How To Comply With The New Occupational Health And Safety Regulations How To Comply With The New Occupational Health And Safety Regulations At Devry Smith Frank LLP’s (DSF) Health and Safety Seminar, employment lawyer Meghan Ferguson covers important tips to remember in order to comply with the new occupational health and safety regulations that requires that every business must follow thorough health and safety training. – Train your workers in compliance with the occupational health and safety act – Do the training from the top down from management to the workers – Directors can be fined up to $25 000 or jailed for 12 months for failing to comply with the occupational health and safety act. – Report all hazards and injuries – Train employers on work refusals – You need to make sure your employees are trained on occupational illness – WHMIS and common workplace hazard training is also paramount Ferguson covers all of these important topics and more regarding the new occupational health and safety regulations. Our law offices are easily located in the Lawrence and Don Mills location of Toronto and we have plenty of free parking. To view other Ontario law videos regarding employment law and other practice areas, please visit our media page. By Fauzan SiddiquiJune 20, 2015November 14, 2020
Divorce – How Moving Out Affects Your Child Custody Agreement In this video, John provides some insights on how moving out of your home can have an affect on your rights to child custody and your child custody agreement during his interview at the Real Estate 101 Show. John Schuman is the head of family law team at Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF) and is a practicing family lawyer. For example if you just move out, it’s called the defecto custody. What that really means is the parent that moves out concedes custody to the other parent. The parent that stays behind with the children is the custodial parent. Once a parent has those responsibilities it is very hard to get that changed in court. That is one of the reasons why people stay together because if they leave they don’t want to lose access to their children. On the other hand if you decide to take the children with you, the courts frown on that as it appears you are limiting access to the other parent. Watch the video to learn more about this matter. To view other Ontario family law videos and other practice areas, please visit our media page at media page. The law offices of Devry Smith Frank are located in the Lawrence and Don Mills location of Toronto and we have a lot of free parking. For more details or information on How Moving Out Affects Your Child Custody Agreement, kindly contact one of our Toronto family lawyers or family lawyer John Schuman directly. By Fauzan SiddiquiJune 16, 2015September 9, 2020
When A Power Of Attorney is Used In Real Estate Transactions Watch this episode with real estate agent Joe Terceira, and Toronto real estate lawyer Robert Adourian where Robert will discuss and define power of attorney. A power of attorney is a legal document where someone says, “I authorize another person to act on my behalf to do my banking, or my business or my real estate transactions.” – In what context would a power of attorney be used in a real estate transaction? – Should a buyer be considered when a seller uses a power of attorney? – What information should the attorney be expected to provide? – At what point is a power of attorney no longer valid? – Do lenders have any issues when a power of attorney is used? Robert answers all these questions and more regarding a power of attorney in real estate transactions. Our law offices are easily located in the Lawrence and Don Mills location of Toronto and we have plenty of free parking. To browse some others law videos pertaining to family law, kindly browse through our media web page. For further information or assistance in regards to a power of attorney, please contact one of our Toronto family lawyers or Robert Adourian at 416-446-3303. By Fauzan SiddiquiJune 3, 2015September 9, 2020
Home Owners Need Title Insurance To Protect Their Home In this video, Robert Adourian, a Toronto real estate lawyer provides some information on Title Insurance and why home owners need this to protect their investment during his interview at the Real Estate 101 Show. Title insurance is an insurance product that’s designed to give homeowners peace of mind so they don’t have to worry about anything going forward after they purchase a home. Property title insurance was released into the public in late 1990s and by 2000 has become the standard for protection against title fraud. Home owners that bought homes prior to 2000 are particularly at risk, even if they do not have a mortgage. Title insurance fraud is identity theft where people do transactions that you do not approve based on the title of your property. So for example they could take a mortgage without you knowing about it. Watch the video to learn more about this matter. To view other Ontario Real Estate Law videos and videos for other practice areas, please visit our media page. Our law offices are conveniently located in the Lawrence and Don Mills area of Toronto and we have plenty of free parking. For more details or information on title insurance or real estate law matters, kindly contact one of our Toronto real estate lawyers or real estate lawyer Robert Adourian directly. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 29, 2015September 9, 2020
