This episode provides an examination of tort reform in Canada, with an expert in the field. This episode examines the existing tort system, how it could be changed, who is seeking this change, and (in that vein) how different people will benefit from this.  We examine common misconceptions about the law of torts, and how said misconceptions lead to calls for tort reform. We also examine how the movement for tort reform has spread into Canada from abroad. 

Joining the Pro Bono Radio team to discuss tort reform in Canada is Professor Mary-Jo Maur. Professor Maur is currently a professor at Queen’s University of Law who teaches tort law, family law and dispute resolution.

Production

John McMahon – Producer, Host and Editor

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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Britney Spears has made headlines in the media since 2008, most notably with the #FreeBritney movement to inspire the end to her conservatorship controlled by her father. Fans were concerned for the 13 years that her conservatorship lasted. She was still performing and recording albums, which many thought was strange as conservatorships are imposed on those who are incapable of making their own personal decisions. Her life has sparked conservation about similar laws in Canada and what might have happened if she were in Canada.

Joining the Pro Bono Radio team to discuss Ontario’s legislation around decision-making laws is Professor David Freedman. David is currently a professor at Queen’s University of Law who teaches trusts, wills and estates, and estate litigation, to name a few. David will provide insight into the Guardianship process in Ontario.

Production

Jennifer Jeong & Emma Halliday – Producer, Host and Editor

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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“Governments are going to have to think more seriously about whether just a negative role in the freedom of expression is going to be enough”. 
Section 2(b) of the Charter of Canadian Rights and Freedoms is premised on values that have been recognized as essential to society for millennia. The context in which the freedom of expression is evoked, however, is changing before our eyes. Join a first-year queens law student, Austin Layng, and Associate Professor at Queen’s Faculty of Law, Cherie Metcalf, to learn about what activity is covered under the freedom of expression, how the government can justifiably infringe freedom of expression, and how Freedom Convoy and the internet challenge how we think about freedom of expression. 

Production

Austin Layng – Producer, Host and Editor

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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Ontario’s Succession Law Reform Act governs the province’s Wills & Estates law.  As a statute, it deals with issues like the formalities for making a valid Will, how someone’s property is distributed when they die without a Will and the rules governing dependent support requirements for estate distribution.  New changes to the SLRA came into effect in January of 2022 and could have some potentially profound implications.  A few of these changes include; witnessing Wills with the help of audio-visual technology, a new definition for “separated,” and that one’s Will is no longer automatically revoked upon marriage.

Joining the Pro Bono Radio team to discuss the impact of these new changes to the SLRA is Professor David Freedman.  Professor Freedman is an associate professor of law at Queen’s University and counsel for Wagner Sidlofsky LLP.  He teaches topics that include Property, Trusts and Wills & Estates.  These topics led him to found Canada’s first Elder Law Legal aid clinic located at Queen’s University.

Production

Stuart Gordon – Producer, Host and Editor

Music: https://www.epidemicsound.com/music

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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In the midst of the pandemic, it is clear that the Canadian prison system needs to change. The only question is how we should aim to change it. Some advocate for prison reform, while others stress the need for the abolition and replacement of the system altogether. Looming over this debate is the practice of solitary confinement, which has become increasingly common in Canadian prisons during the pandemic.

In this episode, we discuss and break down this debate with our esteemed guest, Professor Lisa Kerr. Professor Kerr is currently an assistant professor at Queen’s law and has published several papers and opinion pieces in law journals and newspapers on prison law and sentencing. She has also worked with the BC Civil Liberties Association and with the John Howard Society of Canada in efforts to abolish solitary confinement in Canadian prisons.

Production

Afsheen Chowdhury and Kelvin Lau– Producers, Hosts, Editors

Music: https://www.bensound.com

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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In today’s digital age, social media has evolved to become an important, and sometime necessary, part of everyday life. With the boom of social media, personal information has become increasingly available and accessible. Correspondingly, some employers have begun to use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process and learn information about them beyond what is provided in their resume and cover letter. However, while candidates’ information may be just a few keystrokes away for many employers, there are many risks associated with employers’ use of social media.

Joining the Pro Bono Radio team in the studio to discuss the impact of social media at the workplace is Mr. Mark Ellis. Mark is currently the owner and lead lawyer at Ellis Advocacy. Mark is also an instructor at Queen’s University of Law, where he teaches topics including employment law and fiduciary obligation. Previously, Mark was a partner at Baker McKenzie LLP Canada for almost 20 years.

Production

Tony Yin – Producer, Host and Editor

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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This episode takes a dive into the world of cryptocurrency, blockchain, and the new world of NFTs (or non-fungible tokens) and looks at their explosive growth in the past year as well as what the future holds for them. The focus of this episode will be to introduce what NFTs are as well as some of the current legal questions surrounding their use, particularly in the copyright, contract, and ownership settings. [This episode was recorded in April, 2021].

Production:

Glen Harrison – Producers, Hosts and Editors

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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Shoplifting Civil Recovery Letters present unique challenges to both consumers and the legal community. The legitimacy of Shoplifting Recovery Letters remains shrouded in the mystique of “The Law”; hidden from society at large, the practice is at best ethically questionable. Professor Amy Salyzyn explores the issues surrounding this practice in their paper: “Zealous Advocacy or Exploitative Shakedown: The Ethics of Civil Recovery Letters”. In today’s episode, Chris and Kevin are joined by Professor Salyzyn as they discuss the ethical conundrums that are Shoplifting Civil Recovery Letters.  

A special thank you to Ketsa, whose music was used in both the intro and outro of this podcast. To find more music from Ketsa please visit https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa#contact-artist.   

Songs used:   

Ketsa- SaveOurselves  

Ketsa- Head-Jive  

Ketsa- Enough 

Production:

Kevin Kiss & Chris Ludwinski – Producers, Hosts and Editors

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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The advent of the internet and proliferation of social media has necessitated legislatures and courts around the globe to consider how to best address internet-based legal wrongs. On this week’s episode of Pro Bono Radio, Emily and Rebekah discuss the Canadian common law’s response to online harassment and the fashioning of cyber-based remedies. They will explore the recent Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision, Caplan v. Atas, which recognized the novel tort of internet harassment, the significant development it marks, and the implications of the decision going forward.

Production:

Emily Milana & Rebekah O’Hare – Producers, Hosts and Editors

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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The debate surrounding NCAA athletes’ ability to profit off of their name, image and likeness (NIL) has been raging on for years. The NCAA has strongly resisted allowing athletes to do so, but with recent legislation passed by certain states, the debate has returned to the forefront of college sports.

This episode examines the debate, first by looking at the history of NIL and the recent legislative developments surrounding it. Each side of the debate is then examined to attempt to give weight to the varying perspectives.

Production:

Justin Mendonza & Tony Yin – Producers, Hosts and Editors

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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