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LAWPRO Magazine: 2022 June – After Covid 19
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Persistence and Precision Bring Long Needed Changes to the Planning Act
Comments from Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey As Attorney General I have made it my business to jump start and accelerate access to Ontario’s outdated justice system. The work to move the system forward by decades in mere months began before the COVID-19 pandemic, and by working in new ways with our partners we have… Read More »
The Top 10 Changes to the Planning Act You Need to Know About and Why
The anachronistic provisions of the Ontario Planning Act (the “Act”) and the red tape they created have frustrated lawyers and property owners for many years. The government has listened, and after consultations with many stakeholders over the last two years, long overdue changes are finally here. We believe these changes will save the public time… Read More »
10 tips to adapt to the new contingency fee regime
On July 1, 2021, Ontario’s contingency fees became subject to significant changes, with amendments to both the Solicitors Act and the Law Society of Ontario’s Rules of Professional Conduct coming into force. The changes will affect how contingency fees are calculated and will impact how contingency fee matters are managed from marketing and new client… Read More »
Recent changes to wills, powers of attorney and succession law
The government has enacted 4 important changes regarding wills, powers of attorney (POAs) and to the administration of an estate with Bill 245 – Accelerating Access to Justice Act, 2021 which received Royal Assent on April 19, 2021. (See amendments in Schedule 8 – Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 and Schedule 9 – Succession Law Reform… Read More »
You transferred funds to the wrong account – what now?
Fraudsters try to trick lawyers into wiring funds to an account that the fraudster controls. Sometimes, they succeed, and the funds get into the hands of criminals. What do you do then? Below are some examples that have been reported to us: 1. A lawyer’s office received a last-minute redirection of monies payable on the… Read More »
Tips for improving your email habits
With the shift to remote working, even more of our professional communications now happen through the medium of a blinking cursor. Ensure you’re making the most of the inbox, with these tips to better manage your email. 1. DON’T click on suspicious links and DO confirm instructions by phone Lawyers are often targets of email… Read More »
Hot real estate market? Excess coverage protects your practice as property values soar?
Current market conditions mean business is booming for lawyers, but keep in mind that your risk exposure may be growing in lockstep with property values. A hot market changes the way real estate deals unfold. Not only do lawyers see a higher transaction volume, but unconditional offers proliferate, and closing intervals may shrink. All these… Read More »