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The Lawyers Weekly, Canada’s first print news publication for legal professionals, has profiled Omar Ha-Redeye, founder of this site.
You can read the profile by Christopher Guly on the website here,
Ha-Redeye established the Western Law Review Association, a group dedicated to publishing a student-run law review at UWO, and was active in various groups on campus, including as president of the Black Law Students’ Association, Health Law Club and Mature Students Club.
But his activities are best known in cyberspace.
Even before being called to the Ontario Bar, Ha-Redeye has made an impression on the profession with his blogs and postings on legal issues.
He runs his own website (www.omarha-redeye.com), as well as a blog and podcast on Canadian law schools (www.lawiscool.com) and regularly contributes to the legal weblog, www.Slaw.ca.
Now, he’s on the path to practising law.
This site is currently transitioning to a whole new line of administrators, and we expect equally great and exciting things from them in the years to come.
Ha-Redeye and Yap — Piedra v. Copper Mesa Mining Corp
In the spirit of increased collegiality and collaboration within the Canadian legal blogging community, LawisCool.com and TheCourt.ca have set aside their heated rivalry to bring you their first ever joint posting. What follows is a commentary on the interesting case of Piedra v. Copper Mesa Mining Corporation, 2010 ONSC 2421.
Commentator for LawisCool.com: Omar Ha-Redeye, Juris Doctor, University of Western Ontario; founding contributor of LawisCool.com
Commetator for TheCourt.ca: James Yap, Juris Doctor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University; former Senior Contributing Editor, TheCourt.ca.
The Facts
Copper Mesa Mining Corporation is a Canadian company based in British Columbia who planned through one of its subsidiaries to build an open pit copper mine in the Intag cloud forest just south-west of The Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, an area of the Andes Mountains of Ecuador. The company is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), but it does not have significant assets or operations in the province of Ontario aside from two of its non-management directors residing in the province.
The Plaintiffs in the case are local activists in Ecuador who have opposed the mine, on the grounds that it will create major deforestation and desertification in the area and threaten more than a dozen animals with extinction. They allege that Copper Mesa through its agents used armed assaults and death threats to intimidate the local activists. Due to a perceived inability to hold Copper Mesa accountable in their country, the Plaintiffs brought a suit in Ontario against Copper Mesa, its directors, and the TSX.
The most novel aspect of the suit is the claim against the TSX for approving and listing Copper Mesa on the exchange, resulting in an influx of capital that would allegedly be used for further intimidation and violence against opponents. Local politicians in Ecuador and environmental supporters in Canada had brought the human rights allegations to the attention of the TSX before its listing. Further, the final prospectus filed by Copper Mesa’s subsidiary to the TSX acknowledge the existence of the conflict,
“[t]ensions surrounding potential exploration and mining work on the Junin property have risen, creating the potential of further escalating violence unless steps are taken to diffuse the situation,” and goes on to report a specific incident in which members of an “anti-mining group” felt “threatened”;
The liability, according to the Plaintiffs, flows from the failure to take any steps to avoid the violence, and that the Defendants knew or ought to have known that violence would ensue if the Copper Mesa subsidiary was financed through the TSX, and should have taken measures to ensure funds raised were not used for improper purposes. The project was highly dependent on funding from the TSX, with over 80% of the US$26.7 million raised by the Copper Mesa subsidiary raised on the TSX alone. According to the Plaintiffs, it was a brokered private placement of shares approved by the TSX that raised US$4.5 million that allowed Copper Mesa to hire the private security forces allegedly responsible for the armed assaults that form the basis of the claim.
The TSX is considered a specialized exchange for mining, and over 60% of the world’s mining companies are listed on the TSX and related exchanges.
Podcast: Chris Bredt and BLG Climbing a Mountain (Episode 25)
In this podcast Omar Ha-Redeye speaks to Christopher Bredt of Borden, Ladner, Gervais LLP about his plans to clime Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa.
Bredt will be accompanied by partners in his firm, Sean Weir, Shelley Munro, William Carter and Michael Smith.
