Thomson Reuters ProView: Part One

We’ve been meaning to do a post on the Thomson Reuters ProView eReference platform for a long time; as it turns out, we’re going to do two posts! In this first post, I’ll talk about what that big long title (“Thomson Reuters ProView eReference”) means, what’s included in it, and how you find it here at our library. Tomorrow, I’ll post more about how to use the platform, and some great links to online tutorials.

 

Thomson Reuters ProView eReference Collection – What’s That?

This is the proper name for the online versions of some of the looseleafs published by Thomson Reuters. Some of their looseleafs are only available in Westlaw, and some are only available on the ProView platform. If that seems a little complicated to keep straight, it’s because it is! To help keep it all straight, we’ve put a sticker on all of the looseleaf binders here at the library that have online versions available. You can see a picture of that here.

What’s Included?

Currently, the CCLA library has 80 titles available in our ProView subscription. For the time being, all of these titles are also available in print in the library, but that is likely to change over the course of this year. Some of the titles include:

  • Canadian Employment Law
  • The Law of Costs
  • Construction, Builders’ and Mechanics’ Liens in Canada
  • Compensation and Duties of Estate Trustees, Guardians and Attorney
  • Evidence in Family Law
  • Insurance Law in Canada
  • Remedies in Tort
  • Law of Real Property
  • And many, many more.

How Do I Access This?

The first question everyone has: can I use this from my office if it’s online? And the answer, regretfully, is no. You’ll still have to visit the library to access these online titles. On each of our public computers, you can access ProView through the CCLA Library Toolkit icon. There should be no additional steps to accessing this platform from there.

While you still have to venture into the library, many people will find the ability to search the book using keywords to be an excellent additional value. You may also appreciate the ease with which you can email excerpts of the books to yourself, or save them to a memory stick. Also, since we also have a Westlaw subscription at the library, you can easily link to case law from the book you are reading.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at how to use the ProView platform. This program is unlike Westlaw, and also unlike more traditional e-books (like those you might borrow from the library, or purchase for your Kindle or Kobo), so you’ll want to check out how to best use this service.

 

#ThrowbackThursday: “Online Searching – What can it do for YOU???”

As previously discussed on this blog, we love references to old technology, old terminology, and old librarianship topics. I was flipping through the old CCLA Bulletins, and found this delightful piece on online searching.

 

This was written almost exactly 24 years ago, and obviously in that time online searching has become the first (and for many people, last) stop in their research. I don’t think I’d have to work this hard to convince many people nowadays to try searching online! I found the tidbit about Quicklaw having “peak hours” for researching to be particularly interesting – that is certainly from before my time as a law librarian (and those prices – ouch!).

Newly Received Materials from LSUC CPD

Below are some of the most recent CPD materials added to the library collection. Each title links to the book record where you can view more details and the full table of contents. All materials are available in print at the library, or if you’re interested in only a couple of articles, feel free to email us a request for a scanned copy.

The Six Minute Real Estate Lawyer 2016 (November 8, 2016)

  • An update on lawyers’ negligence claims in real estate transactions / Paul Perell
  • Deposits in real estate transactions: protecting the purchaser / Ian Speers
  • Environmental challenges for the real estate lawyer / Rosalind H. Cooper
  • New developments in the registration of notices of lease / Christina Kobi

13th Annual Employment Law Seminar (November 17, 2016)

  • Legislative update: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act, and Occupational Health and Safety Act / Janet M. Callfas
  • Top cases in the last year / K.C. Wysynski and Geoff Daley
  • When, where, and why: remedies in employment law / David Thompson and Matthew McKarney

24th Annual Immigration Law Summit (November 22 – 23, 2016)

  • Residency obligation appeals: when is a Canadian business actually a Canadian business? / Cheryl Robinson
  • Provincial and federal judicial remedies / Trevor Guy and Wendy Wright
  • Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) / Robert Stevenson
  • 2016 practice, procedure & administrative cases you might not know about / Ann Margaret Oberst
  • Habeas corpus and immigration detention / Sharon Stewart Guthrie

The 16th Annual Advocacy Conference (December 1, 2016)

  • Professional workshop case study / Christopher Deeley and Laura Coward
  • Top 5 tort cases / Andrew L. Keesmaat and Aaron T. Lewicki
  • Important cases and trends in accident benefits 2016: the insurer’s perspective / Pamela J. Quesnel and David E.W. Koots
  • Can I afford to represent that client? Do I want to lose money? / Robert J. Hooper

Recently Published Ottawa Decisions

Find below recently published Ottawa decisions, available for free through CanLII.org.

