When you’re about to start a new job, you may experience a flood of thoughts and emotions. Excitement. Eagerness. Trepidation. Perhaps a bit of anxiety. But one feeling you should not have, especially when it comes to your employment contract or offer letter, is confusion. Before you sign, make sure…
The Ontario Bar Association has named Morrison Reist partner, Melanie Reist recipient of the 2017 OBA Randall Echlin Mentorship Award. The Award was established in 2013 by the Ontario Bar Association’s Labour and Employment Law Section in honour of the late Justice Echlin, former Judge of the Ontario Superior Court…
In the spring of 2012, I was privileged to be part of the committee that put together a two-day special lecture series on employment law and the new workplace in the social media age. We spent two days on a variety of topics ranging from privacy issues, social media network…
Our court system is lengthy, document intensive and complicated. Many of those in court are representing themselves. It’s a difficult challenge to understand court procedure, keep up with the documentation and court appearances especially if there is a lawyer on the other side, but even in cases where neither party…
One of the most difficult areas we confront as employment lawyers is the flow of medical information when managing issues of accommodation for people with disabilities. It is important for employers and employees to understand their obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code (“Code”). The term “disability” has been interpreted…
Have realistic expectations. Resolution of your family law matter will not be instant. Your lawyer is there to advise and provide their opinion. It is important to have realistic expectations and to establish with your lawyer at the outset what they are being hired to do and whether there are…
By Charles Morrison, Lawyer 1. Rules, Procedures & Timelines: When matters are in court, we are governed by the Family Law Rules. There are 43 of them however, that is a bit deceptive because most of the rules are divided and sub-divided into many sub-rules. They may be difficult for the…
Whether we bring court proceedings or negotiate settlements, invariably our clients will tell us “I don’t want to spend a lot of money. I don’t want this to drag out. I want the result to be “fair””. In fact, I rarely if ever have a client who tells me that…
In family law things change. In particular, support orders change over time. Mothers, fathers, husbands and wives change jobs. Their incomes change. Children who are once dependant become independent. Special expenses for children under Guideline legislation changes. These and other circumstances that occur in the ordinary year by year life…
In family law, whether we’re in court or negotiating a settlement without court, we spend a lot of time on financial disclosure. This is particularly important when dealing with support or property issues. We and our client need to understand the opposite party’s finances including their income, expenses assets and…
