Pulse
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January 21, 2026
FCA rejects Ottawa’s ‘expansive’ view of cabinet authority to wield ‘draconian’ emergency powers
In a case that might land on the steps the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal has ruled unanimously that the federal cabinet wrongly invoked the Emergencies Act to declare a national “public order” emergency in 2022.
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January 21, 2026
The new reality of legal marketing: Why strong expertise no longer guarantees strong business
In the legal profession, skill has always been the currency of success. Lawyers spend years building technical excellence — drafting tighter agreements, preparing stronger submissions, advising with precision, and delivering client service that reflects their training and experience. Traditionally, this expertise translated directly into reputation, referrals and long-term growth.
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January 21, 2026
More on civil conduct during mediation, arbitration
Alternate dispute resolution continues to grow in popularity in family law matters. The reasons are well known: avoiding delay, choosing your “judge,” and the avoidance of multiple expensive procedures within the court system that may not lead to resolution. However, with this trend comes a number of real concerns.
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January 21, 2026
Alberta Court of Appeal considers jump principle in determining appropriate sentence
Before dawn on a winter morning in Calgary, a brief encounter in a deserted school parking lot set in motion a chain of events that would carry a 20-year-old man from street-level allegations to years of appellate scrutiny and a penitentiary sentence measured in years.
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January 21, 2026
Watson Goepel names Dalene Visser and Shashika Stanislaus as partners
Watson Goepel LLP has welcomed Dalene Visser and Shashika Stanislaus to its partnership, according to the Vancouver firm.
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January 21, 2026
Cox & Palmer names 3 new partners in St. John’s
Cox & Palmer has promoted Neala J. Kielley, Kyle Mercer and Brett M.K. Ludlow to partner in its St. John’s, N.L., office, according to the firm.
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January 21, 2026
Billable hours, client trauma and vicarious stress in legal practice
Lawyers who live in a billable-hour world know that time is money, but for those working with traumatic subject matter, time equals exposure. The more hours spent inside a client’s worst days, the more likely it is that the work follows you home at night.
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January 21, 2026
Clocks, time and the humiliations of criminal justice
When you are arrested and placed in a police cell, the police take your watch along with other personal possessions such as your wallet and phone — even your wedding ring. You soon realize there are no clocks in or visible from the cells, and no windows, so you have no idea what time it is.
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January 20, 2026
Devry Smith Frank adds associate David Cooper
Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF) has welcomed David Cooper as an associate in its collections and mortgage recovery and commercial litigation groups.
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January 20, 2026
Dickinson Wright names 2 new Toronto partners
Dickinson Wright has named Ryan Cooper and David Seifer as partners in its Toronto office, as part of a broader class of 16 new members and partners primarily based in the United States, according to the firm.