Monday, April 25, 2016

CHANGES AT MCCARTHY TéTRAULT
McCarthy Tétrault LLP has announced shifts to its senior leadership team. The changes come after Dave Leonard was appointed the firm’s new chief executive officer.

Kim Thomassin is the firm’s national client leader, Barb Boake is the national practice leader, Shea Small is the international and business strategy leader, Matthew Peters is the national innovation leader, and Tracie Cook will continue as the firm’s chief operating officer, said a news release.

“I am confident this talented and business-focused group of professionals will meet our vision to grow as an innovative, market-leading firm,” said Leonard, in the release.

“Each of these individuals has the passion and proven track record to help lead the firm.”

NEW REPORT FROM COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION ONTARIO
A research report has been released on the availability of legal information for people in Ontario. A Community Legal Education Ontario news release said the report “identifies almost 1,700 legal information resources on a range of topics produced by over 180 organizations.”

“This abundance means that people looking for legal information may have difficulty finding and identifying what is relevant and reliable — particularly when looking for information online,” said the release. The report, called “Public Legal Education and Information in Ontario: Learning from a Snapshot,” contains recommendations to address these issues.  

It can be accessed at www.plelearningexchange.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/PLE-in-Ontario-Learning-from-a-snapshot_Final-report.pdf.

SELF-REPRESENTED STATISTICS
The National Self-Represented Litigants Project announced its first Canadian self-represented litigants outcomes data. The data is from Loom Analytics, a legal analytics company in Toronto, and is based on decisions in CanLII.

“Thus far, Loom Analytics has provided NSRLP with outcome details for cases where one side was represented by counsel and the other side was self-represented, decided in the Ontario Superior Court between January 1, 2012 and April 7, 2016 — a snapshot of the last 52 months,” said the web site.

Data presented on the NSRLP web site indicates 73 per cent of self-represented litigants who took part in hearings lost, and 14 per cent won, while the rest resulted in split decisions or no order.

More of the findings can be accessed at representingyourselfcanada.com/2016/04/18/finally-canadian-data-on-case-outcomes-srl-vs-represented-parties/.

LAW TIMES POLL
This week, Law Times reported that lawyers for convicted officer James Forcillo are challenging the Charter regarding mandatory minimum sentencing.

Readers were asked if they agreed with this course of action.

About 26 per cent said yes, mandatory minimum sentences are designed to penalize those involved in criminal activity, not police officers on the job.

The other 74 per cent indicated they did not agree, and that Forcillo should face the same sentencing provisions as other offenders.