Family Matters

Leedy v Leedy (2017 ONSC 868)
temporary spousal support — access — unwise — generous — ordered
Justice C. Hackland

Smith v McQuinn (2017 ONSC 859)
costs — offer to settle — motion — post-secondary educational expenses — support
Justice A. Doyle

Verhey v Verhey (2017 ONSC 837)
jurisdiction to vary — post-secondary education — married — agreement — separation
Justice M. Shelston

Wood v Evans (2017 ONSC 891)
mental health — child support — costs orders — private investigator — meritless
Justice T. Ray

Melis v Zwanenburg (2017 ONSC 613)
payee spouse — income — equalization — pension — double recovery
Justice R. Beaudoin

Civil Matters

Mannion Heating & Plumbing, Strang and Strang Management, v, Bam Industries and Bruce Minty Ltd. (2017 ONSC 934)
clients — entitled to accept unsolicited work — injunction — solicitation — enjoins
Justice M. Labrosse

McLeish v Daines (2017 ONSC 903)
jury — correcting instruction — analogy — police officer — cash grab
Justice R. Smith

Continue reading

State of Washington & State of Minnesota v. Trump

It’s hard to stay away from the news these days, but those closely following the appeal from Trump’s Immigration Ban in the United States might be interested to see that due to interest in the case, the 9th Circuit has put up a webpage for all of the related court documents. Some light reading for those inclined.

There’s been quite a legal flurry north of the border in response to the ban as well. Courthouse Libraries BC has arranged an upcoming webinar entitled “Canadian Lawyers and the Impact of the US Executive Orders (Muslim Ban)”, to take place on Monday, February 27th, 3:30-4:30 PM EST. BC lawyer Peter Edelmann will be joined by US attorney Nikhil Shah to discuss:

  • The EO and whom it affects.
  • The effects of the various injunctions (MA, NY, CA, etc.) and appeals and what this means practically for affected people seeking access to the US.
  • Legal procedure and rights at the US Border.
  • Some expectations/predictions re future banned countries.
  • Canada’s next possible moves (e.g. Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement).
  • Information about the Canadian and US lawyer alliances/participation in this crisis.
  • What you, the lawyer on the front lines (or who wants to get involved) needs to know, e.g. what you can accomplish v. what you should expect.

You can register for the webinar here.

Research Tip: New CanLII Highlighting Feature

While we were preparing for the holidays and wrapping up those last minute reference questions in 2016, a cool new feature was quietly rolled out in CanLII – so quietly that we didn’t even notice until last month! If you’re a regular user of CanLII, you’ll want to check this out.

Highlighting terms within CanLII has always been a handy feature. If you’re performing a keyword search, CanLII will highlight where the words appear in the document you select and read from your search results, allowing you to scroll through the text to find those terms. Now, you can edit those terms right from within your search!

 

As in this photo, the keyword search was for “Constructive Dismissal.” The instances of that phrase in the document are highlighted in blue. Now, if you wanted to add another word or phrase, you can click on the little pencil icon next to the down arrow…

 

And a box will open, allowing you to type in another word or phrase! Hit enter… Continue reading

#ThrowbackThursday: The Carleton Medal

Of the four awards handed out annually by the CCLA, the Carleton Medal is our oldest and most prestigious. This award celebrates someone from our community who has made a significant impact on the profession over the course of their career. The list of recipients of the Carleton Medal is truly impressive – you can check out the full list here.

Carleton Medal – Kenneth Jarvis, R.C.A. (1988)

The history of the Carleton Medal is told with great detail in the book that was written for the 100th anniversary of the CCLA. The Medal was actually struck in that year to mark the centenary, and was designed by Kenneth Jarvis, Q.C., R.C.A. The design was based on the armorial bearings of Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester. Here’s what The First Century has to say:

The main element of his armorial achievement was the broad arrow, and this has been incorporated in the design of the Carleton Medal in two modes; on the obverse it appears in the naturalistic form of the arrowhead plant, a hardy and familiar native of Canadian lakes and streams. In this form it represents growth and vigour, striving upward towards the light, and producing, in due season, fine white blossoms. At the top of the obverse of the medal are the buds of future flowers symbolic of continuing growth. The two plants with their leaves and blooms represent the French and English components of the Association.

The motto, vicimus virtute, may be translated victory through merit and combines the ideas of conflict and the just resolution of it in favour of the more meritorious or deserving. … The motto relates also to Guy Carleton’s motto, quondam his vicimus armis, which may be translated, with these arms of yore we conquered.

(From: William C.V. Johnson, ed, The First Century: Essays on the History of the County of Carleton Law Association by Various Hands on the Occasion of the Association’s Centenary, 1888-1988 (Ottawa: Bonanza Press Ltd., 1988).)

The recipient of this year’s Carleton Medal will be announced in the coming weeks, and will be presented at the CCLA Awards Dinner on March 7.

 

Ottawa Blog Roll: January 2017

Please find below links to blog posts or articles authored by the Ottawa legal community in January.

