rose Group' international practice as his pre- decessor, Stephen Parish, did. I would like to thank Stephen, who has significantly contributed to our success in becoming a truly international legal practice. "He will continue to build our s group chief executive. current role with Norton Rose Canada. Steinberg will continue in his " "Watch who you're mediating with, punk!" AURORA LAWYER SUSPENDED The Law Society of Upper Can- ada has suspended Aurora, Ont., lawyer David Peirce for acting in a conflict of interest and failing to ac- count for money held in trust. According to the law society' disposition, the lawyer acted for s failed to make sure his client's in and The existing rules date back to 1997. There are a total of five new rules and " a client on his 1998 and 1999 investments in a company that Peirce had an interest interests were protected through adequate disclosure and indepen- dent legal representation. Peirce also personally guaran- teed a loan and couldn't account for $6,500 of his client' that was being held in trust, a hearing panel found. The LSUC has suspended s money Peirce for four months. He must also pay $8,000 to complainant V.D. and $20,000 in costs to the law society. NEW BILL TARGETS GANG RECRUITMENT Justice Minister Rob Nicholson is publicly backing MP Parm Gill' zation recruitment act. The private member' would create a new indictable Criminal Code offence prohibiting recruiting or encouraging a per- son to join a criminal organization, would come with a maximum sen- tence of five years in jail and carry a mandatory minimum penalty of six months if the person recruited is less than 18 years old. "Our government is commit- s proposed criminal organi- s bill, which ted to keeping our streets and communities safe, which is why our government will vote in sup- port of this private member' said Nicholson. "I applaud Parm Gill for his efforts to help protect youth from the threat posed by or- ganized crime groups." The bill follows a number of re- s bill," forms to the criminal justice system, including the hotly contested Safe Streets and Communities Act and the Tackling Violent Crime Act. LT For more Inside Story, please visit www.lawtimesnews.com. " said Ontario Court Chief Justice KPI_LT_Mar26_12.indd 1 www.lawtimesnews.com 12-03-20 10:58 AM

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