Articles 2023

Today
Today

Parents, Schools and Children's Rights: Session Recap

  • March 12, 2024
  • Brittany Ross-Fichtner

On February 27, 2024, the University of Ottawa’s Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory on the Rights of the Child (IRLRC) held an informative and engaging virtual program titled, “Parents, Schools and Children's Rights.”

Public Sector Lawyers, Student Forum

Court of Appeal Rejects All Sums Approach to Long-Tail Claims

  • March 06, 2024
  • Murray Stieber and Avi Sharabi

So-called “long-tail claims”, i.e. claims where the alleged damage spans a number of years, pose various coverage challenges for insurers and policyholders. On February 27, 2024, the Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision in Loblaw Companies Limited v. Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada, 2024 ONCA 145 (CanLII) (“Loblaw”), where it tried to bring some clarity to some of the material coverage issues that arise with these types of claims.

Insurance Law, Student Forum
head-shot photo of Robin Seligman

Breaking Barriers: Celebrating International Women's Day

  • March 05, 2024
  • Aqsa Nadeem, Newsletter Editor, OBA Citizenship & Immigration Law Section

In honour of International Women's Day, we highlight the inspiring journey of Ms. Robin Seligman. From overcoming barriers to advocating for her clients, she shares her experiences and triumphs throughout the year. This article celebrates her resilience, dedication, and contribution to the field of law while shining a spotlight on the importance of supporting and empowering women in legal practice.

Citizenship and Immigration Law, Student Forum
head-shot photo of author Mitchell Rose

Wrongful Dismissal & ADR: 2023 Caselaw in Review

  • March 05, 2024
  • Mitchell Rose, LL.B., C. Med, Q. Arb

Court backlogs worsened in 2023 thereby significantly delaying wrongful dismissal actions. While ADR processes help to reduce backlogs, Ontario does not have province-wide mandatory mediation, and most arbitration is a result of contractual termination clauses that can be challenged. One way to encourage voluntary mediation is for courts to penalize parties for failure to participate. So, how did our Courts fare in 2023 in promoting mediation and arbitration in wrongful dismissal matters?

Labour and Employment Law, Student Forum

Duelling Definitions: The Meaning of the Term “Law” in Insurance Policy Interpretation

  • February 29, 2024
  • Michael A. Valdez, Stieber Berlach LLP

Legal arguments over the meaning of a single term may seem like little more than semantic squabbles to those unfamiliar with insurance law. However, small interpretative disputes are often at the center of high-value insurance claims. The analysis of these disputes frequently determines whether the case ends in a big payout, or with a justifiably denied claim.

Insurance Law, Student Forum

Family Dynamics at the OLC

  • February 27, 2024
  • Gosha G.S. Sekhon, owner/principal lawyer at Sekhon Legal Services

In this article, Gosha Sekhon highlights takeaways from the Family Dynamics plenary of the OBA’s 2024 Ontario Legal Conference, reminding us to get context around a client’s instructions, that experiencing the death of a family member can be a form of trauma, that all human beings see the world through their own unique lens and being a lawyer does not change that, and more.

Student Forum, Trusts and Estates Law

Roadmap to Effective Testamentary Charitable Giving

  • February 27, 2024
  • Rami Aziz, Aziz Law Professional Corporation

On January 17, 2024, the OBA’s Trust and Estates section hosted a panel of experts to discuss testamentary charitable giving. In this article, Rami Aziz discusses this program, starting with a discussion of gifts in kind and the importance of adequately investigating a testator’s assets, and then moving on to discuss strategies for drafting lawyers to minimize risk and considerations when the intention is for donations to be made after death.

Student Forum, Trusts and Estates Law