Category: Blog
Corporate Social Responsibility Does Not Generally Call for Political Speech
Written by Rebecca Jaremko Bromwich Elie Wiesel famously said in his 1986 Nobel Prize acceptance speech that “we must take sides; neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.” I tend to agree […]
Analyzing Court Processes to Promptly Resolve Cases on their Merits
Written by Gerard Kennedy By and large, staying out of court is a good idea for business. At times, however, lawsuits become necessary. At other times, they may not be […]
After the Curtain Falls on the US-led EDI Show: Focus on the Equality Work
Written by Rebecca Jaremko Bromwich The past few years have seen popular culture swept away in dramatic media cycles about equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), driven primarily by events in […]
The Power of AI for Negotiations
Photo credit: Rawpixel.com on Freepik Written by: Khaled Abdelwahab INTRODUCTION Will AI replace human negotiators? In this blog, we dive into the world of transformational technologies, such as artificial intelligence […]
Azam v Andrews Custom Furniture Designs Inc.
Written by Xiyuan Feng In Azam v Andrews Custom Furniture Designs Inc.,[1] a recent judgement of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the Court acknowledged that receiving, and, if necessary, […]
Employees For Keeps: Some Best Practice Suggestions for Employee Retention in Small and Family-Run Businesses
Both economic and cultural factors strongly suggest it is better to hire employees, to the greatest extent possible, “for keeps”. This is particularly challenging with today’s low unemployment rates. Employee turnover is expensive, imposing monetary costs (as much as $100,000 for a single employee) as well as leading to a “downward spiral” in worker morale and negatively impacting workplace culture, “fracturing” work teams and preventing them from optimizing their potential. In consequence, employee retention is crucial for the success of small and family-run businesses.
When Insolvency Meets Arbitration: The Supreme Court’s Ruling in Peace River v Petrowest
A natural tension exists where a company that is subject to insolvency proceedings (such as bankruptcy) is also a party to an arbitration agreement. In such cases, there may be conflicting decisions issued by the arbitrator and the insolvency court, or there may be disagreement about which forum has the authority to hear the dispute. The modern view has tended to be that agreements to arbitrate should be honored, consistent with the principles of party autonomy and freedom of contract. Insolvency procedures, however, favour a centralized judicial process and can override certain pre-insolvency agreements in order to achieve objectives in the best interests of creditors. In a much-anticipated decision, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) recently weighed in on these conflicting principles in Peace River Hydro Partners v. Petrowest Corp.,[1] and, in doing so, addressed a key intersection of insolvency and arbitration law.
Certainty and Partnership Arrangements – Key Components to Consider
When embarking on a business venture, it is crucial to set out clear definitions of roles and relationships of all interested parties involved. This can be especially important when seeking to create a formal business partnership, since such an arrangement gives rise to special legal obligations between the partners (as well as legal implications in the partners’ dealings with others). As illustrated by the cases discussed in this blog, sometimes this can be a challenge. Perhaps individuals will be so busy in the whirlwind of starting up a business that they neglect to provide sufficiently certain terms in their agreements, or maybe the alleged partners were never of one mind to even become partners to begin with. Since such errors can have legal consequences; persons should ensure that, if they actually intend to operate as a partnership, they draft an agreement that unequivocally shows that this is how they want their business to be defined.
Typos and Contracts
This is a cautionary tale about attention to clerical detail! Can a typo in a contract prevent a deal from being reached? Apparently, yes, at least insofar as essential terms of the contract are concerned. In 1132080 B.C. Ltd. v 1055616 B.C. Ltd.,[1] one mistake in the party’s name invalidated a contract related to the land and its subsequent assignments.
Certainty and Partnership Arrangements – Key Components to Consider
Written by Ty Schmit When embarking on a business venture, it is crucial to have clear definitions of roles and relationships of all interested parties involved in the venture. This […]