News from Legal Feeds
Legal Feeds is a daily blog of Canadian legal news from Canadian Lawyer magazine and Law Times newspaper.
More informationLawyer wins constitutional challenge in case involving support for disabled adults
An Ontario woman and her lawyer have succeeded in a constitutional challenge, obtaining child support for a disabled adult child of unmarried parents, who is not attending school full time.
Indigenous relationships to be focus for justice system changes
Federal Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould told the Canadian Bar Association conference in Ottawa that improving relationships with indigenous Canadians is top of mind for the government.
Employee told to 'take demotion or go' gets $104,000 in wrongful dismissal
An Ottawa woman who worked for McDonald’s restaurants for more than 25 years has received $104,499.23 in lieu of 20 months notice for wrongful dismissal.
Getting wiggy with it
The Flip Your Wig initiative is a light-hearted, pledge-based fundraising campaign running until the end of March to support the continuing efforts of five access-to-justice organizations.
First aboriginal dean appointed at Canadian law school
The Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, which sees engagement with aboriginal communities as a key priority, says Angelique EagleWoman will begin as dean this May.
Legal Aid Ontario announces measures for Syrian refugees
Syrian refugee claimants who apply for refugee protection division coverage will be issued a 10-hour expedite legal aid certificate under a new pilot project from Legal Aid Ontario.
SCC loosens test for residency on humanitarian grounds
Immigration lawyers Ron Poulton and Toni Schweitzer intervened in the case on behalf of Parkdale Community Legal Services.
Judge awards rare advance costs to Indian sanatorium school survivor
Christa Big-Canoe, legal director at Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto, says Perell's ruling is a significant win that recognizes that things don't always fit into the settlement agreement box.
Ombudsman cites 'recurring concerns' with Office of Public Guardian and Trustee
A lot of ARCH Disability Law Centre's work around capacity comes from clients who have difficulty accessing services at OPGT, executive director Robert Lattanzio says.
Victim surcharges 'entrench cyle of poverty': lawyer
Notice has been filed seeking leave to appeal a decision last month by a Superior Court judge that surcharges of $100 per summary conviction offence and $200 per indictable conviction do not violate the Charter.
Omar Khadr free on bail
He was the first person since the Second World War to be prosecuted in a war crimes tribunal for acts committed as a juvenile.
Legal pains: The cost of justice includes physical health
Almost 40 percent of people ages 18 to 35 reported a physical health problem as a direct result of their legal problems, 61.5 percent for people between 55 and 64.
Wigging out about access to justice
Flip Your Wig For Justice is a pledge-based fundraiser that aims to raise awareness as well as money for access to justice programs in Ontario.
Ontario group to examine aboriginal justice issues
Representatives from the Law Society of Upper Canada, Legal Aid Ontario, and aboriginal communities are part of the group that will look into the challenges First Nations communities face in the justice system.
Groups concerned about plan to create three Toronto mega clinics
As Toronto's legal clinics prepare to consider a merger, some groups are raising concerns about the pending proposal to have only three mega clinics in the city.
Global law group accuses Harper of encroaching on judicial independence
Harper's public comments about Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin this spring "amounted to an encroachment on the independence of the judiciary," the International Commission of Jurists has found.
Legal clinic to offer support to tech startups
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP is partnering up with MaRS Discovery District to launch a legal clinic dedicated to serving innovative tech startups. The clinic will help startups with regulatory matters and legal issues including intellectual property, business immigration, and mergers.
Legal leaders launch scholarship for law students with disabilities
Legal Leaders for Diversity has established a trust fund to help disabled students studying law in Canada.
Mounting student debt means less access to justice
A law student is shocked about the increase in law school fees, especially at a time when the entire legal community is talking about how to solve the access-to-justice crisis in Canada.
Canadian Bar Association rolls out strategy to improve access to justice
The Canadian Bar Association's Access to Justice committee has set some aggressive targets for the next decade and beyond to ensure those who need it have better access to justice.