kmb notes

January 2010

What's New at KMB

Keyser Mason Ball, LLP Welcomes Patrizia Piccolo as a Partner

We measure our lawyers' talent, ability, business savvy, accomplishments and leadership. Patrizia Piccolo, who heads our Labour & Employment Practice, definitely measures up as a Partner.

Patrizia began her legal career as an articling student at Keyser Mason Ball, LLP. From an early stage we recognized that she had the potential to be a leader at our firm. She has been very determined and smart in building her practice to a point where she was asked to head our Labour & Employment Practice in 2007. Patrizia practices exclusively in the area of management labour relations and Human Resources workplace law and supports both unionized and non-unionized clients. Although her client base is predominantly privately held companies, she does advise a number of public companies and Canadian subsidiaries of Fortune 1000 corporations.
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Please call or email Patrizia to pass on well deserved congratulations.
T: (905.276.0421) E: ppiccolo@kmblaw.com

Community Initiative

We are now proud to introduce a new initiative supporting children and youth through the Peel Youth Children's Village (a facility owned by the Region of Peel and managed by the YMCA) and the Nahani Way Public School. These two organizations will help us determine their various needs and enable us to provide support through an active volunteer program coordinated by the firm. As part of this initiative all members of the firm will be invited to participate in a variety of volunteer activities including acting as role models, cheerleaders and supporters bringing our compassion, professionalism and general life skills to help kids towards a more successful future.

Keyser Mason Ball, LLP is making a long term commitment to the YMCA Peel Youth Village and the Nahani Way Public School to truly try to make a difference.

We recently kicked off our support at the Peel Youth Village in December with members of the firm volunteering to prepare and serve a holiday dinner to more than 40 current and returning residents.

New Way To Register For Our Seminars & Training

To reduce the amount of email flowing to your In Box, notice of all KMBlaw seminars, training and presentations will be included in our newsletter. No more individual blasts, save for short-turnaround urgent information we feel would really be of benefit to you. In the right side panel of every kmb notes we will list the presentation topic and date. Click through this byte and you will find full details of the discussion as well as registration information. Full details can be found at »www.kmblaw.com/seminars.html

Mandated: The New Rules on Mediation

As of January 1, 2010, new rules have come into effect with respect to mandatory mediation for court actions that are commenced in Toronto, Ottawa and Windsor. In many cases, the changes will impose mandatory mediation onto the litigants at an earlier stage in the court proceedings. The thrust behind the changes are to ensure that the cost of litigation is not disproportionate to the amount at stake. However, in some instances, early mediation may, in fact, increase costs and hinder resolution.
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The Legal Mine Field of Condominium Rule Enforcement

The condominium corporation, and the community of unit holders it serves, is a microcosm of a nation. The Condominium Act is the constitution. The Declaration is the Charter of Rights. The By-laws are likened to the Acts of Parliament. The Rules are akin to subsidiary legislation. Condo fees are the equivalent of taxes. The Board of Directors of the condominium corporation (the “Board”) is the government. Board members are elected democratically in accordance with the principle of one unit holder, one vote.
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TELEPHONE SEMINARS

Jan 28
Labour & Employment:
The Buck Stops Here: An Update on the Law of Mitigation.
»Register

Feb 4
Business Law:
"Made in Canada" or "Organic" claims to generate some consumer goodwill? A handy primer on Canada's packaging and labelling regulatory regime.
»Register

Feb 26
Labour & Employment:
"Restrictive Covenants": Review of Supreme Court of Canada Decision in Shafron v. KRG Insurance Brokers
»Register

Mar 26
Labour & Employment:
"Vacation Time - Use It or Lose It":Unused vacation can be a huge liability for companies. Many employees earn additional weeks of vacation based on their years of service or their position. But when employees do not take all of their vacation and that vacation is carried over year after year, companies may not realize the financial or operational implications.
»Register

BREAKFAST SEMINARS

Feb 10<
Labour & Employment:
Employees Gone Wild - Or Have They? Why Employees defeat Safeguards, and What Employers should do about it.
»Register

Feb 23<
Business Law:
What you don’t know about the Competition Act can hinder your successful business: The basics that every business owner should know to avoid running afoul of the Competition Act.
»Register

Mar 4<
Business Law:
Protecting Your Brand Online: With all the social media and self publishing tools available on the internet, businesses are realizing that they must take an active role in managing what is said about their brand online. Online conversations can have a detrimental impact on your business if not managed correctly.
»Register

Mar 2, 2010 – Ashlee Froese - Guest Speaker
- University of Toronto Topic: Intersection of Intellectual Property Law in the Public Relations Industry

Mar 3, 2010 – Ian J. Wick - Guest Speaker:
Succession Planning for Third Party Transitions: A half-day executive overview of essential concepts and strategies . Topics Include: "Why being a Boy Scout Helps Your Bottom Line"
Hosted by: Studio 53 Productions - Location: Burlington Golf & Country Club, Burlington, Ontario.
Contact: David Hill - Email: rsvp@studio53productions.com or 905.632.5685

Mar 9, 2010 – Patrizia Piccolo - Guest Speaker
AFI International Group Inc., Business Continuity Summit
Topic: Ensuring Your Pre-Strike/Pre-Lockout Strategy Complies with the Labour Relations Act

Mar 30, 2010 – Ashlee Froese - Guest Speaker
AFI International Group Inc., Business Continuity Summit
Seneca College - Graphic Design School of Communication Arts
Topic: Intellectual Property Issues and Copyright Law