Civil Litigation

When Doctors Are Actually “Hired Guns”
– Frank Van Dyke, Van Dyke Injury Law Blog

Civil Lawyers Raise the Alarm on Case Delays
– Andrea Girones, Girones Lawyers

Construction Liens – Vacating Your Lien Does Not Mean Losing It!
– Patrick Simon, Vice and Hunter LLP

Condominium Law

Condo Manager Licensing in Ontario: The “General” licence
– Rod Escayola, Condo Adviser

Condo Managers With a Limited Licence Will Have to Work Under Supervision
– Rod Escayola, Condo Adviser

Who Will Be Exempt from Mandatory Licensing of Condo Managers?
– Rod Escayola, Condo Adviser

Licensing of Condominium Managers – Who Needs to be Licensed? (Blog No. 1 in a Series)
– Davidson Houle Allen LLP

Licensing of Condominium Managers- Licensing Timeframes and Requirements (Blog No. 2 in a Series)
– Davidson Houle Allen LLP

Licensing of Condominium Managers-Restrictions on Managers who have a Limited Condominium Management Licence (Blog No. 3 in a Series)
– Davidson Houle Allen LLP

Licensing of Condominium Managers-Who can obtain a licence to be a condominium manager? (Blog No. 4 in a Series)
– Davidson Houle Allen LLP

Licensing of Condominium Managers- Six Questions Answered (Blog No. 5 in a Series)
– Davidson Houle Allen LLP

Licensing of Condominium Managers-What are some of the statutory obligations placed upon licensees? (Blog No. 6 in a Series)
– Davidson Houle Allen LLP

Suspended Access Equipment- New OHSA Regulation Amendments in Effect January 1, 2017
– Davidson Houle Allen LLP

Corporate Commercial Law

Ontario Court of Appeal confirms Two-Year Limitation Period to Enforce American Judgments in Ontario
– Shawn O’Connor & Allison Russell, Startup.Buildup.Sellup.

It is a Governance Issue or a Management Issue? An Often Made Misdiagnosis
– Michael A. Chambers, Maclaren Corlett

Criminal Law

January 2017 Criminal Law Round-up
– Anne-Marie McElroy, McElroy Law

Justice Denied: Delay in Criminal Court and the Right to a Speedy Trial
– Anne-Marie McElroy, McElroy Law

You Are Not The Reasonable Person
– Louise Tanset, Mack’s Criminal Law

Continue reading

Recently Published Ottawa Decisions

Find below recently published Ottawa decisions, available for free through CanLII.org.

Family Matters

Boyer v Brown (2017 ONSC 501)
child support — evidence — impute income — expenses — motion
Justice L. Sheard

Gibeau v Parker and Rivard (2017 CanLII 2296)
costs — table child support — settlement — pay — successful
Justice M. Shelston

Bailliu v Chaloux (2017 ONSC 628)
spousal support — costs — offers to settle — lump — child support
Justice A. Doyle

Civil Matters

Walker v Hulse, Playfair and McGarry (2017 ONSC 358)
aggravated damages — termination — dismissal — deputy — distress
Justice R. Beaudoin

Soulliere (By his Guardian) v Intact Insurance (2017 ONSC 419)
structured portion of the settlement — non-structured portion of the settlement — draft — endorsement — payee
Justice S. Corthorn

Continue reading

Fighting the Good Link Rot Fight

One of the things that keeps librarians up at night is something known as link rot (don’t get us even started on “fake news” and information literacy). There was an article highlighting this issue in the NY Times a couple of years ago, but basically, link rot happens when you cite something on the web that ends up moving its URL, changing its form somehow, or being deleted altogether. As the internet grows naturally from its infancy and more things change, it becomes harder and harder to identify sources, and more and more links lead to dead ends.

This is happening in case law and the legal world as well as the scholarly one, and you can understand how this might be important when the footnotes and links are referring to the basis of legal precedent. The Times article identified that in 2013, a study found that 49% of their Supreme Court decisions links no longer worked. There have been a couple initiatives to try and rectify this since then, the largest of which being Perma.cc, which archives and gives permanent links to resources so that they will no longer change.

Today, the Supreme Court of Canada revealed a similar project they have been working on, their depository of Internet Sources Cited in SCC Judgments (1998 – 2016), which contains permanent links to documents referred to in SCC decisions. Here is their news release regarding the service:

January 26, 2017

OTTAWA – Recognizing that web pages or websites that the Court cites in its judgments may subsequently vary in content or be discontinued, the Office of the Registrar of the SCC has located and archived the content of most online sources that had been cited by the Court between 1998 and 2016. These sources were captured with a content as close as possible to the original content cited. Links to the archived content can be found here: Internet Sources Cited in SCC Judgments (1998 – 2016).

From 2017, online internet sources cited in the “Authors Cited” section in SCC judgments will be captured and archived.  When a judgment cites such a source, an “archived version” link will be provided to facilitate future research.

An important step forward. Hopefully we will see similar initiatives by other courts to help address this issue.