NEW LAWYER AT BLANEY MCMURTRY
Michael Farace is the newest lawyer at Blaney McMurtry LLP.
With experience in advising mortgagees, commercial landlords, property managers, general contractors, land developers, and residential and commercial construction clients, Farace will continue his practice in construction law and commercial litigation, according to the firm.
CPAC LEGAL SHOW RENAMED
On Sept. 1, CPAC’s legal program Jurisprudence will have a new name: Supreme Court Hearings.
The show airs on Sundays at 1 a.m. It covers select hearings and landmark proceedings from Canada’s top court.
MCCARTHYS LAWYERS ON A MISSION
Two lawyers from McCarthy Tétrault LLP headed to Colombia last week as part of Lawyers Without Borders Canada.
During their mission, George Gray of Toronto and Marie-Pierre Grenier of Quebec City joined a group of lawyers observing the conditions under which their Colombian counterparts practise the law.
They met with the media, lawyers, judges, police, government ministers, and academics to discuss the challenges, review eyewitness and documentary evidence, and examine access to justice and rates of impunity in human rights violations.
Grenier met with victims’ groups to hear accounts of human rights violations. Gray, meanwhile, visited a community that was the site of a recent court decision to convict military personnel accused of the murder of an indigenous group leader’s husband.
The pro bono effort is the second such mission to Colombia. The first one in 2008 resulted in recommendations that would improve access to justice and help Colombian lawyers practise freely and safely. Click here to read some of their thoughts from the trip.
CASSELS BROCK PARTNER LANDS INTERNATIONAL ROLE
Glenn Zakaib, a partner with Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, is the new chairman of the U.S.-based Defence Research Institute International Law Committee.
The organization is composed of civil litigation defence lawyers. It defends the interests of businesses and individuals in civil litigation while providing information and education to its members.
PLAYER, MP SETTLE DEFAMATION DISPUTE
A defamation dispute between NHL player Shane Doan and MP Denis Coderre is over following an out-of-court settlement.
The matter originated during a 2005 hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Phoenix Coyotes.
Following derogatory comments about the linguistic origins of two French-speaking referees, Coderre referred the issue to Hockey Canada and questioned Doan’s selection as a member of Canada’s national team at the upcoming Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, according to a news release issued last week.
In the meantime, Doan received a penalty of gross misconduct.
Doan denied making the comments and subsequently sued Coderre for defamation.
According to the news release, the parties now feel it’s better to settle the matter rather than let it proceed to trial. Coderre, meanwhile, is calling on the NHL to investigate the matter further.
