The Complete Brief
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December 15, 2025
New Alberta legislation limits law society’s education, disciplinary powers
Hot on the heels of a controversial bill to limit the disciplinary authority of professional regulatory bodies, Alberta legislators have also passed a bill that brings significant change to the governance of the legal profession in the province — a move some legal observers are saying seems to reflect a distrust of the provincial law society.
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December 15, 2025
Joint trials, case complexity allow Crown to stray from Jordan guidelines, says Ontario Appeal Court
In a case involving two respondents charged with drug offences as part of a massive 11-month interagency investigation of cross-border trafficking, the Ontario Court of Appeal has set aside the stay of proceedings against them and ordered a new trial.
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December 15, 2025
McInnes Cooper to admit 5 partners in 2026
McInnes Cooper will welcome five lawyers to its partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2026: Sean Corcoran, Melanie Gillis, Paige McInnis, Parker Menzies and Kyle Peck, the firm announced.
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December 15, 2025
DS Lawyers is now Prelia
DS Lawyers has adopted a new name, Prelia, as the first phase of its international rebranding, the firm announced.
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December 15, 2025
Dependent support claims: The overlooked obligation
In Ontario, estate disputes often erupt where families least expect them. At first glance, wills can appear all in order, assets may be simple, and relationships may seem calm … until someone who depended on the deceased person realizes they have not been adequately provided for. At that point, even the simplest will can be challenged through something called a “dependent support claim,” a process under Part V of the Succession Law Reform Act (SLRA) that is quite important to understand in Ontario.
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December 15, 2025
How holiday stress contributes to domestic-related calls and charges
The holiday season is often celebrated as a time of warmth, tradition and togetherness. Yet for many households in Canada, it also brings a unique mix of pressures that can contribute to increased conflict in the home.
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December 15, 2025
Supreme Court to clarify how Gladue applies when offenders and victims are Indigenous
On Dec. 11 and 12, 2025, the Supreme Court of Canada heard R. v. Cope, 2024 NSCA 59, a rare sentencing appeal with far-reaching implications for Indigenous communities. At stake is how courts should sentence Indigenous offenders when the victim is also Indigenous. The appeal has drawn 20 intervenors, a clear signal of its national importance.
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December 15, 2025
CUSTODY, PARENTING, AND ACCESS - Guardianship - Contest between parents and non-parents
Appeal by appellant father from decision of Justice of Court of King’s Bench. This appeal by the Indigenous appellant father arose out of an application for guardianship of his daughter brought by the Child’s maternal uncle and aunt, the brother of the Child’s deceased mother and his wife, under Alberta’s Family Law Act.
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December 12, 2025
The Friday Brief: Editor-In-Chief’s must-read items from this week
Here are my picks for the top stories we published this week.
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December 12, 2025
SCC clarifies warrantless arrest power, affirms right of defence to challenge legality of such arrests
Ruling 9-0, the Supreme Court of Canada has delineated statutory limits on the power of police to make warrantless arrests and the nature of their statutory partial immunity for “good faith” but mistaken warrantless arrests, thereby clarifying that Criminal Code s. 495 does not bar a criminal accused from the opportunity to allege that their warrantless arrest was illegal and thus infringed their s. 9 Charter-guaranteed right not to be arbitrarily detained or arrested.