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Legal Book Reviews: Quirky, Concise, Provocative

Provincial Offences Act

Paralegal SCOPE Magazine contributor Paralegal Suzanne Bemrose, of Bellum Legal, reviews “Provincial Offences Act: Ontario Court of Justice Selected Short Form Wordings, Set Fines and Ministry of Transportation CVOR Points,” by James Giroux.

This reference book includes several sections that refer to more than one Act. The book includes a Victim Surcharge Table.

Meet Mr.…

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Meet "Mr. Loophole": Book Review

Meet “Mr. Loophole”: Book Review

Paralegal Reena Basser, B.A., M.A., is a professor at Humber and Seneca colleges, in their legal programs. She reviews a book written by “Mr. Loophole,” with courtroom strategies that are particularly relevant for Provincial Offences work.

One happy summer, we had guests from Manchester, England, for one week. One of the guests was a criminal lawyer in a large Manchester firm. She found out I…

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#disclosure #duress #Fight Tickets #Manchester #mitigating factors #Mr. Loophole #Nick Freeman #POA #Provincial Offences Defence #Reena Basser #The Art of the Loophole: Making the Law Work for You #Traffic Ticket Defence

Hryniak v. Maudlin: Summing up Summary Judgment

Whitby Courthouse

SCOPE contributor Andrew Hyland examines a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision and explains the possible implications for paralegals who practice in small claims.

The Supreme Court ruled recently on summary judgments. How will this affect current jurisprudence behind Rule 12.02 motions and recent developments in the Small Claims Court, in the wake of Hryniak v. Maudlin?

“En…

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Q&A: PSC Candidates Answer Question 10

Paralegal SCOPE presents the tenth in a series of Q & As for the PSC Election 2014. All answers are posted at the same time. Candidate names will be rotated, to ensure “alphabetical fairness.”

Question 10:

What is the appropriate role for paralegals, in the provision of legal services in Ontario?

Jaclyn P. Solomon

We are leaders in our infant field, setting the stage for all…

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#2014 LSUC Election #Brian Lawrie #Candidate Profiles #Candidate Q&A #Cathy Corsetti #Ian Wilkinson #Jaclyn P. Solomon #Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC)#Michelle Haigh #Paralegal Standing Committee (PSC)#Paula Callaghan #Robert Burd #Tami Cogan

Burlington Court Finds PSC Candidate Guilty

Paralegal Standing Committee (PSC) Candidate, Francesco (Frank) Alfano, has been found guilty of driving while his licence was suspended.

Judgment was rendered Feb. 28, after a trial that began last June. Alfano was found guilty under section 53(1) of the Highway Traffic Act The matter carries a penalty of a fine of not less than $2,000 and not more than $5,000; or to imprisonment for a term of…

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#30 day sentence #actus reus #Burlington #Burlington Provincial Offences Court #Conduct #Driving While Suspended #expired validation tag #Francesco Alfano #Frank Alfano #Highway 407 #POA conviction #Provincial Offences Court #PSC Candidate

G20 Paralegal, Suspended, Fined

Photo: LSUC

A Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) Hearing Panel has rejected a joint submission, instead handing an 8-month suspension and costs of $6,000 to a Toronto paralegal.

The March 3 disposition centred on Leah Michelle Henderson’s involvement in G20 activists’ planning.

Henderson had been found guilty of committing the criminal offence of counselling an offence not committed (mischief…

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#$6000 fine #conduct unbecoming a licensee #confidence in the legal profession #Counselling to Commit #G20 Economic Summit #Governance #Hearing Panel #joint submission #Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC)#Leah Michelle Henderson #Protecting the Public #s. 464(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada #suspension

Paula Stamp: Distinguished Paralegal 2014

Photo: Centennial College

Toronto paralegal Paula Stamp has been named the Distinguished Paralegal Award recipient for 2014.

Paula Stamp is the founder and director of operations of Accident Resolution Group Stamp & Associates PC (ARG). She is also the marketing director for Patey Law Group (PLG). Combined, the two firms employ 40 people.

Stamp was licensed in 2008, after working more than 18…

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#2014 #Accident Benefits #Autism #Distinguished Paralegal Award #Honours #Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC)#Paralegal Awards #Paralegal Profiles #Paralegal Recognition #Paralegal Standing Committee (PSC)#Paula Stamp #Volunteering

Media 101: PR Placement, Real Reporting, or Sponsored Content?

This is the first in an occasional series on “media awareness” for paralegals. From time to time, I will explain some aspect of news media, so that paralegals who may not be familiar with the media landscape can gain a better understanding.

“Consider the source.” This is a good idea with anything you read. But it can be easier said than done, especially with online media that are not always…

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#Copyright Act #copyright infringement #Intellectual Property #Law and the Media #Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC)#Legitimate News #marketing #Media #Media Awareness #Media Relations #News #Newspapers #Online News #Paralegal Marketing #professional responsibility #Publicity #Responsible Communication #Sponsored Content

Why Not to Vote for the PSC

Voting begins tomorrow, March 12, for the five paralegal members of the Paralegal Standing Committee (PSC).