The climb is a fundraiser for the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE). You can donate to the climbers directly through the CODE climbers page.
For more on CODE, see the video below.
Devin Johnston, who has been running the podcasts here recently, is now articling. Current and incoming students interested in taking over these responsibilities can contact us directly.
Precedent Magazine is Cool
Melissa Kluger of Precedent Magazine stopped by the University of Western Ontario to say hi to a few of the Law is Cool team:
Law is Cool contributors (From Left): John Magyar, Joel Welch, Meagan Williams, Omar Ha-Redeye, Lawrence Gridin, Logan Rathbone (Front): Precedent Magazine's Melissa Kluger
Melissa did a podcast with us last year, and Joel contributed to the last edition of the magazine.
Podcast: Corporate Social Responsibility Blog (Episode 23)
On last week’s podcast, we brought you Part 1 of Omar Ha-Redeye’s interview with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Associate Jason MacLean. MacLean is one of the contributors to Corporate Social Responsibility – A Legal Analysis. In Part 1 of the interview, MacLean talked about the precautionary principle and how it can create a competitive advantage for the corporations that embrace it. He also discussed how securities law may lead to investors demanding more complete disclosure of the environmental impacts of a corporation’s activities.
This week, we feature Part 2 of Omar’s interview with Jason MacLean. In this episode, MacLean discusses the Supreme Court’s decision in the BCE case, as well as the transition from writing a book to publishing a blog about corporate social responsibility. The blog enables MacLean and his co-authors to chronicle the latest developments in corporate social responsibility and the law without being frozen in time.
Podcast: Corporate Social Responsibility & Rural BC Law Jobs (Episode 22)
Today’s podcast features two interviews. First, part 1 of 2 with Jason MacLean on corporate social responsibility (CSR)
Jason MacLean on Corporate Social Responsibility
Jason MacLean is an Associate in the Litigation Group at the Toronto office of Osler, Hoskin & Harcout LLP. He is one of the contributors to the new book Corporate Social Responsibility – A Legal Analysis. He also writes for CSR Law, a new blog covering developments in corporate social responsibility law.
Today’s show features Part One of Omar Ha-Redeye’s two-part interview with MacLean. He discusses the precautionary principle, environmental stewardship, and some of the arguments against CSR. MacLean argues that embracing the precautionary principle can create a competitive advantage for corporations. In the long run, he believes that corporations that embrace environmental stewardship will succeed in the market, whereas companies that fail to disclose environmental risks to employees, shareholders, and customers will run into business and legal challenges.
Next week, we will feature Part Two of the interview, in which MacLean discusses the evolution from book to blog as well as impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in BCE Inc. v. 1976 Debentureholders, 2008 SCC 69.
Michael Litchfield on Access to Lawyers in Rural British Columbia
Also on today’s show, we speak with Michael Litchfield from the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch about the Rural Education and Access to Lawyers (REAL) Initiative. This initiative is taking a multi-faceted approach to promoting access to legal services in rural communities using techniques including:
- funding summer student placements in rural BC;
- providing financial and promotional support for marketing of regions to law students and lawyers;
- providing support for students interested in practicing in small communities; and
- providing support for law firms and practitioners with recruitment, hiring, and retention.
So far, the REAL Initiative has helped to create and fill 11 summer student positions in rural BC.
Finalist for 2008 Legal Culture CLawBie
The 2008 Canadian Law Blog Awards are out for the year.
Law is Cool won the Legal Culture Award in 2007.
This year we were a runner up for the Legal Culture Award, which we’re still honoured to have. First place went to Slaw after Law is Cool founder Omar Ha-Redeye joined their team.
3) Legal Culture Award - Slaw evolved in 2008, drawing in more Canadian blogging talent (see Omar & the Daves!) and producing even more quality commentary. Despite my own involvement, this year’s nomination process (and Blawggies award) support what I’ve always known: Slaw has become a beacon for what Canadian law blogs have to offer. Runner ups: Law is Cool, Precedent.
