Remain vigilant over your licensees in trademark agreements

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Protecting your trademark rights means not only guarding against infringers but ensuring you have sufficient control over licensees, says Toronto intellectual property lawyer John Simpson. “Businesses often look for friendly arrangements with others but the trademark owner must always be vigilant,” says Simpson, principal of IP and new media law […]

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Weighing the pros and cons of a lump sum insurance payout

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Predicting the future with any certainty is unrealistic so deciding whether to take a lump-sum payout or monthly payments in a long-term disability (LTD) claim takes careful consideration, says Ontario disability insurance lawyer Courtney Mulqueen. “No one has a crystal ball,” says Mulqueen, principal lawyer of Mulqueen Disability Law.

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A transport truck collision may result in serious injuries

Drivers always have to be careful as any car accident may lead to serious injury. That risk increases tenfold when a collision involves a transport truck since a fully loaded semi can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Sadly, these types of accidents are on the increase, as the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to 9,110

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Canada Disability Benefit should not be a windfall for insurers

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • The federal government’s Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) – intended to enhance the lives of Canadians by reducing disability-related poverty – is an excellent idea in theory but it requires safeguards to ensure it does not create an unintended and undeserved windfall for insurance companies, says Barrie-area litigator M. Steven Rastin.  “There is a direct

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Parallel parenting has its benefits but takes planning and effort

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Parallel parenting can be an option for divorcing parents who cannot agree to co-parent, says Toronto family lawyer A. Julia P. Tremain. Tremain, a partner with Waddell Phillips Professional Corporation, says the approach is not commonly used in her experience but has its benefits. However, it takes planning and effort to

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There are key differences between murder and manslaughter

By LegalMatters Staff • Police will be looking to lay charges whenever someone is unlawfully killed. But will the suspect be charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder or manslaughter? It all depends on the circumstances and the intent behind the act. “A first-degree murder charge is laid when the killing is planned and deliberate,” says

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Pedestrian traffic injuries, fatalities continue to be a problem

It was a deadly year for pedestrians in Ottawa. At least 10 people died in pedestrian-involved collisions in that city in 2023, according to the Ottawa Police Service (OPS). On one day in October, three people were hit by vehicles in two separate incidents, leaving one dead and prompting a warning from the Ottawa Safety

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When cost of living spikes, workers expect more from employers

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Inflation could continue to have an impact on labour relations in the coming year as workers look to play catch up with their eroding purchasing power, says Toronto employment lawyer Jeffrey M. Andrew. Andrew, a partner with Cavalluzzo LLP, points to a report published by RBC Economics that states more time is lost

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Physical assaults are just one component of domestic violence

By LegalMatters Staff • According to a national report, rural Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta have the highest rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in Canada. The Statistical Profile of Intimate Partner Violence in Canada published by the House of Commons found there were 535 police-reported incidents of IPV in urban areas per 100,000

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Don’t let impaired driving spoil the festive season this year

With the holiday season in full swing, it’s important to remember to keep festive celebrations joyful and safe for everyone. Law enforcement efforts to curb impaired driving are in full force during this time of year, particularly through initiatives like Ontario’s Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) program, which will be operating 24/7 until New Year’s

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