Disputed

Part two of our double episode on Modern Slavery laws looks at what Canada is doing. After several years on the docket, will Bill S-211 finally become law in 2022? How does it compare to regimes in Europe, US and Australia? And what’s this about new Bill C-262, that would mandate prevention of human rights impacts abroad? We talk to Alison FitzGerald, Partner in our Ottawa office and Meaghan Farrell, Associate, also in our Ottawa office, about what all this means for those affected.

This episode qualifies for 40 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and 40 minutes of CPD credit in British Columbia.

Forty million. That is the estimated number of people trapped in modern slavery, with supply chains being a key risk area. Modern slavery laws have grown across the world: first California, then the UK, Europe and Australia. Canada’s new law is imminent. Part one of this series looks at the international picture: what key trends are emerging in the UK, Europe and Australia? How can we manage compliance with multiple legal regimes? And how to balance the need for transparency with civil liability? In part one, we talk to Abi McGregor, Partner in our Melbourne office and Stuart Neely, Counsel in our London office to better understand the global landscape.

This episode qualifies for 45 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and 45 minutes of CPD credit in British Columbia.

The past two years have brought uncertain, sometimes turbulent times to Canadian businesses and their supply chains. And when forced to make quick adjustments to address short-term bottlenecks, companies are often left with little time to assess long-term risk and liability. For this discussion, we welcome back Randy Sutton, global co-head of our life sciences and healthcare industry group and co-head of our Canadian class actions team. Joining Randy is Kaitlin Smiley, Of counsel in our Vancouver office.

This episode qualifies for 25 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and 25 minutes of CPD credit in British Columbia.

Is a competitor using your trade secrets? Is a former employee misusing confidential information? This episode is all about trade secret rights and how to enforce them. Businesses can rely on trade secret law to protect almost anything, from secret recipes and manufacturing methods to business plans and customer lists. IP lawyers Elizabeth Williams, partner and trademark agent based in Calgary, and Allyson Whyte-Nowak, partner based in Toronto join us for this conversation.

Special note: if you’re enjoying Disputed, vote for Ailsa Bloomer in the Changemakers category for the Canadian Lawyer Magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers of 2022 award:
https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/general/voting-is-now-open-for-canadian-lawyers-top-25-most-influential-lawyers/365924

This episode qualifies for 40 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and 40 minutes of CPD credit in British Columbia.

I think, therefore I am…? Artificial Intelligence is changing our legal environment. But as machines continue to inform decision making and human interaction, what does this mean for long-established principles such as causation, standard of care, and procedural fairness? What ethical issues arise when we rely on machines to make a judgement call? And if a machine can learn on its own, can it be an inventor with IP rights? Breaking down this Brave New World is IP partner Maya Medeiros, and associate Jesse Beatson, whose practices cover the intersection of technology and law.

For more information on this topic:

AI Decision-Making: Protecting Rights Through Litigation and Regulation in Canada and the USA - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=pHRaG8uu1iY
Litigating Artificial Intelligence | Emond Publishing: https://emond.ca/Store/Books/Litigating-Artificial-Intelligence?r=%2FDivision%2FLegal-Practice%3Ftype%3D%26program%3D%26subject%3D%26metadata%3D2.
Copyright protection for AI-created work? | Canada | Global law firm | Norton Rose Fulbright: https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-ca/knowledge/publications/68947aaf/copyright-protection-for-ai-created-work
Leading Legal Disruption: Artificial Intelligence And A Toolkit For Lawyers And The Law, softbound book | Thomson Reuters: https://store.thomsonreuters.ca/en-ca/products/leading-legal-disruption-artificial-intelligence-and-a-toolkit-for-lawyers--42875035

This episode qualifies for 30 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and 30 minutes of CPD credit in British Columbia.