These people will represent the profession at the PSC, will sit on Committees, Working Groups and Panels, taking part in debates and decisions that affect governance of paralegals in Ontario.

You will hear much about why you should vote, for whom you should vote, and why the election is…

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#2014 LSUC Election #Bencher Candidates #Candidate Profiles #Election 2014 #Election coverage at SCOPE #Election Information #Election Material #Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC)#March 12 2014 #March 31 2014 #Paralegal Standing Committee (PSC)#PSC Election 2014 #PSC Mandate #What is the PSC?

Q&A: PSC Candidates Answer Question 9

SCOPE presents the eighth in a series of Q & As for the PSC Election 2014. All answers are posted at the same time. Candidate names are rotated from time to time, to ensure “alphabetical fairness.”

Question 9:

What makes you unique, as a Candidate? What sets you apart?

Jaclyn P. Solomon

When you are aware of the uniqueness of everyone’s individualism, will you begin to have a sense of…

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#2014 LSUC Election #Bencher Candidates #Brian Lawrie #Candidate profile #candidates #Cathy Corsetti #Election Information #Ian Wilkinson #Jaclyn P. Solomon #Law Society of Upper Canada #Michelle Haigh #Paralegal Benchers #Paralegal Election 2014 #Paralegal Standing Committee (PSC)#Paula Callaghan #Robert Burd #Tami Cogan #Who should I vote for?

Electronic Filing, Service Changes: SCC Update

Photo: Andrew Hyland

Last August, paralegal Andrew Hyland broke down coming changes to the Rules of the Small Claims Court. SCOPE updates the changes, as more rules are on-deck to be phased-in.

Amendments to the Rules of the Small Claims Court will continue to affect paralegals who work in this area of practice, with more changes coming into force this July.

The latest amendments affect:

RULE 8 –…

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Ontario Has a New Chief Coroner

Office of the Chief Coroner

A doctor with expertise in child abuse, Dr. Dirk Huyer, has been appointed Chief Coroner for Ontario. He had served as interim Chief Coroner since July 2013.

Dr. Huyer joined the Office of the Chief Coroner in 2008, as a Regional Supervising Coroner. He has served as a coroner in Ontario since 1992 and was Regional Supervising Coroner for the regions of Peel and…

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#Chief Coroner for Ontario #Death Investigation #Dr. Dirk Huyer #Hospital for Sick Children #Office of the Chief Coroner #Pediatric Death Review #Regional Supervising Coroner #Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN)#University of Toronto

Meet the Candidates, Meet SCOPE

PSC Election 2014

Paralegal voters will have a chance to see many Candidates answer questions about their campaigns, at an event Saturday afternoon in Toronto.

Organized by the Ontario Paralegal Network, voters can watch online, or go down to Metro Hall, on John Street, just south of the Theatre District. SCOPE will be there, helping to moderate and to ensure the event is as fair and unbiased as…

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#2014 LSUC Election #Bullying #Civility #Darryl Singer #Elizabeth LeReverend #Fairness #George Brown Professional Corporation #JoJo Chintoh #Let them Howl #Ontario Paralegal Network #OPN #Paralegal Standing Committee #Professionalism #PSC Election 2014 #Questions for Candidates #Representing Paralegals #Webinar

Paralegals Among New Justices of the Peace

Ontario will have 21 new Justices of the Peace at Ontario Courts of Justice, effective March 12. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Faith M. Finnestad announced the appointments March 4.

The appointees are:

Justice of the Peace Karen (Soloman) Baum:

Baum has worked as a journalist for the past 17 years and was a news producer for CBC in Ottawa. She developed…

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Paul Dray Retires from Paralegal Standing Committee

LSUC Treasurer Tom Conway speaking at Paul Dray retirement luncheon, Feb. 27, 2014

A standing ovation punctuated paralegal bencher Paul Dray’s last meeting at Convocation, Feb. 27.

Dray is not running for re-election to the Paralegal Standing Committee (PSC), so the feb. 27 Convocation was his last. Speeches and a legal all-star luncheon helped to send the long-serving paralegal off in style.

Tr…

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Substantive Exam, Step One: Do Not Panic

Changes are coming, to both the accreditation and audit processes for paralegal programs, and to the paralegal licensing examination. Information available from the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) suggests that the changes, which have been in the works since 2012, will pose no difficulty for the vast majority of schools and graduates.

The current examination tests Candidates on professional…

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#303 competencies #accreditation and audit process #August 2015 #Competency #Convocation Decisions #Curriculum #examination #Good Character Hearing #Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC)#Liability #LSUC-Accredited Schools #online survey #Paralegal Education #Paralegal Licensing Process #Paralegal Standing Committee (PSC)#Procedural Law #study materials #Substantive law content

uLaw Practice Management Service Review

uLaw practice management service

For sole proprietors and small paralegal firms, the challenges of running an independent practice can seem overwhelming.

How to juggle the day-to-day tasks, to manage clients, market services, comply with Law Society of Upper Canada record-keeping requirements, maintain an office, ensure banking needs are addressed, get paid, and advocate… these issues keep some…

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