A review of all the winners and finalists demonstrate the collaborative nature of the legal blogosphere, with many cross-collaborations and cooperation on various sites.
We can also take this opportunity to thank the many legal professionals that have helped this site continue, our contributors for their hard work, and and all of our readers for their dedication.
Law is Cool Makes CBC News
We’ve been covered in local papers before, and frequently cited in other blogs. But Law is Cool just made CBC News.
You can see the link to here from Ormiston Online‘s page on bloggers. Check out the site for more election related coverage.
Omar Ha-Redeye and Devin Johnston were interviewed for the CBC on web tools related to the upcoming Federal election. The footage has already been used from coast-to-coast, and emphasizes the increasingly important role of technology in politics.
Law is Cool – Podcast #13
In this episode, Omar Ha-Redeye interviewed Caitlin Rose, a summering student with Fasken Martineau. A recent graduate of the McGill Faculty of Law, Caitlin was a co-founding Executive Editor of the McGill Journal of Law and Health (formerly the McGill Health Law Publication).
Following that interview, I discussed climate change policies in the context of the upcoming federal election campaign with Miranda Hussey and Jim Johnston. Miranda is a blogger from A View From The Left and the President of the Oak Ridges-Markham Young Liberals. Jim is the candidate of record for the Green Party of Canada in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.
This podcast is cross-posted at devinjohnston.ca.
Interview with Caitlin Rose
Caitlin began by introducing herself. Caitlin studied law at McGill and worked for one summer in-house with Pfizer during her time there. Subsequently she joined Fasken Martineau as a summer student where she spent one month on secondment at Cirque du Soleil.
Omar asked Caitlin about the McGill Journal of Law and Health. The journal’s name was recently changed from the McGill Health Law Publication to reflect that it is an academic peer-reviewed journal. Caitlin was involved in founding the journal through her involvement in the McGill Health Law Club. She served as an Executive Editor of the journal in its first year of existence. Caitlin commented that the Dean and Faculty at McGill were supportive in helping to get the journal off the ground.
Caitlin also noted that the journal was intended from the beginning to be multi-disciplinary and bilingual. She discussed the broad range of contributors to the first issue including a Law Professor, an MPP, and members of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, as well as an afterword from the Honourable Mr. Justice Jean-Louis Baudouin.
Omar and Caitlin discussed some of the challenges associated with publishing a peer-reviewed journal, including the struggle to publish the journal on a regular schedule.
Finally, Caitlin commented on her experience interviewing for summering positions. She commented that it is important to have a diverse background that is not merely academic in nature. She found that her experience with the journal was an asset when looking for a job, but also warned that some interviewers may be concerned about whether the candidate wants to practice or pursue an academic career.
Climate Change and the Federal Election
The discussion began with some analysis of the news that Blair Wilson has joined the Green Party, becoming the Greens’ first ever MP. Jim noted that this news adds legitimacy to the Green Party. Miranda argued that Green Party leader Elizabeth May should be included in the leaders’ debate, adding that having a Green MP in Parliament may help the Liberals in the election because of increased attention on the climate change issue.
The panelists discussed the Liberal Party’s Green Shift proposal and similar policies advocated by the Greens. Jim noted that the object of tax shift policies is to reduce taxes on things the goverment wants to encourage and increase the cost of things the government wants to discourage.
The panel also discussed how social media will play a role in the campaign. Jim noted that he learned of his daughter’s engagement via Facebook to demonstrate the changing nature of communications technology. Miranda argued that effective use of technology is essential for political parties in order to engage youth in politics. In light of the prominence of the climate change issue, Jim stated that he believes Elizabeth May stands a good chance being elected in Peter MacKay’s riding of Central Nova.
Miranda and Jim concluded by agreeing that the upcoming election is difficult to predict at this point and much will depend on the weeks to come.
Omar Ha-Redeye, Law is Cool Founder, joins Slaw
After founding this site in the summer of 2007, it has quickly grown into the largest law school website in Canada.
