Law Times

Page 16 February 13, 2017 • Law Times www.lawtimesnews.com ROY HEENAN REMEMBERED Former colleagues are remem- bering Roy Heenan, co-founder of Heenan Blaikie LLP, as a larger-than-life personality who loved the law and the people he worked with. Heenan, who had been bat- tling cancer, passed away Feb. 3 surrounded by his family at the age of 81. He was one of the firm's three co-founders who, along with Peter Blaikie and Donald Johnston, built the firm that grew to prominence until February 2014 when it closed its doors for- ever. Norm Bacal, who was national co-managing partner for 16 years at Heenan Blaikie, was first a student in Heenan's labour law class at McGill Law. "That's how far back we go," says Bacal. "But I only got a 'C'. The running joke in the firm for years after I was hired into the tax de- partment was that I would never have to do any labour work and Roy would never have me." While he had only spoken with Heenan once in the last couple of years, Bacal says when he heard the news about his death he felt a "great sense of loss" for the person who had been a major inf luence on his life. "Roy and Peter changed my life and sent it in a particular direc- tion," he says. Bacal recalls Heenan as another kind of teacher, saying he learned a lot from him about how to approach people. "He cast a giant shadow because he was a big personality, but on top of everything else, he was a real gentleman, always. There are so many aspects to him as an individual and so many lessons that he taught that I think he did without meaning to teach," Bacal says. LAURA NIRIDER TO SPEAK AT YWL GALA Young Women in Law has announced that Laura Nirider, the appeal counsel to Brendan Dassey, will speak at its seventh annual charity gala in April. Nirider, who is a co-director of the Center on Wrongful Con- victions of Youth, represented Dassey, who was the subject of Netf lix's documentary series Making a Murderer. BLAKES LAUNCHES INNOVATION CHALLENGE Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP is looking to find the next big idea in business law. The law firm has launched a legal tech competition it is call- ing the Global Legal Innova- tion Challenge. The initiative will give $100,000 to a winning entry, which will also receive mentoring from Blakes and the firm's part- ners on the project, Law Made. For more information, visit globalinnovation.blakes.com. YES, I AGREE 75 % 25 % NO, I DO NOT AGREE LAW TIMES POLL A Law Times column expressed concerns about extending the prison penalty for mischief on religious buildings, motivated by hate, to apply to all public buildings. Readers were asked whether this will cause over-incarceration. Roughly 75 per cent said yes, the extension of 10-year maximum sentences to new non-violent crimes will lead to problems, like more pre-trial detention of youths accused of mischief. The remaining 25 per cent said no, ex- tending the maximum sentence is a sage move that will demon- strate hate-motivated crimes are not condoned in Canada. LT u Bizarre Briefs By Viola James u The InsIde story "That's what happens when artificial intelligence learns on the job, just like humans." DRUNK DRIVERS: BEWARE THE BIEBS WYOMING, Minn. — A Minnesota police de- partment threatened to force drunk drivers to watch a Super Bowl ad featuring Justin Bieber as punishment, according to the Associated Press. The police department in the city of Wyo- ming tweeted during the Super Bowl Feb. 5 that anyone caught driving drunk would be forced to watch the pop star the entire way to jail. Bieber starred in a T-Mobile ad doing his version of a celebratory end-zone dance. The original tweet was retweeted at least 10,000 times and liked at least 16,000 times, according to AP. The department later tweeted thanks to everybody for spreading its message against drinking and driving. Police Chief Paul Hoppe told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that all the attention may have resulted in up to one million impressions. And he says his department made no drunk driving arrests the night of the Super Bowl. SPEEDY SALESMAN SPARED JAIL TIME YORK, U.K. — A man who viewed speed limits as an inconvenience has been spared jail time after using a laser-jamming device to avoid be- ing caught driving too fast, according to the Mirror. Ben Kitto received a suspended prison sen- tence last week at York Crown Court after pleading guilty to perverting the course of jus- tice, reports the newspaper. Judge Andrew Stubbs said it was only his "exceptional character" that prevented the 41-year-old Scarborough salesman from being jailed immediately, according to the Mirror. The judge said the speed limit seemed to be an "inconvenience" to Kitto, who drives close to 73,000 kilometres a year in a BMW 6 series car. "This arrogance led you to fill your car with gadgets, both legal and illegal, to allow you to op- erate outside the law," the judge is reported as say- ing. "It's only your exceptional character that has prevented you from being jailed immediately." Kitto, who has raised thousands of dollars for local charities, listened to the judge's com- ments with his head bowed and thanked him following his sentence. The court heard that Kitto was travelling at 146 kilometres an hour on the A64 in North Yorkshire on June 30 last year. He slowed down after the device in his car sounded an alarm as it jammed a police speed gun. The police officer realized the car was fitted with a laser-jamming device and Kitto was tracked down to his home, according to the Mirror. IS THAT A HAMMER IN YOUR TOOL BELT . . . MAIDSTONE, U.K. — A naked carpenter has been cleared of 11 public order charges after a two-day trial, reports KentOnline. Rob Jenner was arrested last year after police were repeatedly called to his home, where the 42-year-old was carrying out DIY and garden- ing wearing nothing but work boots. On Feb. 7, at Maidstone Magistrates' Court after almost two hours of deliberation, magis- trates returned not guilty verdicts, according to KentOnline. The bench had heard from witnesses who complained about Jenner's nudity, including Lisa Jarrett, who saw him on several occasions and said it made her feel "not very nice," accord- ing to KentOnline. But Andrew Backway, chairman of the bench, said: "On Sept. 1, we find you not guilty because Mrs. Jarrett went down the road to get a better look . . . "In regard to the remaining eight charges, we are satisfied you knew your behaviour was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. "However . . . being naked is a form of expres- sion. We find your freedom does not amount to disorderly behaviour because you were in your own garden, which has restricted views." LT Roy Heenan, co-founder of Heenan Blaikie LLP, died earlier this month. 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 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-5 1 2017-02-07 4:39 PM © Toronto Star

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