Monday, June 14, 2010


STRUCTURED SETTLEMENT LEADER DIES
Bob Baxter of Baxter Structures died last Monday following a brief battle with cancer.

“We are all extremely fortunate to have had such a wonderful man in our lives and we will miss him dearly,” said his daughter, Kyla Baxter.

The elder Baxter is survived by his wife, Diane, his two children, and three grandchildren. A funeral took place on Saturday in Toronto.

MILLER THOMSON GOES TO MARS
Miller Thomson LLP has announced a new partnership with the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto.

As part of the deal, the firm will provide counsel in areas such as business planning, finance, intellectual property management, and go-to-market strategies.

“Our work at MaRS provides access to the full spectrum of legal expertise necessary to nurture and protect the intellectual property of some of Canada’s most promising innovators, including those in the expanding clean technology sector,” said Anthony de Fazekas, a partner at Miller Thomson and the firm’s leader at MaRS.

NEW PARTNER AT BLANEY MCMURTRY
Boris Muchalov has become the newest partner at Blaney McMurtry LLP, where he’ll continue his practice in corporate and commercial law.

Called to the bar in 1999, Muchalov focuses on debt financing, asset-based lending, and equipment financing and leasing. He also acts as corporate counsel to a number of local and foreign manufacturing and technology businesses.

PAIR OF LAWYERS HONOURED BY YORK
York University conferred honorary degrees on two leading lawyers during its spring 2010 convocation ceremonies.

Atthe Osgoode Hall Law School event last week, Marlys Edwardh received adoctor of laws degree. The criminal lawyer and civil rights activistgraduated from Osgoode Hall herself in 1974.

The honour acknowledges her work since then, including the high-profile wrongful conviction cases of Donald Marshall, Guy Paul Morin, and Steven Truscott. Edwardh also serves as a vice president of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

Also last week, the university conferred a doctor of laws degree on Joseph Sorbara, another alumnus of Osgoode Hall. He served on the university’s board of governors for 12 years starting in 1988 and became an honorary governor in 2000.

Sorbara has also helped fund many projects at York, which recognized his volunteer work with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and North York General Hospital.

CUNNINGHAM SWAN BOOSTS RANKS
Lili Kramil-Marcus, a well-known family lawyer, has joined the Kingston, Ont., firm Cunningham Swan Carty Little & Bonham LLP.

Kramil-Marcus becomes a partner in the firm’s family law group after 20 years of involvement with the Office of the Children’s Lawyer. She currently sits on the boards of the Collaborative Family Law Association, the Kingston Jewish Council, and the Kingston General Hospital Foundation.

 “Graduating from Queen’s law school in 1986 as a mature student, Lili is herself an inspiring story and is a shining example of legal professionalism and civility,” said Cunningham Swan managing partner Tim Wilkin.

“Not only our clients but all our firm’s lawyers and staff will benefit from her wisdom, skill, experience, and example.”

CALL FOR PAPERS
The Canadian Centre for Elder Law has announced a call for papers for its fifth annual conference this October.

Submissions for workshops, papers, and panel presentations are due by June 30. The theme of this year’s conference, held in conjunction with the Law Commission of Ontario, is on developing an anti-ageist approach to the law. The event will explore issues of elder rights, ageism, access to justice, and law reform.

The conference takes place this year at the Delta Chelsea hotel in Toronto from Oct. 28-30. For more information, visit bcli.org/ccel