It has been a great experience, not without challenges, but the time has come to take on new initiatives.
For that reason, I’m pleased to share that I’m accepting an invitation to join Slaw, “a cooperative Canadian weblog on things legal.” It’s really an honour to share the same web space with the biggest legal names in Canada.
You can see my posts there for this week:
Our site here has grown enough that we have many regular contributors and several editors that can keep it running. I’ll still be around and contribute, but my attention is obviously divided between two sites now.
And for any students out there who doubt that blogging on legal issues (as opposed to your personal life, happenings at law school, etc.) is a good way to build relationships with senior practitioners in the field, please do take note. We’re always willing to consider serious and dedicated law students interested in joining the team.
I’ll also be launching a personal site in the near future to keep track of some of my professional activities, including an upcoming book publication with Oxford University Press.
Review: How Many Clients Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb
How How Many Clients Does It Take To Change a Lightbulb? A Lawyer Strikes Back (Paperback) by Giovanni Diviacchi (Author)
List Price: $9.00
# Paperback: 38 pages
# Publisher: Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc. (March 19, 2006)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0805970398
# ISBN-13: 978-0805970395
# Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.6 x 0.3 inches
Thomas Wisdom’s Review
I was able to devote about fifteen minutes to the book but managed to get through the first half.
As a legal professional, I was unmoved. As a comedy enthusiast, I was appalled.
I was fortunate enough to have a professor for one of my courses who told a law-related joke at the beginning of every class. Sometimes the class burst out in hysterics, and others, there was so much silence that you could hear a cricket chirp despite the absense of crickets in the room.
This book reminded me of the latter occasions. Throughout the entire thing–or at least the half I could get through–I didn’t even crack a smile.
The subtitle of “A Lawyer Strikes Back” suggests that the book is intended to be a retort to all of those anti-lawyer jokes we’ve heard a thousand times. Its general aim is to take a jab at clients. And that it does.
Unfortunately much of the book simply recycles old lawyer jokes, supplanting the word “lawyer” with “client.” And the original jokes simply aren’t funny. A lawyer making fun of clients for their ignorance of the law is like a mechanic doing the same because a customer doesn’t know how to dismantle a carburator.
It’s petty, especially considering that most of the anecdotes that drive a lawyer’s frustration with clients are second-hand, because let’s face it. Clients, generally speaking, aren’t that bad. They also pay your bills. So shut up and fix the bloody carburator.
On top of the substantive weaknesses of the jokes (primarily that they aren’t funny), there are procedural weaknesses as well. I use these two terms, of course, because they are beaten into law students from day one to graduation and I’m trying to relate to my audience.
Now this piece wasn’t meant to be a review of the editor, but for God’s sake you don’t even have to work in order to recognize a poorly worded joke that could have been so much better if written properly. I didn’t.
Having read the first half of the book, I decided to skip to the end to see if the material got better as I went along. You know. Like the first two Godfather movies. But those movies started out good and still got better so perhaps there’s no grounds for comparison.
This book was more like Godfather III. It sucked in the beginning, it sucked in the middle, and wouldn’t you know it… it sucked in the end.
Allow me to get positive for a moment.
I’ll admit that, as much a comedy buff as I am, I’m no comic myself and I recognize how difficult it is to produce original material and perfect its delivery. Keeping that in mind, I can imagine instances in which most of the material in this book could be funny if delivered perfectly.
Some jokes are funny simply by virtue of how truly unfunny they are. Others can be made good by the right person under the right circumstances. Granted, it’d be a stretch with this material but anything’s possible. And some of the jokes have, buried deep inside them, little commentaries about the legal profession that could at least tickle a lawyer’s funny bone (while his/her wife/husband roles their eyes).
Perhaps the flaws lie with me. Maybe law school’s made me so jaded that I can’t laugh at all anymore. Come to think of it… I haven’t had a good laugh in a while.
Lawrence Gridin’s Review
Like Thomas, I pondered whether the jokes would be better if delivered verbally.
