LAWYER DISBARRED FOR MISCONDUCT
The Law Society of Upper Canada has disbarred another Toronto lawyer. Terence Austin Kelly has had his licence revoked and must pay the law society $90,000 in costs.
A disciplinary ruling found Kelly had engaged in professional misconduct in several ways, including failing to administer an estate in a timely manner and with proper attention to the interests of the beneficiaries.
It also found him to have misappropriated or dealt dishonestly with funds belonging to clients or others in relation to a mortgage and that he failed to provide materials to the law society in the course of its investigation.
BLG CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP is making donations to five charities as part of its 10-year anniversary celebrations.
Ten years ago, BLG was formed after the mergers of five regional law firms. It now has more than 750 lawyers.
The firm celebrated this month with office parties at each of its offices across Canada and produced a video that celebrated BLG milestones and highlighted the heritage of the original firms, according to Ivan Ivanovitch of public relations firm Ketchum Inc.
The firm also celebrated by allocating money to charities that include SOS Children’s Villages, United Way, the Stephen Lewis Foundation, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Canadian Cancer Society. Lawyers and staff were allowed to choose which charity their money would go to.
LEAF ANNIVERSARY NEXT MONTH
TheWomen’s Legal Education and Action Fund will celebrate its 25thanniversary next month by recognizing female lawyers who have made adifference to women.
The event, called Equality Day: ACelebration of Women, will be held at the Toronto Reference Library’sBram & Bluma Appel Salon from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on April 27 andwill focus on acknowledging lawyers who have made a difference throughtheir cases, by assisting LEAF or advancing women in the law.
FIRMS APPOINTED FOR CANWEST EMPLOYEES
A Toronto court has appointed Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP and Shibley Righton LLP as legal counsel for current and former employees of the CanWest media group.
The endorsement this month by Superior Court Justice Sarah Pepall involves the company’s newspaper assets held under CanWest LP.
“The appointment of the representatives and representative counsel would facilitate the administration of the proceedings and information flow and provide for efficiency,” said Pepall.
The ruling affects both current and former salaried employees as well as retirees.
ELECTION RULING APPEALED
Democracy Watch is taking its battle over the federal government’s fixed election date law to the Federal Court of Appeal.
The case stems from a recent Federal Court ruling rejecting the organization’s challenge of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to call an election in October 2008 despite passing a law setting a date for the next vote on Oct. 19, 2009. In his decision,
Justice Michel Shore ruled the law didn’t prohibit the prime minister from requesting an early dissolution of Parliament unless the government loses a confidence vote.
Among its reasons for appeal, Democracy Watch argues Shore erred in ruling the law didn’t establish a constitutional convention for elections.
The group has also established a Facebook page, “Canadians Against Snap Elections,” to garner support.
