Pulse
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February 09, 2026
The Friendly Bar Series, No. 15: What happens when a snowplow and a retainer walk into a bar? It depends
So, there comes a moment in practice when a lawyer realizes that most client anxiety does not arise from the law itself. It comes from not knowing what is about to happen, how bad it will be and whether anyone is pretending otherwise.
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February 09, 2026
Parole hearing spotlights need to recognize reality of con code and rethink incarceration
Lawyers and professionals who work with inmates in penitentiaries have long been aware of an unwritten set of rules that, if broken, carries the death penalty. That set of rules is quickly learned by new arrivals at jails across Canada and is referred to as the “inmate code” or, more frequently, the “con code.” A news report published in the Toronto Star on Feb. 6, 2026, reminds the public that serving a prison sentence is far harsher than being locked away from society.
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February 09, 2026
Why I help pro athletes find their post-retirement careers, part two
This is the second part of a two-part series: Part one: Why I help pro athletes find their post-retirement careers.
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February 06, 2026
Lawyers charged with crimes may claim ‘innocence at stake’ to pierce solicitor-client privilege: SCC
The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld 7-2 the acquittal of a Saskatchewan criminal defence counsel charged with attempting to obstruct justice, ruling for the first time that lawyers charged with a crime may invoke the “innocence at stake” exception to solicitor‑client privilege to seek access to their client’s privileged communications for use in their own defence.
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February 06, 2026
Fasken welcomes lawyer to its Canada, U.K. offices
This week, Fasken announced that Timothy St. John Ellam, K.C., has joined the firm as senior counsel in the litigation and dispute resolution group.
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February 06, 2026
Wills and estates 101: Understanding legal terms
My colleague, Marly Peikes, wrote an article way back in 2023 that demystified some common legal terms used in Ontario estate and trust planning. While an entire textbook could be filled with estate-related legal jargon, for now, we want to provide our readers with greater clarity on even more commonly used terms in the estate and trust realm, with the goal of making this legal landscape a little less intimidating.
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February 06, 2026
Ryan Ejim joins Massey LLP to launch practice for retired athletes
Ryan Ejim, a former professional basketball player turned corporate lawyer, has joined Massey LLP as an associate, where he is building a new practice focused on advising retired professional athletes.
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February 05, 2026
Appeal Court addresses sentencing challenges for multi-million-dollar fraudsters
At one time, the only guidance the Criminal Code provided to sentencing judges was the minimum and maximum sentences applicable to crimes. Although criticized by a Sentencing Commission, denunciation and deterrence became key sentencing considerations and were even incorporated into the Code.
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February 06, 2026
Why I help pro athletes find their post-retirement careers
A sprawling betting scheme to rig National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Chinese Basketball Association games ensnared 26 people, including more than a dozen college basketball players who tried to fix games in the 2024-25 season, U.S. federal prosecutors said in an Associated Press report from Jan. 15.
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February 05, 2026
Miller Thomson adds Rochelle Perera as partner in corporate, M&A and securities
Rochelle Perera has joined Miller Thomson’s Waterloo Region office as a partner in the firm’s corporate, M&A and securities group, effective Feb. 2.