Class actions are a rapidly evolving risk for Canadian businesses. COVID-19, employment, privacy, consumer protection: these are just a few areas where activity has increased, and it is happening across multiple industries and jurisdictions. As class actions develop in scope and complexity, so do strategies for predicting and managing what seems like a moving target. In this episode, we look at some key trends in class actions, and compare approaches to certification across the provinces. Joining us are the co-chairs of our Canadian class actions team, Toronto partner Randy Sutton, and Montréal partner François-David Paré.

For more information: No duty of care owed to farmers arising from mad cow crisis. https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-ca/knowledge/publications/65717953/no-duty-of-care-owed-to-farmers-arising-from-mad-cow-crisis

This episode qualifies for 35 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and 30 minutes of CPD credit in British Columbia.

The workplace Canadians are “returning” to is not what it was two years ago. The way we work – what, where and how we do it – has changed, and it’s brought rapid developments in the law. This episode starts by looking at the big-ticket issue: mandatory vaccination policies. We then look more broadly at the evolving definition of the workplace, and consider what recent case law can tell us about attitudes to employee rights when it comes to remote working, including the right to disconnect, pay equity, and discrimination risks. Joining us for this important, timely topic is employment and labour partner Jeff Landmann and associate Preston Brasch.

For more information, check out Norton Rose Fulbright’s content hub for practical guidance, timely updates and strategic insights: Return to the workplace.

https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/2eb4cfc3/return-to-the-workplace

This episode qualifies for 45 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and in British Columbia.

Litigation funding – where a plaintiff’s litigation effort is financed by a third party in exchange for a portion of the proceeds of the case – is an established practice in jurisdictions such as the US and the UK, and is now becoming a regular feature of Canadian litigation, especially in the insolvency context. In this episode, hosts Ailsa Bloomer and Andrew McCoomb welcome our first industry guest to the podcast: Paul Rand is chief investment officer at Omni Bridgeway, a global litigation finance company that funds commercial disputes and enforcement proceedings around the world. Joining Paul is Arad Mojtahedi, associate in our Montréal office practising commercial litigation and insolvency proceedings under Canada's Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.

For more information: The reverse vesting order is here to stay: Continued innovative use of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act to save distressed companies and Authority to bar a creditor from voting and litigation funding as interim financing: The Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling in Bluberi. https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-ca/knowledge/publications/5507aa9a/the-reverse-vesting-order-is-here-to-stay

https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/6fc915d1/authority-to-bar-a-creditor

This episode qualifies for 39 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and 40 minutes of CPD credit in British Columbia.

Blockchain technology is, by definition, borderless. But what happens when such a widespread ledger becomes the focus of litigation? In this episode, hosts Andrew McCoomb and Ailsa Bloomer welcome Robert (Bob) Schwinger, commercial litigator and FinTech lawyer from our New York office. Bob brings us up to speed on just what, exactly, cryptocurrencies are, raising interesting jurisdictional questions as they become an increasingly frequent subject of litigation. Bob is author of the New York Law Journal’s “Blockchain Law” column. Check out his last installment for recent updates: Blockchain Law: Out to sea? Extraterritoriality challenges in US crypto litigation. https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/3bf55c3f/blockchain-law-out-to-sea-extraterritoriality-challenges-in-us-crypto-litigation

This episode qualifies for 40 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and in British Columbia.

A natural follow-up to our conversation on climate change disputes, in this episode, we talk about what happened in Glasgow last month, connecting key points from COP26 to current efforts in Canada to reduce emissions and develop sustainable technology. Hosts Ailsa Bloomer and Andrew McCoomb welcome guests from our Calgary and Vancouver offices: Alan Harvie, senior partner with over 30 years' experience with regulatory, operational, and environmental issues in the energy, oil and gas, and chemical industries; and Matthew Keen, partner with a practice covering energy law, environmental assessment, and issues concerning Indigenous peoples.

Norton Rose Fulbright was onsite at COP26 this year. For additional commentary on the day-to-day conversation in Glasgow, check out our blog, Inside COP26: https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/98af2cbc/cop26-blog

This episode qualifies for 45 minutes of CPD credit in Ontario and British Columbia.