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New Fraud Scheme: Insurance Settlement Funds
A new fraud scheme involving insurance settlement funds has a familiar end: the cheque is fraudulent. A fraudster approaches a lawyer, usually with no previous relationship, asking the lawyer to review settlement documents, provide ILA, and receive the settlement funds into the lawyer’s trust account. The documents bear the name of a real insurance company…. Read More »
Categories: Fraud, Online OnlyEffective September 1, 2026: Amendments to Rules of Civil Procedure (O. Reg. 275/26)
From the Court Services Division of the Ministry of the Attorney General: On August 12, 2026, Ontario Regulation 275/26 was filed to amend the Rules of Civil Procedure to require parties and expert witnesses to certify the accuracy of quotations used in their factums and expert reports, respectively, and to update or clarify various appeal… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation, Online OnlyNew Cybersecurity Threat from AI Searches: The Rise of Phantom Squatting
AI doesn’t just hallucinate case law, it hallucinates website domains too. In a new and growing form of digital attack, hackers use AI agents to query search engines to get the most common hallucinated sites. A bad actor then registers the hallucinated domain and creates a convincing website at that address. The next time that… Read More »
Categories: Cyber dangers, Online OnlyThe Lawyer Down the Hall
I interviewed Sina Hariri, Counsel and Manager, Practice Management (Supports), Practice Supports and Resources at the Law Society of Ontario in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Coach and Advisor Network. The following article is a summary of our discussion. Twenty years ago, if I was stuck on a file, I would likely walk… Read More »
Categories: Mentoring, Online OnlyWhen banking credit is good and bad: how to avoid transaction reversals and shortfalls
Did you know that Payments Canada statistics indicate that 99% of all deposits in a bank account are credits and not good funds? The Canadian banking system works on trust and therefore provides an immediate credit that reflects the value of any funds being transferred or deposited. However, that credit needs to be processed and… Read More »
Categories: Cyber dangers, Online OnlyImpact of Statutory Accident Benefits Changes on Lawyers
As of July 1, 2026, Ontario’s accident benefits coverage is changing significantly, and some injured persons may have little or no accident benefits coverage even if they are not at fault. Certain accident benefits that were previously mandatory as part of the auto insurance policy will become optional in Ontario. Even if the auto policy… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation, Online OnlyBank wires: How to find the PCRN and ensure you have irrevocable funds
Although our Canadian banking system is robust it lacks transparency. Payments Canada sets the rules for payments in Canada that all financial institutions must follow. Payments Canada manages two payments systems – ACSS and Lynx. 99% of all amounts you see in your account are via ACSS and revocable, meaning the bank can reverse the… Read More »
Categories: Online Only, Real EstateCity of Toronto Vacancy Tax and Forced Sales Information Gap
The Vacant Home Tax (VHT) (Bylaw 97-2022) requires homeowners in Toronto to let the City know if their property is occupied or vacant by making a declaration every year. Did you know that if the purchase happens between January 1 and May each year, there is no notice of vacant home tax that may be… Read More »
Categories: Online Only, Real EstateOntario Small Claims Court limits increased to $50,000
As of October 1, 2025, the Small Claims Court claim limit increased to $50,000, up from $35,000 set in 2020 ($25,000 previously). The change is intended to provide the public with quicker and more affordable Court based dispute resolution for claims up to the new $50,000 limit. The government has also indicated that claims commenced… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation, Online OnlyNotice to the Real Estate Bar re iPro Realty Ltd. transactions
What are lawyers to do when closing a transaction that involves iPro Realty Ltd? The regulator, Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), closed the brokerage, iPro Realty Ltd. (iPro), effective August 19, 2025. iPro had 17 offices and 2,400 agents. There was a regulator approved sale of iPro’s assets to a new brokerage, iCloud Realty… Read More »
Categories: Online Only, Real Estate