The Complete Brief
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January 09, 2026
Field Law welcomes 4 new partners
Field Law has named Amanda Baker, Angela Beierbach, Leanne Monsma and Renée Gilead as partners.
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January 09, 2026
An attitude of gratitude at law firms
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.” — Melody Beattie, author
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January 09, 2026
Key trademark developments and practical guidance for 2025
The past year has brought significant changes and clarifications in Canadian trademark law. This three-part series highlights the most notable developments providing insights to help trademark owners and practitioners navigate the shifting landscape.
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January 09, 2026
DANGEROUS AND LONG-TERM OFFENDERS - Persistent criminal behaviour - Protection of the public
Appeal by Sewap from his designation as a dangerous offender and the imposition of an indeterminate sentence. The predicate offence occurred in 2018 while Sewap was serving a four-year sentence for a prior aggravated assault.
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January 09, 2026
Application of the ‘consensual fight’ defence in the context of domestic assaults
Does the common law allow for the defence of “consensual fight” to excuse domestic assaults? This question has concerned defence counsel contemplating potential defences to their clients’ assault charges, Crown counsel trying to prove the accused guilty of the alleged unlawful conduct, as well as trial and appellate judges considering specific policy reasons for vitiating consent in an intimate partner violence context.
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January 08, 2026
Quebec court to consider proposed Fiat 500 door handle defect settlement
The Quebec Superior Court is set to consider a proposed settlement for a class action concerning alleged door handle defects in Fiat 500 vehicles from model years 2012 to 2019, according to a release.
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January 08, 2026
Court orders investigation into alleged discrimination over Elder services for Indigenous offenders
In a case where serious discrimination allegations were made for a correctional institution’s failure to provide appropriate Elder services to Indigenous offenders, the Federal Court has required an outside investigation to be conducted while remitting the matter back to the Special Advisor to the Commissioner.
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January 08, 2026
Nova Scotia releases first 2SLGBTQIA+ action plan
Nova Scotia has released its first 2SLGBTQIA+ action plan, which includes addressing that community’s lack of trust in the province’s justice system. A Jan. 8 news release describes the action plan as a “co-ordinated road map to advance equity, improve access to services and supports, and build safer, more inclusive communities.”
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January 08, 2026
Court upholds dismissal for cause based on misconduct discovered after termination
The Alberta Court of King’s Bench has dismissed a wrongful dismissal claim, affirming that an employer may rely on evidence of serious employee misconduct acquired after an employee’s dismissal to justify termination for just cause.
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January 08, 2026
Clark Wilson names 3 new partners
Clark Wilson lawyers Dan W. Melnick, David Bowden and Sunny Chiu have joined the firm’s partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2026.