Several court decisions dealing with cost recovery have emanated out of condo land lately. While the ratios vary, the scattering takes on a distinct shape when viewed as a group that’s trending away from generous cost awards for condominium boards that are successful in their litigation against unit owners. While most of these cases arise out of s. 134(5) of the Condominium Act, they also provide valuable insight and guidance to all lawyers on the law of costs.

If you broke your leg, would you look for a remedy on the Internet or go to the hospital? The answer is clear. But what if the hospital put out a notice telling you to cure yourself over the Internet?

Rhonda Nordlander certainly isn’t alone in having a bad experience as a self-represented litigant.

Last week, the Licenced Paralegals Association of Ontario and the Paralegal Society of Ontario addressed the question of the scope of paralegal practice in immigration matters at the Law Society of Upper Canada ahead of a motion considering the issue at its annual general meeting this week.

Auto insurance premiums are an easy target when it comes to public policy matters in Ontario as most people hate to pay more to drive a car.

The Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters has been busy coming up with solutions to the problems plaguing Canada’s justice system.

On March 26, an arbitration decision dealt a potentially serious blow to the minor injury guideline.

Intermittent sentences are about to become unavailable in Alberta. Premier Alison Redford’s government has announced Alberta intends to phase out intermittent sentences in a bid to save $942,000.

It’s ironic that the former chairwoman of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal was, as a report found last week, herself harassing and insulting her employees.

In another example of the problems with the labour arbitration system, an April 5 award granted wage increases just shy of three per cent to staff at the Ottawa Police Service for 2011 and 2012 even as their municipal colleagues got less through bargaining.

When the general counsel of Canada’s largest producer of ethanol was about to retire, the company put out the word that it needed the services of a lawyer with certain skills for three days a week. Among other things, that skill set involved corporate matters, experience with Quebec law, and proficiency in French. As a native of Montreal, a member of both the Ontario and Quebec bars, and a senior associate with Shibley Righton LLP in Toronto, I thought it looked like an interesting assignment.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was understandably upset with the Divisional Court’s ruling last week declining to award him costs in his conflict of interest case.