Law Times

Page 16 March 27, 2017 • Law TiMes www.lawtimesnews.com Integrated Legal Marketing Solutions LawyerMarketingCanada.com/solutions Put Your Digital Marketing Tactics into High Gear Untitled-7 1 2017-03-22 10:47 AM LSUC REAPPOINTS WRIGHT TO TRIBUNAL David A. Wright has been reap- pointed as chairman of the Law Society Tribunal for a four-year term, starting in September. Wright was first appointed as the independent organiza- tion's first full-time non-bencher tribunal chairman in 2013, as part of the Law Society of Upper Canada's enhancements to its ad- judicative process for discipline, licensing and other regulatory matters. Under Wright's leadership, a new scheduling process was es- tablished to maximize hearing date options and reduce vacated and continuation dates, said the LSUC in a press release. A new, dedicated website was also developed to enhance transpar- ency of tribunal proceedings. To build the tribunal's distinct identity, Wright and his team de- veloped a set of core values for the organization: fairness, quality, transparency and timeliness, said the LSUC. "I am extremely happy to be reappointed as tribunal chair and I look forward to continuing to build the Law Society Tribunal as a leader in the administrative justice community," said Wright in the press release. PIETERS STOPS REPRESENTING MEREDITH Lawyer Selwyn Pieters tweeted on March 20 that he is no longer representing Senator Don Mer- edith in his hearing before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest. Senators have called for Mer- edith's resignation after an eth- ics report said he used his posi- tion of power to lure a teenage girl into a sexual relationship. He is also being investigated by the Senate ethics officer over separate allegations of workplace harassment. Pieters would not say whether it was his choice to end the relationship with Mer- edith, but he told Law Times the decision has his "blessing." "Senator Meredith is now being represented by William Trudell in his matter before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Conf lict of Interest," said Pi- eters in an email to Law Times. OSC NAMES NEW COMMISSIONERS Robert P. Hutchison and Mark J. Sandler have been ap- pointed to the Ontario Securi- ties Commission, where they will each serve a two-year term. Hutchison spent more than 40 years with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, where he prac- tised business law, focusing on financial services. Sandler is the senior partner of Cooper Sandler Shime & Bergman LLP and has been an appellate and trial litigator spe- cializing in criminal and regula- tory law for 37 years. 25 % NO, I DO NOT AGREE YES, I AGREE 75 % LAW TIMES POLL Last week, Law Times reported that lawyers are expressing con- cerns over the timing of the roll- out of extensive draft regulations by the provincial government to amend the Condominium Act. Readers were asked if they feel this will leave little time to bring clients up to speed. Seventy-five per cent said yes, the government expects the first phase of legislation to be implemented later this year, and this leaves little lead time for lawyers. Twenty-five per cent said no, the changes leave appropriate time for lawyers to digest all the regulations and help clients un- derstand them. LT u Bizarre Briefs By Viola James u The InsIde story PORNOGRAPHY ENDS UP ON AIR DUE TO 'CRIMINAL ACT' DAKAR — A Senegalese Islamic channel shocked viewers with half an hour of hard-core pornography in the middle of the day, in what the TV station on March 22 attributed to a "criminal act," Reuters reports. Privately run Touba TV generally broadcasts religious programs, including prayer sessions, sermons from prominent imams and in-depth theological discussions. But viewers were horrified on the afternoon of March 20 when its regular transmissions were interrupted with a hard-core pornograph- ic movie. The West African country's media watch- dog, CNRA, has demanded an explanation. "We have asked Touba TV how this unac- ceptable mistake could happen for almost 30 minutes," an official told Reuters. In a statement, Touba TV denounced what it called "a criminal act by people with a hidden agenda." It gave no further details on the crimi- nals or how they got access to its broadcasting unit. LEADING BY EXAMPLE SYDNEY — An Australian government official from New South Wales is in hot water for post- ing a photo he reportedly took while driving a vehicle, which is illegal in the country, reports the BBC. According to the media report, Tony Grant did not realize he was breaking the law for pick- ing up the phone to take the photo while he was stopped in a construction zone. "This serves as a massive reminder. Nobody is above the law even if you are the police minis- ter," said Grant, according to the BBC. Grant's car was reportedly not moving while he took the photo, which showed a sheep in a car nearby him. He later tweeted the photo from home, ac- cording to the BBC report. Grant reported him- self to police for the offence, reported the BBC, and faces a fine. "I did not know that what I was doing was against the law," said Grant in the BBC report. "This is a great lesson for me, and I hope it is something that the community takes a lesson from as well." SIERRA LEONE TO AUCTION 706-CARAT DIAMOND KOIDU TOWN, Sierra Leone — One of the world's largest uncut diamonds — weighing 706 carats — found by a Christian pastor in Sierra Leone's eastern Kono region will be put up for auction, reports Reuters. A local chief from Kono handed the stone to President Ernest Bai Koroma on behalf of Em- manuel Momoh who made the discovery, ac- cording to Reuters. In a statement on March 16, the president's office said Koroma thanked the chief for not smuggling it out of the country. The stone is being stored in the country's central bank, government sources told Reuters. Diamonds fuelled a decade-long civil war that ended in 2002 in which 50,000 people were killed, says Reuters. Rebels forced civilians in the east to mine the stones and bought weapons with the proceeds, leading to the term "blood diamonds." "He [Koroma] underscored the importance of selling such a diamond here as it will clearly give the owners what is due them and benefit the country as a whole," the statement said. The stone is yet to be valued, but it could be worth millions of dollars. Despite its size, the diamond is considerably smaller than the Cullinan diamond, which was found in South Africa in 1905, says Reuters. That 3,106-carat stone was cut into several polished gems and the two largest pieces are part of Britain's crown jewels. A 1,111-carat diamond was unearthed in a Botswana mine in 2015, adds Reuters. LT David A. Wright has been reappointed as chairman of the Law Society Tribunal. "But can you think of a better way to inform stakeholders about the new amendments to the Condominium Act?"

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