Law Times

Page 16 August 22, 2016 • LAw times www.lawtimesnews.com LAWYERS TEAM UP TO LAUNCH ROSEN SACK LLP Toronto lawyers Avra Rosen and Susan Sack have joined forces to start a new firm called Rosen Sack LLP. The two lawyers have been friends since they were put in the same section at Osgoode Hall Law School in the 1980s. "We are two very strong wom- en, advocates, trial lawyers — very similar in the way we approach things and how we have compas- sion for our clients and strive for excellence," Rosen says. Called to the bar in 1987, Rosen practised family law while Sack initially pursued commercial litigation. Rosen has had her own family law firm, Law Offices of Avra Rosen, for the last 19 years. She says one of her only sticking points of creating the new firm was that everything in her office remains purple — which has become what she calls her "colour trademark." Sack, who recently left Basman Smith LLP, focuses the majority of her practice representing family lawyers in LawPRO proceedings, but she also does some family law and commercial litigation. The firm, which launched Aug. 15 with six lawyers, is set to move into a new space at the corner of St. Clair Avenue and Yonge Street in Toronto. The two lawyers say their skillsets complement each other well because the new firm will offer a complete package for family law clients who may need the help of a lawyer with estate litigation experience. SOUTH ASIAN BAR ASSOCIATION WELCOMES NEW DIRECTORS Five new directors have been elected to the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto's board of directors. SABA Toronto elected Aar- ondeep Bains of Aird & Berlis LLP, Neil Gurmukh of Miller Thomson LLP, Devin Persaud of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, as well as lawyers Aman Patel and Vibhu Sharma. The directors will join the board after being elected at the association's 10th annual gen- eral meeting in August. TLA CALLS FOR HONSBERGER AWARD NOMINEES The Toronto Lawyers Asso- ciation is calling for nomina- tions for the 2017 Honsberger Award. The annual award recognizes a TLA member's accomplish- ment or ongoing contribution, which exemplifies knowledge, advocacy and community — the association's three pillars. The award is named after John Honsberger, a TLA pres- ident from 1967 to 1968 and as- sociation historian who was the first recipient of the Law Society Medal and the TLA Award of Distinction. For a nomination form or for more information, contact jrata- iclang@tlaonline.ca. The dead- line for nominations is Sept. 30 and the award will be presented at the TLA Awards of Distinc- tion Reception on March 2, 2017. YES, I AGREE 45 % 55 % NO, I DO NOT AGREE LAW TIMES POLL Law Times reported recently that Legal Aid Ontario is reconsid- ering its practices around trans- parency in light of the province's recent Open Data Directive. Readers were asked if they thought Legal Aid billings should be kept secret. Around 45 per cent said yes, releasing the data would violate the privacy of lawyers and the information would lack context. The remaining 55 per cent said no, transparency and ac- countability would be enhanced if it was released, showing how public funding is used. LT u Bizarre Briefs By Viola James u The InsIde story WRONG PLACE TO ZZZZZZ . . . Note to burglars: Don't fall asleep outside the place you just burglarized with your vehicle full of the loot. A pair of 17-year-olds in the Central California community of Winton were arrested and released to the custody of their parents af- ter passing out in a haze of marijuana smoke outside of a construction site, their blue SUV packed with copper wires and other items from the property, police said. The youths also had a loaded gun, which investigators determined had been stolen in March of this year, said Jason Goins, under- sheriff for the Merced County Sheriff 's Depart- ment. They were spotted in their car by a sher- iff 's deputy shortly after midnight on Friday, Goins said. "There was a strong odour of marijuana coming from the vehicle," Goins said. "They were passed out and he had to wake them up." The youths, whom Goins said were gang members, were arrested on suspicion of par- ticipating in a criminal street gang, possessing stolen property and having a loaded firearm in the vehicle. "We've run across it before — people who are intoxicated or high on drugs passed out at the scene," Goins said. "It's not common, but it does happen." UM, MOST UNPOPULAR POTENTIAL CLIENT EVER? A Chilean f lamingo named Pinky, known for her dancing, was euthanized at a Florida theme park after being badly injured by a man who reached into her pen and threw her to the ground, Tampa police said on Wednesday. Orlando resident Joseph Anthony Corrao, 45, was arrested and jailed on a felony animal cruelty charge in connection with the incident involving the bird, police said in a statement. Corrao was visiting an animal viewing area at Busch Gardens in Tampa with his family when other park patrons saw him pick up Pinky and throw her to the ground, police said. The 19-year-old animal suffered traumatic injuries and veterinarians decided to "humanely eutha- nize" her as a result, said park spokeswoman Karen Varga-Sinka. Police did not give a motive. Jail records did not list a lawyer for Corrao, who was being held on a $2,000 bond. Videos previously posted online show Pinky twirling and tapping her webbed feet, a behav- iour the park said the f lamingo loved to show off for guests. "Pinky was a beloved member of the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay family and made many ap- pearances on behalf of the park's conservation and education efforts," Varga-Sinka said. "She will be sorely missed." NOT RECOMMENDED FOR COURT . . . Conservationists in Tanzania are using an un- orthodox way of keeping elephants from wan- dering into human settlements — by throw- ing condoms filled with chilli powder at them. The method has proved effective, and Hon- eyguide Foundation, which hit upon the idea several years ago, with U.S.-based Na- ture Conservancy has stepped up its pro- motion, training volunteers in villages in north Tanzania to use a non-violent four- step way of protecting their homes and crops without hurting the animals. Previ- ously, many used spears to defend themselves. "Since we developed the . . . toolkit, we have seen an attitude change within these communi- ties whereby they are much more confident that they can keep elephants out of their fields with- out harming the elephants," said Honeyguide executive director Damian Bell. The first two steps involve shining a torch at the elephant and sounding a horn. If it is not deterred, a so-called "chilli cloud" is thrown. LT Susan Sack has joined Avra Rosen, to create Rosen Sack LLP. "Sorry, but I am pretty sure she's not a #040 Wigglytuff Fairy Pokémon." One-Year Subscription Includes: • 11 issues of both print and digital editions • FREE exclusive access to the Canadian Lawyer digital edition archives • FREE weekly e-newsletter: Canadian Legal Newswire Access a free preview at: bitly.com/CanLawyer-FreePreview @canlawmag PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT # 40766500 $ 1 0 A u g u s t 2 0 1 5 7KHXOWLPDWHVRXUFHIRUWRGD\·VOHJDOSURIHVVLRQ Canlawyer.lawtimes@thomsonreuters.com 416.609.3800 I 1.800.387.5164 To place an order please call 416.609.3800 or order online at: bitly.com/CanLawyer-Subscription *Plus applicable taxes Subscribe to Canadian LawyerWRGD\IRURQO\ Untitled-6 1 2016-08-16 2:31 PM

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