Common Law Separation and Property Division Podcast #28 – Common Law Separation and Property Division The Ontario Family Law Podcast deals with issues related to marriage, separation, divorce, child welfare and even some children’s rights issues. The main host is John Schuman, a family lawyer (Certified Specialist in Family Law), mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer and is the partner managing the Family Law Group at Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF). One of the most frequent mistakes people make about Ontario Family Law is thinking that becoming common law is exactly the same as being married. However, as discussed in previous episodes of this podcast, that is just simply not the case. Being a common law is very different from being married. One of the biggest ways that it is different is with respect to property division. If you are common law do NOT assume everything is divided 50/50. Sometimes, property division between common-law couples can seem like the Wild West. In some ways, it is. This podcast gives an in-depth, comprehensive, explanation of how common-law couples can divide their property when the relationship ends, and how they do not. It also explains other Family Law remedies that can help out when the property division is unfair. This version of the podcast has “slides” that appear on your screen while you listen to assist with understanding some of these complex topics. [Podcast #28] Common Law Separation and Property Division Being common law, instead of married, can make property division much more complicated on separation. One partner may have no entitlement in law to share in anything that the couple accumulated during their relationship. But, the partner who just “walks away” may be giving up too much. If you have or are about to separate from your common-law spouse, listen to this podcast and then speak to a family law lawyer to determine your rights and obligations in your particular circumstances. For more information regarding separation agreements or any other family law related matters, please contact Toronto family lawyer John Schuman at 416-446-5080, or check out www.DevryLaw.2marketing.ca. This podcast is provided for general information only. It does not constitute legal advice with regard to any specific situation. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 15, 2015September 4, 2020
From Child Support Woes to Spousal Support: DSF’s Family Law Seminar This past summer, as part of Devry Smith Frank LLP‘s (DSF) Family Law Seminar, Toronto Family Lawyers touched on prominent issues from child support woes to spousal support. Toronto family lawyer, John Schuman introduced the seminar welcoming the array of important topics, answering questions and sharing insight on child support, spousal support and child custody in regards to separation and divorce. Who pays child support? The parent who is not living with the child must pay child support to the parent with whom the children reside. Usually, child support begins when the parents physically separate. When one parent moves out of the home, that’s usually when the clock starts ticking. “Parents” refers to biological parents, but also denotes biological parents. Who pays spousal support? For a wife to obtain support, she must prove cruelty, adultery or desertion from her husband. If she is successful in proving such things, she would receive lifetime support in an amount that would help her continue to live the similar type of lifestyle as during marriage. Who gets the children when dealing with spousal separation and divorce? What are alternatives to court during separation and divorce? Our law offices are easily located in the Lawrence and Don Mills location of Toronto and we have plenty of free parking. To browse some others law videos pertaining to tax law, kindly browse through our media web page. For further information or assistance in regards to family law, please contact one of our Toronto family lawyers. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 13, 2015July 5, 2023
Clever Tax Scam Costing Canadians Thousands! Just as many Canadians may be struggling to pay their 2013 taxes or are expecting tax refunds in the mail, Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF) is warning consumers about a tax fraud that inflicts serious financial consequences on its prey. DSF is currently defending victims of a classic business losses scheme where perpetrators take a lump sum of cash from taxpayers upfront, promising to pay it back – with dividends – after investing it. Then they claim an inflated sum as a business loss on the victims’ tax returns, supposedly until the business is “profitable.” This business loss scheme is called “Partners in Research,” run by a web of corporations. Approximately 300 Canadians are casualties to the contrivance. Partners In Research has taken as much as $3 million dollars from investors and left them holding the bag, owing huge penalties and interest. Schemes like these count on the idea that people don’t understand how scientific research funding works. They convince their victims that because they can get them a so-called tax refund before the research commercializes, they’re running a legitimate business. Dianne Hudson, a GTA mother of five, was looking for a way to help make ends meet for her large family. With the best of intentions, she invested borrowed funds in the scheme, and fell victim to the PIR scam: “My husband and I are a blended family with five children and the bills are endless. To me, this seemed like a chance to give my family a little more than the ‘practical’ life we have always led. I firmly trusted that this investment was true and my agent was very knowledgeable and educated on the investment.” But now Hudson is facing potential fines and interest of up to $60,000 for her part in the investment. “We’d hoped this was a means to help us, and it’s burying us.” The scam works like this: the company claims they’ve taken out a seven-year loan on your behalf to invest upwards of $350,000 in scientific research. They ask for you to pay interest and a warranty fee on the loan, plus a membership fee totalling about $10,000. Then, PIR claims the full loan amount will be spent on research projects that create jobs for Canadians. You’ll get your investment back this year (and then some) through a tax deduction, and earn profits later. While this all sounds good, the refund received is based upon a claim that your investment took a loss in the amount of one-seventh of the loan each year, usually $50,000 or more. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) later tracks down the fake deduction and the refund must be repaid. In addition, the victim owes a 50% penalty on the income tax owed, plus interest on both the refund and penalty. So not only does your investment disappear overnight, but the payback to CRA is serious money, usually as much as $30,000 or more. DSF recommends taking a sceptical view of anyone proposing a business deal that sounds too good to be true. When it involves upfront tax refunds, it usually is. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 13, 2015September 9, 2020
