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The mediation process

Mar 12, 2020

The mediator will usually meet with each party individually before the mediation starts to talk to them about the dispute and their positions. At that meeting, the mediator will make sure… 

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Employment contracts

Feb 12, 2020

An employment contract is an agreement between an employer and employee that outlines the terms of their relationship, such as the employee’s salary and standard of service.

It should be noted that the relationship between an employer and employee is contractual even if no written document has been signed.

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Situations where Human Rights Laws apply

December 11, 2019

Human rights laws generally apply to the following five areas: 1) employment; 2) accommodation or housing; 3) services, goods and facilities; 4) contracts; and 5) membership in trade unions, vocational or occupational associations……. Read More

Contracts

December 11, 2019

In Canada, contract law is based on English common law, except for Quebec, where the civil law applies. Generally, Canadians have the freedom to enter into contracts whenever they want and for whatever reason they choose. There are some limits, however …… Read More

Can you appeal a Small Claims Court decision?

November 18, 2019

After the trial is over, and the judge has decided the case, usually one party feels satisfied and the other is disappointed……  However, if you believe that the judge made a serious mistake, you may consider whether you want to appeal the judge’s decision.

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How can landlords collect arrears of rent?

October 28, 2019

Under the law, a tenant who does not pay rent is considered to be in arrears. Sometimes, landlords can avoid the time and expense of legal action by having the tenant sign a written agreement stating that the tenant will pay the arrears according to a set payment schedule, ….

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Who is a Paralegal? 

October 9, 2019

A paralegal is a professional who has the required education and experience to provide legal services to the general public, but they are not lawyers. In Ontario, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Ontario and are regulated as officers of the court.  Since 2007, ….

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What can you do if the police arrest you?

September 25, 2019

The police cannot arrest or detain you without following very strict rules.

Your Rights

If you are arrested, you have certain rights, such as:

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Suing in small claims court

September 9, 2019

In small claims court, you can sue for money or the return of personal property valued at $25,000 or less, not including interest and costs.

To sue a person or business in small claims court, your lawsuit, called a claim, must fall into one of the two following categories:

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What is Alternative Dispute Resolution?

August 22, 2019

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) refers to resolving disputes in ways other than going to court.

There are 3 commonly-used methods of resolving disputes without going to court:

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What human rights protection does Ontario offer?

August 8, 2019

In Ontario, human rights are protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code.  …… Read More

Legal Aid cuts will inundate Ontario’s already overcrowded courts

August 7, 2019

Changes announced mean that accused people facing a bail hearing in Ontario will no
longer get legal aid funding to hire own legal representatives. Lawyers are
warning that fresh changes to Ontario’s legal aid system launched by Ford
government ……  Read More

Peel Region cop convicted in car insurance scam

February 19, 2015

Here’s a great example, albeit an infrequent one, of why it is important to defend your driving record. 

Const. Carlton Watson, 50, a 23-year veteran of the Peel Region Police Force was convicted of 40 charges of fraud, breach of trust and obstructing justice, in Ontar…Read More

 Challenging a traffic ticket can prove costly, writes The Star’s Ellen Roseman 

January 31, 2015

Long-time personal finance columnist and consumer rights advocate at The Toronto Star, Ellen Roseman writes on Saturday, January 31, 2015, about traffic tickets and how difficult it can be to try and fight them yourself, in an article Read More

End-of-the-year collection problems? We can help.

January 21, 2015

Many law firms, especially business-to-consumer law firms, have a problem collecting on overdue client accounts. I’m a paralegal licenced by the LSUC and I can help you collect on overdue accounts. There are three advantages to using me to help you collect money owing…Read More

 Traffic court disclosure the norm for self-represented litigants in Ontario

December 17, 2014

In a recent case before the Ontario Court of Appeal, Mary Paterson, a lawyer with the Toronto firm of Osler, Hoskin u0026amp; Harcourt, raised this: whether and when is the Crown obliged to tell self-represented litigants in traffic court that they can request disclosure of th…Read More

Need to sue? Avoid these common mistakes.

November 14, 2014

You can sue in Small Claims Court if the amount you are suing for is $25,000 or less. But there are some common mistakes that will make your claim void. First, you have two years to file a suit in Small Claims Court;  if you are approaching the two-year mark, you need…Read More

I’ll take Manhattan: This is what reckless driving looks like

November 11, 2014

Adam Tang, 31, has been found guilty of reckless driving after he completed a 22-minute lap of Manhattan, sped up the video by a factor of four, and uploaded it to YouTube on August 28, 2013. To-date, the video has had more than 978,000 views. Reactions have ranged fro…Read More

Kumar the Paralegal starts public awareness campaign on benefits of hiring paralegals

November 7, 2014

The Canadian justice system is in crisis. The complaints are many:  Justice takes too long. Lawyers are too expensive. The legal process is paper- and process-driven. 

Paralegals are an excellent solution to helping to ease the congestion of the court system and s…Read More

Traffic tickets, radar and unmarked police cars

November 5, 2014

If you get a traffic ticket or a speeding ticket, it is a good idea defend your driving record. While speeding is never a good idea and may cost you demerit points  (or even your driver’s license), there are instances where radar equipment malfunctions and trees have b…Read More

Using Twitter to warn other drivers of annual R.I.D.E. program?

November 3, 2014

The annual R.I.D.E. program will launch soon, in time for holiday parties. The R.I.D.E. program has been very effective at helping to prevent drunk drivers and accidents that have catastrophic results. Recently, some drivers have used Twitter to warn other drivers abou…Read More