I solicited the help of a friend to listen to me telling the jokes. We both agreed that most of the jokes fell pretty flat, whether read to oneself or told to others.
Here are some examples:
“The Attorney asked the client: ‘Why did you decide to divorce your husband?’
She replied, ‘Beats me.’
Q: What’s the difference between a member of Congress and a client?
A: One finds ways to pass laws, the other to get around them.
The surest sign that a client is in love is when he comes in to divorce his wife.”
After getting about halfway through the book, I realized that the quality of the jokes was not improving. I was honestly not inclined to finish it, which is pretty sad considering the book is only 32 pages long!
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a terrible book. There are good jokes here and there. Some made me smirk. A couple made me actually laugh.
But ultimately, I cannot see why anyone would want to pay money for a 32-page hit-or-miss joke book.
Omar Ha-Redeye’s Review
Unlike “my friends,” I probably have a slightly different sense of humour. I know that humour can and often is used in some very hurtful ways. And for whatever reason, that type of hurtful humour is usually the most popular among today’s youth.
In contrast, this book had a lot of good clean fun. The only person this would likely hurt is any lawyer so bold as to offend a client by telling one of these jokes.
Which brings me to the purpose of such a book. There is no way that any astute lawyer involved in client development would use these as ice breakers.
But when constantly bombarded with anti-lawyer rhetoric (can we establish that as an analogous group by any chance?), this book might provide some reprieve. I can see a fuming advocate retreating back to their office, opening their top draw and pulling this out, a smile slowly spreading across their face.
Sure, a lot of these jokes are recycled. It doesn’t make it less appealing when your self-esteem hits the floor. And it’s probably better in small doses, administered at times of need, rather than reading it cover to cover.
In short, it’s a groundbreaking piece that screams that the lawyer will be the victim no more.
Just don’t do a sequel to “A Lawyer Strikes Back” with a title “Return of the Lawyer,” or even I will join the cynical bandwagon.
Law is Cool – Podcast #10
Show Notes
25:29 Total Running Time
0:16 Thomas Wisdom and Omar Ha-Redeye introduce themselves, with interviews from David Aylward and Hon. Chris Bentley.
1:14 Omar discusses the 7 Year Law Degree from Jordan Furlong, while Thomas mentions the importance of learning on the job.
2:25 Thomas shares his new smoking habit that he picked up during law school.
4:50 Omar introduces David Aylward, founder and director of COMCARE Emergency Response Alliance, on how to transition out of a typical legal career into other sectors.
5:22 David Aylward describes his educational, legal and political career in Congress and the U.S. House of Representatives.
6:37 David Aylward relates how the discipline of the legal education and the focus on the meaning of words helped him outside the law and creating a non-profit promoting agency interoperability.
7:52 David Aylward explains how in responding to any emergency there is a need for information exchange and a system that allows voice, data and video sharing.
9:31 Public agencies don’t look at the private or commercial sector enough for communications capability and have a higher degree of cultural resistance to sharing, but technically still have similar challenges.
12:02 David Aylward provides career advise on how to psychologically prepare on transitioning into non-traditional legal careers where the essence of the work isn’t the law.
14:42 There are lots of opportunities in North America, and anyone who has a law degree has lots of choices.
15:56 Thomas describes his trip to Florence, Italy and the 10 year delays in the tort system there.
16:28 Omar introduces Min. Chis Bentley, the Attorney-General of Ontario.
17:25 The Attorney-General of Ontario relates his experience teaching at the University of Western Ontario faculty of law.
18:02 Min. Bentley explains the access to justice issue, and changes his office have made to the criminal justice system such as the Justice on Target program.
21:02 Min. Bentley says we have a good human rights system and shares groundbreaking initiatives they have undertaken starting June 30, 2008 which will strengthen human rights in Ontario.
22:22 Min. Bentley explains why human rights are so important to our society, which values optimism and opportunity without barriers and discrimination.
24:52 Omar signs off.
