Opinion

Friday, May 29, 2020 @ 3:21 PM

As a remote work advocate long before the pandemic, as well as the precautious legal voice consistently touting the necessity of remote work policies, I am very pleased to report that Switzerland’s top court has ruled that employers operating emergency COVID-19 remote workforces must contribute to a portion of their employees’ monthly rental payments, if and where employees are expected to work from home. ... [read more]

Friday, May 29, 2020 @ 2:27 PM

They say that people come together in times of crisis. That does not seem to be the case for married and cohabiting couples. Why has this pandemic had such a rippling and crippling effect on couples? ... [read more]

Friday, May 29, 2020 @ 12:27 PM

My active role in the Canadian legal community finds me wearing many hats: a mentor, career coach, confidante and friend. While accumulating experiences along my professional journey, I have often leaned into some crucial learnings. These lessons have helped me to create positive work dynamics as a lawyer and support women in the profession. Let’s dive into my decade of the best lessons. ... [read more]

Friday, May 29, 2020 @ 9:13 AM

Just as Dr. Strangelove learned to stop worrying and love the Bomb, I have a new love, too. ... [read more]

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 @ 2:11 PM

There has been a steady increase in predictions that a wave of family law cases will spike post-COVID-19. This prophetic murmuring has also been coupled with the reality that the family court system will be unable to handle the deluge of pent-up cases. ... [read more]

Wednesday, May 27, 2020 @ 2:10 PM

Pet custody inquiries at my downtown Vancouver animal law firm are up and I suspect the upward trend will continue as we emerge from COVID-19. There’s been a whole lot of forced confinement due to the epidemic and news reports indicate that a surge in divorce filings are anticipated. Splitting up includes the family pet. ... [read more]

Monday, May 25, 2020 @ 12:31 PM

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is considered the supreme law of the land. It is the piece of legislation that gives every citizen of this country the right to life, liberty and security of the person (s. 7). If charged with a criminal offence, the Charter gives us the right to be tried within a reasonable amount of time (s. 11b) and provides us with the absolute guarantee to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal (s. 11d). This is basic, first year law school kind of stuff. So why are those in charge of the justice system ignoring these constitutional guarantees by keeping the courts closed and preventing matters from proceeding to trial? ... [read more]

Monday, May 25, 2020 @ 8:51 AM

The winds of change have been blowing hard lately, but the saying “it’s an ill wind that blows no good” suggests that even something as thoroughly devastating and unwelcome as the COVID-19 pandemic can hopefully facilitate some positive change in the justice system. ... [read more]

Friday, May 22, 2020 @ 1:55 PM

For those who do not view non-human animals as food and advocate for a legal status “beyond property” (which is the current legal status) to that of even being legal persons, current law creates an unacceptable state of affairs. ... [read more]

Friday, May 22, 2020 @ 1:24 PM

While the technology has been around for a while, the need for virtual mediation was never as great as it is now. Previously, most litigators scoffed at the notion that a virtual mediation would be a worthwhile endeavour, but at the moment it is the only option and, more importantly, it has proven to be extremely effective. So, is virtual mediation just a temporary solution during these unprecedented times, or a viable alternative to the traditional in-person format? ... [read more]