Areas of Law
Malpractice claims regarding wills double in a decade
While wills and estates may never rival litigation or real estate as a risky practice area for lawyers, LAWPRO has seen the average annual number of wills claims double over the past 10 years. Growth in property values renders these errors more expensive and growing complexity in family structures, family law and tax law makes… Read More »
Categories: Biggest Claims Risks, Communication Errors, Wills & Estates, Areas of Law, Risk Management & Claims PreventionReal estate lawyers: Planning to retire or leave practice? Three words: Legal. Service. Coverage.
You’re looking forward to retirement – next year, or maybe 20 years down the road. Or perhaps you’re leaving private practice to work as in-house counsel. Whatever your plans, you want to be assured that malpractice claims won’t come back to haunt you or your family. Real estate claims continue to be a major source… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, The TitlePLUS Program & Title Insurance, Areas of LawWills: Why you should send clients detailed reporting letters
While the will itself is the product of the collaboration between lawyer and client, the reporting letter serves a separate purpose: it’s the record of the context. To the extent that the reporting letter documents the process of crafting the will, it can bolster validity, shield the lawyer from malpractice allegation and demonstrate the value… Read More »
Categories: Communication Errors, Wills & Estates, Areas of Law, Risk Management & Claims PreventionEasements: more than meets the eye
Non-use of an easement does not lead to abandonment or extinguishment The recent Court of Appeal decision in Remicorp Industries Inc. v. Metrolinx makes it clear that non-use or the lack of need for an easement is insufficient for that easement to be abandoned or extinguished at law. A solicitor should advise their client of… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, Areas of LawTeraview on the Web is required for lawyers in Region C (East) starting April 16
The roll-out of Teraview on the Web continues. Region C (East) is required to be off of the desktop version (Teraview 9.0) by April 16, 2018 – less than one week away. If you have not yet received your token, please contact Teranet (www.teraview.ca) to do so as soon as possible. A token generates your… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateEverything old is new again: Will the return of a broader rent control regime haunt the Ontario real estate bar?
For decades the existence of rent control has posed a risk to Ontario real estate lawyers acting on the purchase and mortgaging of residential rental property. The range of affected properties is immense: From a basement apartment to a rented single family house to the largest multi-residential complexes in the province, many real estate files… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, Areas of LawNew Standard (Residential) Lease Template in Ontario as of April 30, 2018
The Ontario government is requiring all landlords to use a standard lease template for all new leases beginning April 30, 2018. Lawyers are encouraged to make themselves familiar with the terms of this new lease so they can advise clients of their obligations and rights under the new lease. The information below is taken from… Read More »
Categories: Uncategorized, Precedents, Real Estate, Risk Management & Claims PreventionNew in the practicePRO Library: Unbundled Legal Services – A Family Lawyer’s Guide
Focusing on family law practitioners, Unbundling Legal Services is a particularly appropriate resource given the unique promise that unbundling holds for family law litigants. In many jurisdictions, self-representation rates are highest in family cases. But, as any family law attorney (or family court litigant) knows, these are the case types that arguably benefit most from… Read More »
Categories: Biggest Claims Risks, Risk Management Strategies, Family Law