Monday, November 7, 2016

OBA HONOURS CHRIS PALIARE
While he is known by colleagues as a “lawyer’s lawyer,” Chris Paliare says he would never describe himself that way.

The Toronto lawyer and partner at Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP was given the Ontario Bar Association’s 2016 Award for Excellence in Civil Litigation at a dinner in his honour in early November.

Paliare, who represents lawyers in disciplinary matters, says he is flattered by the “lawyer’s lawyer” label, but he honestly does not really know what it means.

“I guess I’m someone who people trust and whose judgment they appreciate,” he says. Paliare was called to the bar in 1973 and completed his articling at Cameron Brewin and Scott.

He credits his success to the luck of having been surrounded by lawyers at the firm such as former attorney general Ian Scott and former Court of Appeal justice Stephen Goudge while at the firm.

“I was really lucky as an articling student and a young lawyer to have attached my caboose to that train,” he says.

He later became a founding partner of litigation boutique Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein in 2001.

Paliare, who is considered a pioneer in boutique litigation, has appeared before every level of trial and appellate court in Ontario, right up to the Supreme Court of Canada.

TRUDEAU CHOOSES LAWYERS FOR SENATE
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed two Ontario lawyers to serve in the Senate.

Kim Pate and Howard Wetston will join the ranks of the red chamber as “independent senators.”

Pate is a human rights expert and a part-time law professor at the University of Ottawa, who has served as the executive director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies since 1992.

She has worked to help incarcerated women reintegrate into society when they are released.

Wetston is counsel with Goodmans LLP, an adjunct law professor at the University of Toronto and a former trial judge at the Federal Court of Canada.

LAO LAWYERS VOTE TO UNIONIZE
After three years of pushing for unionization, Legal Aid Ontario staff lawyers have voted to join the Society of Energy Professionals.

In a 246-76 vote, lawyers approved the move to have the union represent them in bargaining with LAO.

The lawyers first requested to unionize in 2013, but they were rejected by their employer.

LAO resisted the request until August, when they agreed to negotiate with the Society.

LAO’s articling students have also started their own push to be represented by the union.

LAW TIMES POLL
Law Times recently reported that a Law Society of Upper Canada committee has reversed its position to end the Law Practice Program.

Readers were asked if they agree with this decision.

More than 69 per cent said yes, the decision to endorse extending the pilot program for an additional two years is a wise move.

Almost 31 per cent said no, the decision does not reflect the committee’s original report.