Family
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January 15, 2026
Ontario protection order regime in need of urgent reform: law commission
A major law reform agency is saying that Ontario’s system for protection orders needs urgent reform to better prevent intimate partner and family violence in the province.
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January 15, 2026
The case for in-person appearances, part two
I have taught professionalism for years, starting at the old Bar Admission course, at two law schools and on an ad hoc basis to articling students and juniors. I tell all of them same thing on the first day: everything you need to know about professional responsibility can be summed up in two sentences.
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January 14, 2026
Federal Court approves $100,000 settlements for children of woman killed in boating accident
The Federal Court has approved a settlement under which two minors whose mother died in a boating collision will each receive about $100,000 in damages, resolving claims against the owners and operators of the vessels for loss of guidance, care and companionship, and loss of dependency and services.
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January 14, 2026
When a client claims their lawyer’s mistakes caused them losses
In Ontario, claims that a lawyer made an error in handling a client’s case are tested under the law of professional negligence. These claims are often referred to as “lawyer negligence” or “professional malpractice.” While clients may feel strongly that their lawyer’s conduct caused them harm, Ontario courts apply a structured and demanding legal test before holding a lawyer liable.
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January 13, 2026
Supreme Court of Canada Justice Sheilah Martin to retire in May after eight years at top court
Supreme Court of Canada Justice Sheilah Martin, a former University of Calgary law dean and one of the apex court’s criminal and constitutional law experts, will retire May 30, 2026, after working at the high court for more than eight years.
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January 13, 2026
Saskatchewan law society events touching on family violence, drug treatment court
Saskatchewan’s legal regulator is kicking off the new year with a handful of conference sessions examining child-inclusive mediation, family violence and 20 years of Regina’s Drug Treatment Court.
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January 09, 2026
PM Carney’s appointment of Judge Hogue as Deputy AG of Canada sparks questions within legal community
Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josée Hogue is retiring Feb. 1, 2026, from her full-time job on the federal bench — one day before starting work on Feb. 2 as deputy minister of justice and deputy attorney general of Canada, Law360 Canada has learned.
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January 08, 2026
Nova Scotia releases first 2SLGBTQIA+ action plan
Nova Scotia has released its first 2SLGBTQIA+ action plan, which includes addressing that community’s lack of trust in the province’s justice system. A Jan. 8 news release describes the action plan as a “co-ordinated road map to advance equity, improve access to services and supports, and build safer, more inclusive communities.”
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January 08, 2026
Clark Wilson names 3 new partners
Clark Wilson lawyers Dan W. Melnick, David Bowden and Sunny Chiu have joined the firm’s partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
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January 08, 2026
Recognition of an Ontario divorce in Iran: Navigating the legal divide between two systems
Global migration has created families whose legal lives unfold across borders, cultures and legal traditions. One of the most complex examples arises when Iranian nationals divorce in Ontario. While the divorce is fully valid and enforceable under Canadian law, it does not necessarily bring legal finality in Iran. This disconnect often surprises individuals who reasonably assume that a court order ending a marriage in Canada ends it everywhere.