How does this duty to accommodate play out with professional regulatory bodies such as the provincial law societies? The Law Society of Upper Canada, for example, is not an employer in relation to its almost 70,000 member licensees, and its mandate is to protect the public; the LSUC is a self-regulating body. It is responsible for granting, temporarily suspending and revoking a licensee’s ability to practice law and thus earn a living.
Darryl Legal In the News
COGECO TV – Darryl Singer is a guest on “Get Legal, with Samantha Glass” (90 sec.)
Darryl Singer gives tips on what to bring to your first meeting with a personal injury lawyer. Bring a copy of the accident report (from either the police officer or from the Collision Centre) as well as the other driver’s licence number, address, phone number and email. Also, take a photo of their insurance pink slip. As well, take photos of the other driver’s licence plate as well as any damage to both cars.
ADVOCATE DAILY – Paralegal family law courses should be standard, LSUC-mandated
Although he broadly supports a motion calling for the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) to introduce several requirements if paralegals are allowed to expand into family law, Toronto-area personal injury lawyer Darryl Singer tells The Lawyer’s Daily that the educational component of the proposal should be amended.
THE LAWYER’S DAILY – Motion on expanding paralegal scope of practice tabled at LSUC meeting | Darryl Singer, wellness columnist
A motion regarding paralegals expanding their scope of practice into family law raised heated debate, and was eventually tabled, effectively adjourning the discussion for now, at the Law Society of Upper Canada’s annual general meeting on May 10. Civil litigator Darryl Singer supports allowing paralegals to practice Family Law, providing that they have additional training.
ADVOCATE DAILY – Lack of mediation at LAT problematic: Singer
The elimination of mandatory mediation under Ontario’s new Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule was a mistake, Toronto-area personal injury lawyer Darryl Singer tells Law Times.
NEWSTALK 1010 – Capping lawyers referral fees not in the public’s best interest, Darryl Singer tells Barb DiGiulio (MP3, 17 mins.)
On the eve of Convocation at the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) voting to adopt both a sliding scale for lawyers’ referral fees as well as a $25,000 cap, personal injury lawyer Darryl Singer disagrees with the changes. He says that lawyers’ referral fees do not harm clients in any way because they come out of standard one-third contingency fee, which is how personal injury lawyers get paid.
But capping referral feels may prevent some Ontarians with a personal injury lawsuit from finding a lawyer who will be willing to take their case because the profit margins will be slim.
THE LAW TIMES – Enforcing a settlement last stage of process
“If there is a default in the performance of the settlement terms, then I’m at liberty to go and flop that judgment on the counter at the courthouse and get it sealed and then I can enforce it in the same way as any other judgment,” civil litigator tells The Law Times.
(April 10, 2017 edition of The Law Times, Page 10.)
THE LAW TIMES – New system means change in role of mediators
“I think cutting out the mediation stage was a mistake because it gets rid of a lot of files that then don’t have to go through to an arbitration,” says Darryl Singer who saw 75 per cent of his cases resolved through mediation before the LAT [Licence Appeals Tribunal] began.
“The two major shortcomings of the LAT is that it eliminates very early mediation of the AB [accident benefit] claims and also in many cases eliminates the opportunity for an actual full-blown arbitration in place of a mediation.”
(April 10, 2017 edition of The Law Times, Page 11.)
ADVOCATE DAILY – Clients not impacted by law society cap on referral fees
Although the Law Society of Upper Canada recently announced plans to cap lawyer referral fees, this will have no impact on clients or the fees that they pay their counsel, Toronto personal injury lawyer Darryl Singer tells The Night Side on Newstalk 1010.
THE LAWYER’S DAILY – Law Society should leave referral fees alone
Civil litigator Darryl Singer writes: “While the LSUC spent considerable time getting all knotted up over the allowable referral fees, the recommendations said nothing about what would be done to clamp down on the under-the-table referral arrangements that go on all the time: real estate lawyers who pay finders’ fees to real estate agents; and personal injury lawyers who pay doctors, emergency room nurses and tow truck drivers hefty cash fees in the range of $2,000 to $4,000 per referral.”