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www.canadianlawyermag.com 49 counsel will be spent discussing coping with kids, including both female and male lawyers with young children. "There's a dynamic there that didn't necessarily exist before, a bit of a silver lining, because you're able to connect with people [over] this shared expe- rience of trying to cope with this pandemic." Marina Sampson, a partner at Dentons Canada LLP in Toronto, has two school-age daughters and a husband who likewise has a busy litigation practice. "Their scheduling took precedence over ours, and we were dealing with those challenges constantly, my husband and I pinch-hitting for each other," she says. "Focusing on what it is to be a woman litigator, and with children, we're already susceptible to feelings of falling short at home or at work. . . . Our clients are in same position as us; they have big demands and expectations that have not let up but have only increased as a result of the pandemic and all the uncertainty it's created." At the same time, virtual mediations have became more common and examinations for discovery have proceeded, more often than not, in keeping dates and advancing the litigation. "In June and in August, from my vantage, the court could not have been more accom- modating and responsive," she says. There are practices that will be put into place post-pandemic for e-filing and more, but for an injunction with which Sampson was dealing, she was able to deliver materials by email on the same day and have a Zoom hearing on very short notice. The two judges with whom she dealt were prepared and provided reasons that same day. "Everyone ensured that things went seam- HILLCOUNSEL.COM A reputation built on trust. A litigation boutique for over 30 years, the firm continues to be sought after in the fields of litigation, arbitration and mediation. DIGITAL EVOLUTION OF THE COURTS ยป On May 21, in Rovi Guides, Inc. v Videotron Ltd., the Federal Court of Canada set the parameters for a remote trial to be conducted by videoconference, following a trial management conference. Given the local public health restrictions, the matter proceeded with a remote hearing using the popular Zoom app. Source: Norton Rose Fulbright LLP