Articles 2023

A profile to get to know the OBA Insurance Law Executive. This focus is on Tracey L. Hamilton, Senior Litigation Counsel at Beneva Insurance (Beneva Lawyers).

This article reviews a recent decision by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Law Society of Ontario v Metrolinx , which dismissed Law Society of Ontario’s motion for an interlocutory injunction to stop Metrolinx from removing eleven trees on the Osgoode Hall site.

Justice Joseph Callaghan is an openly gay judge currently sitting in the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto. He has been sitting on the bench since 2022, after working in the criminal justice since 1995.

On January 16, 2024, members of the Trusts and Estates Section kicked off the new year with another interesting Brown Bag Lunch meeting. They were provided with updates regarding the turnaround time for applications for a certificate of appointment, considered issues relating to trust planning, and discussed what happens when a residuary beneficiary disclaims their interest in an estate. The next two Brown Bag Lunch meetings will be held on March 19 and April 16, 2024.

Members of the Ontario Trusts and Estates bar showed up to the last Brown Bag Lunch of 2023 ready to discuss a variety of interesting topics and practice questions. Discussions centered around appointing a non-resident beneficiary as estate trustee without a Will, a complicated trust scenario and the decision of D’Onofrio v Riley (ONSC).

ESA plays a crucial role as the minimum safeguard for employees in Ontario, such as the minimum wage (Part IX) and notice of reasonable period (Part XV). Despite being the “floor” of employee protection, many ESA provisions fail to offer sufficient safeguards for their working arrangements.

If you are debating between what experiences to participate in during your law school journey, I would strongly urge you to consider participating in an exchange. Participating in an exchange was one of the best decisions I made while in law school. On exchange, I had the privilege of living, learning, and meeting more people in a new place.

Once back in Canada (after graduating with a Bachelor of Law from the University of Liverpool and spending a summer basking in the warm English sunshine and reveling in the World Cup celebrations), reality set in, and the need to chart a course became apparent. The first step was to understand the National Accreditation Committee (NCA) and navigate the process of successfully passing the NCA exams. Regrettably, my initial plan was met with unexpected obstacles.

Last year, I was that ‘swamped’ law-school student – exhausted, perplexed about my desires, identity, and the secrets to navigating the unfamiliar terrain of the 1L recruitment. Yet, I emerged successfully, and through this article, I aim to divulge the insights gained, the retrospective wisdom I've acquired, and the mindset I would embrace if I were to do it all over again.