Pulse
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July 09, 2025
The Friendly Bar series, No. 4: Calling all Luddite lawyers — Shame and ethical AI use in practising law
There was a time not long ago when the email service of court documents required consent. Courts frowned upon it, clerks insisted on fax numbers, and the fax machine remained a staple in every law office. Many of us recall when the question was not how to serve electronically, but whether we were even allowed to.
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July 09, 2025
New presiding justice of the peace appointed to the Court of Quebec
Quebec Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette has announced the appointment of Philippe Viau-Dupuis as presiding justice of the peace to the Court of Quebec.
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July 09, 2025
Jack Maslen joins Lawson Lundell as partner
Lawson Lundell LLP has welcomed Jack Maslen to the firm as a partner in its litigation and dispute resolution group and its insolvency and restructuring group.
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July 08, 2025
Field Law names Farha Salim as new managing partner
Field Law has announced that Farha Salim will assume the role of the firm’s managing partner for a three-year term that began on July 1, 2025.
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July 08, 2025
Arif Virani joins Torys
Torys LLP has announced that former minister of justice and attorney general Arif Virani has joined its litigation and dispute resolution practice as senior counsel.
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July 08, 2025
Candidates barred in Ontario licensing exam cheating scandal can reapply for registration: LSO
Ontario’s highest court has refused to reopen a past appeal by a group of lawyer licensing candidates caught in a bar exam cheating scandal — but those who were banned from registering to be licensed are free to reapply if they have not already done so, given the “invalidation period” has come and gone.
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July 08, 2025
A warning about AI research
About 15 years ago, I made an unforgivable mistake for a trial lawyer. The night before closing arguments, I had my articling student pull some additional cases. I was very excited to see he had a found a case that put to rest a last-minute argument my opponent had raised. On the morning of closing, I rose confidently and delivered a great closing, saving the best for last. I sat down, certain I had this in the bag. But alas, it was not to be. When my friend got up to reply, he opened with words ingrained in my brain to this day.
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July 07, 2025
Suzanne Porteous joins BD&P’s employment and labour team
Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer, LLP (BD&P) has welcomed Suzanne Porteous as a partner in its employment and labour group.
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July 07, 2025
David Steinberg joins Dickinson Wright
Dickinson Wright has announced that David Steinberg has joined its Toronto office as of counsel.
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July 07, 2025
A common mistake in statutory interpretation
In the training that I deliver on statutory interpretation, I caution against relying on prior interpretations of a statutory provision or a related provision without first doing your own interpretive analysis of the provision. In Pepa v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2025 SCC 21, the Supreme Court of Canada overturned a tribunal decision that made this mistake.