What To Do When the Children’s Aid Society Calls? Podcast #27 – What to do when the Children’s Aid Society Calls The Ontario Family Law Podcast deals with issues related to marriage, separation, divorce, child welfare and even some children’s rights issues. The main host is John Schuman, who a is family lawyer (Certified Specialist in Family Law), mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer and is the partner managing the Family Law Group at Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF). It can be terrifying to be contacted by a children’s aid society because it is conducting a child abuse or child neglect investigation regarding your kids – and for good reason. Children’s aid societies can take your children away, put them in foster care, and take you to family court. By taking you to family court, they can be granted an order that allows other families to adopt your children, causing you to never see them again. Further, it is very easy to give the children’s aid society the wrong impression – making the children protection worker believe you are a child abuser. Many parents do that unintentionally because they do the wrong things, thinking that interacting with a children’s aid society is like interacting with other government agencies. PODCAST #27 – WHAT TO DO WHEN THE CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY CALLS. In addition, if you say the wrong things to a child protection worker, the police can show up and lay criminal charges. This podcast goes over some of the essentials of what you need to know when you find out you are being investigated by a children’s aid society. It goes over: how to speak to the investigating worker, whether to let your children speak to the investigator, when you have the right to remain silent and how you should answer questions, what to sign and what not to sign and when you need to speak to a lawyer. Listening to this podcast can help you do the best for your children by keeping your family together. For more information, check out www.DevryLaw.ca. Read the Full Text This podcast was provided for general information only. It does not constitute legal advice with regard to any specific situation. By Fauzan SiddiquiApril 20, 2015September 4, 2020
Doug Ford v. Bill Blair Defamation Interview with Marty Rabinovitch In this video, Marty Rabinovitch a lawyer and litigator with Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF) discusses the defamation matter between Toronto councilor Doug Ford and Police Chief Bill Blair on Global News with Leslie Roberts. The matter came up when Doug Ford suggested that Bill Blair leaked information about Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. Bill Blair called that defamation and was considering taking the councilor to court or defamation. In this interview Marty talk about how most defamation cases are handled and talks about the root causes of most defamation claims. He also provides his opinion on how he thinks this case will settle. Here is a portion of the segment. Leslie Roberts: Joining me now is lawyer Marty Rabinovitch. He is with the firm Devry Smith and Frank. Thanks for joining us here, so obviously there’s some politics involved here, police chief versus city council, but are there any grounds for this suit? Marty Rabinovitch: Well, police chief Blair is alleging that Doug Ford’s comments have damaged his reputation in the eyes of right-minded individuals in society. So essentially, the insinuation is that he is subpoenaing Mayor Ford not necessarily because of a legitimate policing or investigative objective, but rather, as some sort of retribution. Leslie: Is this a typical case that you might see? Marty: Not really. Typically, we see cases involving some form of online defamation for example, business owners who are concerned about a damaging comment that was made about their business online or even a negative restaurant review that they don’t feel was based on fact that are true. Leslie: Typically, will they go before a judge or is there a settlement before it gets to court? Marty: Typically the matter’s settle. Leslie: So in this case, what would you expect? Marty: In this case, I would expect that if there’s an apology the case would probably settle at that point. Leslie: And as we watch what’s going on at city hall and for those of us watching what can we take away from it? Marty: Well, be careful what you say and what you write. For more information, please watch the video. Our law offices are easily located in the Lawrence and Don Mills location of Toronto and we have plenty of free parking. To view other Ontario law videos, please visit our media page. For further information or assistance in regards to defamation or litigation, please contact one of our Toronto lawyers and litigators or Marty Rabinovitch directly or call him directly at 1+(416) 446-5826. By Fauzan SiddiquiApril 8, 2015September 9, 2020
Critical Information on Domestic Violence Podcast #26 – The Critical Information on Domestic Violence The Ontario Family Law Podcast deals with issues related to marriage, separation, divorce, child welfare and even some children’s rights issues. The main host is John Schuman, who a is family lawyer (Certified Specialist in Family Law), mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer and is the partner managing the Family Law Group at Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF). Domestic violence is a frequent topic in family law matters because violence can be the cause, or the result, of a breakdown in a relationship. When it occurs, it can profoundly affect all the members of the family – all the adults and the children. This edition of the podcast focuses on the critical things that people who have violence in their relationship must know. It discusses getting help, the response by authorities – both police and children’s aid societies, restraining orders, family mediation where there is domestic violence and how to get help from a family lawyer, even if your partner is controlling all the money. [Podcast #26] Critical Information on Domestic Violence This episode will be of great assistance to people in violent relationships and it will complement the information available from shelters, domestic abuse counsellors, therapists, distress lines, the police, and other agencies that are available to assist people in fleeing domestic violence to protect themselves and their children. For more information, check out www.DevryLaw.ca. This podcast was provided for general information only. It does not constitute legal advice with regard to any specific situation. By Fauzan SiddiquiMarch 5, 2015September 4, 2020