By LegalMatters Staff • Most people have little experience with the criminal trial process. If you or a family member are facing charges, you may be unsure of what lies ahead. Don’t expect it to unfold as it does on television. Most legal dramas are American-based, with the entire process wrapped up in an hour. […]
Fingerprinting is one stage of a Canadian criminal trial Read More »
By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • The responsibility of municipalities to maintain roadways so they are safe for all vehicles has been reinforced by a recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision, says Ontario personal injury lawyer Joshua Goldberg. “In Beardwood v. Hamilton (City), the court awarded substantial damages to a motorcyclist who was injured after
Appeal court sides with motorcyclist injured by unexpected hazard Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Proposed amendments to improve Legal Aid payments along with $166 million in Ontario government funding to expand online legal services were hailed as “positive advances” by the Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA). Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) reforms on rates and tariffs paid to defence counsel represent a “significant investment in the defence bar,” says
TLA applauds proposed Legal Aid pay increases, modernization Read More »
New legislation intended to expand the scope of OHIP-insured services that can be provided to the public in Ontario by private facilities received Royal Assent on May 18. Among the goals of the Your Health Act is to expand access to publicly funded community-based healthcare services to improve patient-wait times. But the new legislation is
Bill 60 offers no safeguards for physicians’ privileges Read More »
By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • While ChatGPT is being embraced for its ability to quickly provide users with answers to virtually any question, its well-documented tendency to produce erroneous information can seriously damage a person’s reputation, says Toronto defamation lawyer Howard Winkler. “If an artificial intelligence (AI) platform publishes or creates content that is
ChatGPT’s credibility undermined by ‘hallucinations’ Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Finding ways to improve the processes and procedures of the legal profession is at the heart of the Toronto Lawyers’ Association (TLA) Advocacy Committee’s mandate, says chair Jennifer Arduini. “We are here to represent the interests of Toronto lawyers,” she tells LegalMattersCanada.ca. “We are the voice of our members, and we do our
TLA Advocacy Committee provides ‘the voice of our members’ Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • The launch of ChatGPT last November presents new possibilities to the legal profession, but also raises serious concerns for lawyers who fail to exercise due diligence when incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into their practices, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. ChatGPT is a tool that allows users to have humanlike conversations with
AI can be a helpful tool for the legal profession if used responsibly Read More »
Employers and employees were given important guidance by the Ontario Court of Appeal on when an employer can “lay off” an employee without compensation. The decision of Pham v. Qualified Metal Fabricators Ltd. is a welcome addition to the law of wrongful dismissal, particularly after the Ontario Court of Appeal refused to provide guidance in a
No right to lay off employees without compensation, court affirms Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Failing to review and update employment agreements to meet changing circumstances can be an expensive mistake as one employer recently discovered, says Ontario employment lawyer Alex Minkin. Minkin, an associate with Rudner Law, cites Celestini v. Shoplogix Inc., an Ontario Court of Appeal (ONCA) decision that found the “changed
Don’t take a chance with outdated employment contracts Read More »
By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • Getting around urban centres in Ontario can be a hassle. And expensive, when you factor in gas, vehicle costs and parking fees. So it is not surprising that some people are embracing e-scooters as a mode of transportation, which promise quick and easy commutes across the city. But users
E-scooters are popular but they can also be dangerous Read More »
