JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCEDThe federal government has appointed Superior Court Justice Lois Roberts to the Ontario Court of Appeal.
Roberts replaces Justice George Strathy, who became chief justice of Ontario last year.
Roberts joined the Superior Court bench in 2008. Prior to her appointment, she was a lawyer with Genest Murray LLP and Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP practising commercial litigation as well as employment and human rights law.
Replacing Roberts on the Superior Court bench is lawyer Kenneth Hood, who was counsel at mortgage and real estate law firm Schneider Ruggiero LLP prior to his appointment. As a certified specialist in civil litigation, Hood’s practice focused on mortgage and debt enforcement, contractual disputes, shareholder and partnership matters, professional negligence, and real estate.
Hood is also a former director of The Advocates’ Society and a past executive member of the Ontario Bar Association’s civil litigation section.
NEW PROGRAM FOR STARTUPS Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP says it’s creating a new custom legal services program aimed at helping accelerate innovative ventures.
“Many emerging technology businesses have special legal needs, especially when scaling and dealing with the changing demands that come with expansion,” said Anthony de Fazekas, a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright in Toronto.
“Our new program removes the associated challenges and risk by connecting companies to a concierge-type service that ensures the right strategic advice is accessed at the right time, at affordable rates. Each member of our team has a strong passion and commitment to helping our technology clients succeed,” said de Fazekas.
In the past, Norton Rose Fulbright has partnered with the MaRS Discovery District to launch a legal clinic dedicated to serving technology startups. The new program will offer not only basic services but also strategic legal support “on key topics for high-growth Canadian technology businesses,” the firm said.
POLL RESULTSThe results for the latest
Law Times online poll are in.
According to the poll, the majority of respondents don’t agree with a motion put forward at this week’s Law Society of Upper Canada annual general meeting that seeks to force law firms of a certain size to take articling students chosen at random.
Sixty-five per cent of respondents said the proposed scheme is both unfair and unfeasible.
The 15 lawyers behind the motion say attempts to address the shortcomings of the articling system have created new problems and interfere with the law school experience. The motion proposes requiring firms of eight or more lawyers to accept articling students assigned to them at random.
NEW PARTNERS AT DENTONSDentons Canada LLP has promoted four Ontario lawyers to the partnership as the firm welcomes 48 lawyers as partners globally.
In Ontario, the firm welcomed Rob Davis, Scott Martyn, Andy Pushalik, and Kori Williams to the partnership.
Davis practises corporate law in Ottawa while the rest of the newly minted partners are at the firm’s Toronto office. Pushalik practises labour and employment law, Martyn is a real estate lawyer, and Williams works in the financial services area.
“I congratulate our new partners on this significant and well-deserved promotion — these highly talented lawyers further strengthen a partnership that is dedicated to meeting, and exceeding, our clients’ expectations,” said Elliott Portnoy, Dentons’ global chief executive officer.
