The Complete Brief
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February 09, 2026
Why I help pro athletes find their post-retirement careers, part two
This is the second part of a two-part series: Part one: Why I help pro athletes find their post-retirement careers.
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February 09, 2026
CIVIL PROCEDURE - Service - Judgments and orders - Default judgments - Setting aside
Appeal by appellant from an order setting aside a default judgment and subsequent damages assessment. The appellant obtained default judgment for damages to be assessed and an order assessing damages at $150,000 after the respondent failed to file a response to a civil claim. The respondent later applied to set aside both orders, and the application was heard in the appellant’s absence.
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February 06, 2026
Lawyers charged with crimes may claim ‘innocence at stake’ to pierce solicitor-client privilege: SCC
The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld 7-2 the acquittal of a Saskatchewan criminal defence counsel charged with attempting to obstruct justice, ruling for the first time that lawyers charged with a crime may invoke the “innocence at stake” exception to solicitor‑client privilege to seek access to their client’s privileged communications for use in their own defence.
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February 06, 2026
10 new partners appointed for 2026 at Dentons Canada
As of Feb. 1, 10 lawyers will be added to the partnership at Dentons Canada, says a release on the firm’s website.
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February 06, 2026
Federal investment assists Ontario SMEs in navigating CUSMA compliance
The Government of Canada is helping businesses by investing $500,000 in the Toronto Region Board of Trade and its World Trade Centre Toronto to “deliver the CUSMA (Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement) Compliance Series, a targeted program supporting Ontario small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).”
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February 06, 2026
Fasken welcomes lawyer to its Canada, U.K. offices
This week, Fasken announced that Timothy St. John Ellam, K.C., has joined the firm as senior counsel in the litigation and dispute resolution group.
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February 06, 2026
B.C. appoints 12 new sheriffs to provincial courthouses
B.C. has announced that 12 new sheriffs will be posted to provincial courthouses in communities across the province.
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February 06, 2026
B.C. launches free platform for virtual court services help
B.C. has introduced a new centralized virtual counter service for people to receive free help and advice in navigating the court system from anywhere in the province.
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February 06, 2026
Justice Lauwers urges swearing in self-represented litigants when submissions amount to evidence
Justice Peter Lauwers of the Ontario Court of Appeal has recommended that self-represented litigants who make submissions that amount to evidence be sworn in, placed in the witness box and made subject to immediate cross-examination.
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February 06, 2026
Wills and estates 101: Understanding legal terms
My colleague, Marly Peikes, wrote an article way back in 2023 that demystified some common legal terms used in Ontario estate and trust planning. While an entire textbook could be filled with estate-related legal jargon, for now, we want to provide our readers with greater clarity on even more commonly used terms in the estate and trust realm, with the goal of making this legal landscape a little less intimidating.