In-House Counsel
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November 07, 2025
Can celebrities lose the right to their voice?
Back in May 2024, actress Scarlett Johansson was embroiled in a legal dispute with OpenAI when the company released a voice for its ChatGPT assistant, “Sky,” which sounded strangely similar to her own. Johansson had previously declined an offer to voice the AI, and this alleged mimicry was done without her permission. OpenAI has since removed the “Sky” voice and paused its release, while the issues remain in dispute.
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November 07, 2025
Public disclosure of criminal offences
The law society’s “transparency” is about managing public opinion.
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November 06, 2025
Power at the door: Bouncers and the use of force
Bars, lounges, nightclubs, et cetera are public stages for private enterprise; lively, necessary, sometimes combustible places where the safety of staff and patrons is paramount. At the door stands the bouncer: an individual whose presence reassures staff and is said to reassure customers as well. They enforce house rules and must, on occasion, confront disorder.
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November 06, 2025
Biometric identities and the invisible person: The fight for ‘facial privacy’ in Canada
When you walk down a city street today, cameras are quietly watching, capturing and, in some cases, analyzing the smallest details of your face. This, in essence, is the new frontier of identity: the age of biometric recognition.
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November 06, 2025
Avoiding contract limbo: Lessons from Caivan v. Logoteta on termination and repudiation
In commercial practice, broken deals are not always formally terminated. Under Canadian contract law, a contract in abeyance does not die on its own. Unless termination is clearly carried out, the agreement may remain in force, carrying all attendant obligations and risks.
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November 05, 2025
Manitoba introduces legislation to provide ‘business-friendly’ tax exemptions
The Government of Manitoba has introduced legislation that will “enhance the province’s tax exemptions for investment, making them more competitive and business-friendly.”
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November 05, 2025
Alberta’s digital awakening: Reclaiming trust in the age of data, part two
When Alberta ushered in its Access to Information Act (ATIA) and Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) on June 11, it wasn’t just swapping one set of bureaucratic tools for another. It was embarking on a quiet revolution; a statement that the province intends to govern not only with efficiency, but with empathy in an age where information is power.
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November 05, 2025
Arbitration appeals: Why ‘final’ might be the last word
The principle of finality in arbitration is not merely aspirational. The Ontario Superior Court’s decision in 2501373 Ontario Inc. v. Selfe, 2025 ONSC 5216 confirms that, in Ontario, using the phrase “final and binding” in an arbitration clause may foreclose appellate review, even on questions of law. Where appeals are available on legal questions but leave is required, the would-be appellant must identify an extricable question of law — and courts do not readily extract legal issues from arbitral findings.
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November 05, 2025
Regulatory bodies should keep to their lane
Regulatory bodies exist to serve the public interest by enforcing laws, upholding professional standards and ensuring fair processes within the sectors they oversee. Their legitimacy rests not on popularity or political influence but on trust, neutrality and the perception of impartiality. When regulators take public positions on political issues, they risk undermining these foundations.
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November 05, 2025
Canada’s 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: Sharp temporary cuts, permanent stability
This article has been updated by removing irrelevant information.