Law Society Rules Should Serve As Guidelines, Not Strict Mandates
I am currently about to write the MPRE (multi-state professional responsibility exam) for licensing in the United States and this allows me time to review the American Bar Association (ABA) standard rules of professional responsibility for U.S. lawyers, which are substantially similar to the Law Society of Ontario’s Rules of Professional Conduct. As a lawyer […]
The great discontent of law firm power dynamics
I often hear from colleagues about a general discontent in working for a standard law practice and its culture. There is often resentment and politics between the different classes of employees — partners, associates, articling students, law clerks and operation staff. The reason for this discontent is typically due to a perceptive hierarchy that does […]
Providing value to the difficult client
Many lawyers (myself included) over the course of any practice, run into issues withdrawing from representing and terminating a difficult client. (A recent example of this was when Peter Nygard’s defence lawyer asked to be removed as his counsel just before his sentencing for sexual assault, reportedly due to a “breakdown and loss of confidence […]
What Are Trust Accounts And Why Do Lawyers Have Them?
Table of Contents What are Trust Accounts? Who Can Have a Trust Account? Why Must Lawyers Have Trust Accounts? Advantages and Disadvantages of a Trust Account What Would Happen Without Trust Accounts? Things to Be Aware of While Dealing With a Professional That Holds a Trust Account FAQs Conclusion What is a Trust Account? A […]
Why a Lawyer is Essential for Your Real Estate Transactions
Table of Contents Navigating the Legal Processes of Real Estate Transactions The Crucial Role of a Lawyer Why You Need a Lawyer for Real Estate Transactions Benefits of Hiring a Real Estate Lawyer FAQs Conclusion Navigating the Legal Processes of Real Estate Transactions Real estate transactions, particularly in Ontario, are labyrinthine legal endeavours laden with […]
Work-life balance for the modern lawyer
There are many self-help articles and books for every profession to assist with work-life balance, a trait that has never been more essential to service professionals like lawyers. There are many self-help articles and books for every profession to assist with work-life balance, a trait that has never been more essential to service professionals like […]
The multi-disciplinary lawyer: Why legal expertise isn’t enough
The conventional notion of what makes a successful, valuable lawyer has and continues to undergo a transformation. While it is still important to have legal expertise, this has become just the starting point for the profession as a whole and is in no way guaranteed a successful representation of clients and the community. With the […]
Embracing innovation: Nonlawyers should be allowed to own Ontario law firms
Alternative business structures for law firms were researched and debated back in 2014. Many lawyers were advocating to reform the current structural limitations of law firm ownership. Currently, law firms in Ontario can only be owned 100 per cent by licensed lawyers, but there was hope that the law society of Ontario (LSO) would provide […]
Revisiting the Ontario bar exam
The barrister and solicitor examinations in Ontario are ripe for reform. With the continuous influx and new generation of law students, I have found that the current examinations are not properly testing the competency levels of incoming students.been lawyers for some time looking for a career change. The current exam structure rewards groups of students […]
Working capital not for the faint of heart
In my work as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer, I have noticed there is a concept that is consistently argued about at every stage of negotiations including after a transaction closes — the concept of “working capital” in business transactions. The trouble with the term is its malleability in definitions: it is an accounting term, […]