: In almost every context, first impressions are key. I would argue that, for lawyers, communicating clear expectations during that first meeting is an essential skill. It is not a skill that comes easily. I have spoken about this topic with many lawyers over the years. There seems to be a clear divide between newly-called lawyers who have a tendency to make grand promises and seasoned lawyers who temper expectations. There is no “right” or “wrong” approach here. Everyone has to figure out their own style. My own style hasbeen to keep expectations low…. very low. I conduct on average . . . [more] The post Managing Client Expectations appearedfirst on Slaw
: Every now and again, a mainstream occurrence helps inform the general public about the world of dispute resolution. Often through the world of sports. Mediation has resolved a hockey lockout . Arbitration has resolved salary disputes between player and team. This summer, we encountered another one. A trade that would return Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors hasbeen delayed pending the outcome of an investigation surrounding an alleged salary cap circumvention. Fans frustrated by the delay have wondered why the ongoing investigation cannot be sped up. Some media have speculated that this was possible, though at the time of . . . [more] The post You Can’t Hurry Judge appearedfirst on Slaw
: The often-blurred lines, as among legal information publishing, legal information technology, legal research tools and beyond, certainly give the impression that the only serious moving and shaking is that which focuses on artificial intelligence, though perhaps almost exclusively at the top end of the legal practice market . It would be safe to suggest, however, that even if law publishing activity is not as we have known it in the past, reports of its death may havebeen somewhat exaggerated . In recent times, my attention hasbeen grabbed by online soliciting from UK law publishers, among them, for example, . . . [more] The post Meanwhile, Law Publishing Life Goes On appearedfirst on Slaw
: How many times have you asked someone , “ how are you?” Similarly, how many times have you been asked the same question? If we think about this, the question becomes very mundane and actually quite meaningless. “How are you?” has become a customary greeting, wherein we don’t expect to receive or give a response that is more than “I am okay. Recently, after being asked by a friend “how are you?” I realized in mid answer, that this person was not even listening to what I was saying. I am certain that many of you have found yourselves in . . . [more] The post The Wellness Lawyer: “How Are You?” appearedfirst on Slaw
: Introduction to the Information Warfare In an age where the proliferation of fake news has impacted over 80% of the UK population, the call for innovative solutions has never been louder. The advent of AI has intensified the spread of disinformation, particularly in the context of major global events and elections, making the battle against misinformation more complex and crucial. The AI Challenge in Disinformation The Dark Side of AI AI technologies have transformed the landscape of digital communication, but not without drawbacks. The ease of creating and spreading false information through automated systems and convincing deepfakes has led to The post The Silent War on Disinformation: How Web Scraping is Changing the Battlefield appearedfirst on Business Today
: The troika of artificial intelligence, pricing, and talent transience hasbeen with us for some time now. As a result, traditional pyramid-structured law firms grappling with these bet-the-business juggernauts are at an inflection point. I propose a flatter way forward. I havebeen writing and talking about this issue for many years, most recently as part of my ‘The Law Firm’ series: Pyramid Rollover , Private Equity Puzzle , Disappearing Act , Foundational Rebuild , and now this one, Inflection Point. My argument throughout this series is that traditional law firm pyramid structures will not hold against AI, pricing, and . . . [more] The post The Law Firm Inflection Point appearedfirst on Slaw
: Police use of force continues to be a significant problem in American law and society. Recent discussions have focused on doctrinal issues such as what type of force is considered “reasonable” under the Fourth Amendment and the propriety of qualified immunity as a defense that can shield law enforcement from civil litigation. However, there hasbeen little commentary on how these and other legal questions might be informed by medicine — specifically, victim diagnoses that might effectively absolve officers from criminal prosecution or civil liability. The post Excited Delirium, Policing, and the Law of Evidence appearedfirst on Harvard Law Review
: Is the re-examination of past decisions sapping the justice system’s capacity to hear and decide legal disputes at first instance? Our system has numerous ways to reopen past decisions and let a new set of adjudicators and advocates root around for errors: review, reconsideration, and motions to set aside or reopen as well as appeal itself. These re-examinations constitute a necessary organ, which serves essential functions in the justice system: correcting legal errors, delineating and refining legal rules, making new common law, and ensuring that administrative decision-makers do not exceed their jurisdiction. And yet these procedures have arguably been allowed . . . [more] The post Appellate Hypertrophy in the Canadian Justice System appearedfirst on Slaw
: The Society for Children and Youth of BC (SCYBC) recently published a series of research papers on child capacity in the context of children’s participation rights [Note 1]. The papers examine capacity generally and in four specific contexts: health care, mental health, family law, and child welfare and adoption. Why does this matter? Traditionally, we have tended to assume that a child must first demonstrate sufficient “capacity” before being permitted to meaningfully participate in decisions affecting their life. And capacity has often been assessed primarily through the lens of cognitive ability. The SCYBC reports challenge both assumptions. I found them . . . [more] The post Busting Myths About Children’s Capacity to Meaningfully Participate appearedfirst on Slaw
: The growth of self-representation in all adjudicative settings may ultimately require a new approach to adjudication that is even more fundamental than a root and branch overhaul of procedure and practice. What legislators and courts may need to consider is the development of forums that are focused on and limited to adjudicating cases involving SRLs. Such courts would channel cases involving SRLs into a specific forum where court participants, including the adjudicator and court staff and any required wrap-around services, would exclusively plan for and engage with litigants who do not have legal representation. One such experiment hasbeen underway . . . [more] The post Imagining a Possible Future: Self-Represented Litigant Courts appearedfirst on Slaw
: Claim number: M00LU691 In the County Court at Luton Luton Justice Centre 5 June 2026 Before: His Honour Judge Davies Between: Luton community housing limited (“squared”) -v- 1. Christopher Earl 2. David Earl 3. Charlotte Earl 4. Roger Litchfield MR VAUGHAN appeared on behalf of the Claimant THE FOURTH DEFENDANT appeared In Person (part) NO APPEARANCE by or on behalf of all other Defendants Judgement (approved) This Transcript is Crown Copyright. It may not be reproduced in whole or in part, other than in accordance with relevant licence or with the express consent of the Authority. All rights are reserved. WARNING: reporting restrictions may apply to the contents transcribed in this document, particularly if the case concerned a sexual offence or involved a child. Reporting restrictions prohibit the publication of the applicable information to the public or any section of the public, in writing, in a broadcast or by means of the internet, including social media. Anyone who receives a copy of this transcript [...]
: Hannah Steeves, the Instruction & Reference Librarian at the Sir James Dunn Law Library, Dalhousie University (Halifax), recently wrote an article on "Using Vinyl & Spotify to Understand Legal Information Online" . It originally appeared on Slaw.ca on February 15, 2022 . Most legal research is done online through a combination of open and subscription databases. Legal information is available at our fingertips through Justice Laws, LEGISinfo, CanLII, Westlaw, Lexis, ProView, SOQUIJ, [insert your preferred database here], and the list goes on. The availability of electronic resources has radically changed—and will continue to change—the way legal professionals conduct research. However, despite my enthusiasm for the improved accessibility and retrievability, I think the lack of engagement that new legal researchers have with print resources creates comprehension issues. The disconnect between a source’s print and electronic formats reduces their understanding of the process used to create the document. Unders[...]