Monday, June 27, 2016

LAWYERS LOOK TO RAISE $500K FOR ST. MICHAEL’S
When Shara Roy was first transferred to St. Michael’s Hospital with her twin daughters last June, she was scared.

The Toronto lawyer gave birth to her babies six weeks early and what was supposed to be an otherwise joyous event had become traumatic. But any worries she had quickly disappeared as the doctors and nurses at the hospital’s Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit doctors worked to reassure her.

Roy, who is a partner at Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP, is now joining a group of lawyers who are putting on a fundraising dinner — called Malachy’s Soiree — to raise $500,000 for the St. Michael’s NICU.

“This will really go towards modernizing the equipment that is available at the St. Mike’s NICU,” Roy says.

Last year, the dinner raised $200,000, which went towards buying a ventilator resuscitator machine.
The event’s second year hopes to fund infant resuscitator beds for the delivery room, incubators, ventilators, as well as breastfeeding equipment.

Others in the group of lawyers organizing the event include Marie Henein of Henein Hutchison LLP, Kerry O’Reilly of Vale, Carol Hansell of Hansell LLP, and Anne Ristic of Stikeman Elliott LLP, among others. Malachy’s Soiree will be hosted at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto on the evening of Sept. 29.
For more information, visit www.malachyssoiree.org.

IADC STARTS ONLINE REFERENCE GUIDE
The International Association of Defense Counsel has unveiled a reference guide that offers guidelines of civil justice systems for defendants and lawyers around the world.

The Survey of International Litigation Procedures provides details of justice systems in 49 different countries and seeks to help lawyers who practise in multiple jurisdictions. The guide can be found at the IADC Foundation’s web site.
 
LOUISE ARBOUR NAMED 2016 TANG PRIZE LAUREATE
A former Supreme Court justice has been honoured as a laureate in the 2016 Tang Prize’s rule of law category.

Louise Arbour served on the Supreme Court of Canada from 1999 to 2004 and now works as counsel to Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.

“Louise Arbour is one of the most influential legal minds of our times, and we are very proud to have her on our team, sharing her knowledge and experience with our lawyers and clients,” said Sean Weir, the national managing partner and CEO at BLG.


LAW TIMES POLL
Law Times reported recently that Joseph Groia is turning to the Supreme Court of Canada in his fight against the Law Society of Upper Canada over discipline for “unprofessional” behaviour. Readers were asked if they support his move.

Almost 64 per cent of respondents said yes, Groia should take the case to the SCC, as the case has wider implications for the profession and what’s considered to be “unprofessional” behaviour.

More than 36 per cent of voters said no, Groia is grandstanding and this fight has already dragged on for years. They agreed he should take his lumps and let it die peacefully.