Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/226536
Editor's Letter preparing for the unknown N obody ever reaches out to a lawyer until something life changing occurs and you or someone in your family really needs one — such as when you get that panicked midnight call from your kid at the police station and need to reach a criminal lawyer, or when you've suddenly been let go from your job and don't really know if you're getting the short end of the stick and are desperate for some employment law advice. We at Canadian Lawyer, a Thomson Reuters business, deal with these things every day but the average Canadian will only have to tackle them once they're thrown into the deep end of it. Thus the Legal Resource Guide was born. It's here to help provide you with information from lawyers on their services as well as what to do when you find yourself in a sticky legal or life situation. The articles outline your rights and obligations in a variety of circumstances. For instance, who doesn't have a bit of a panic when you are arrested and find yourself lost in a harried courthouse? The story on page 10 will help you understand the process of getting bail. Or what do you do if you are experiencing a breakup with your common-law spouse? The story on page 12 explains what your rights are and outlines certain measures you should take. Even if you're not currently facing a legal dilemma, it may be a good idea to prepare yourself and get legal expense insurance. In "Protecting yourself " on page 14, you can find out if legal insurance is right for you. It's also never too early to start preparing for retirement. "The endangered nest egg" explains what you need to know about changing pension plans; and "Get your ducks in a row" outlines the steps to take for selling your business in order to minimize the risks and maximize the rewards. End-of-life matters have also been in the spotlight recently as a result of a Supreme Court of Canada decision which stated physicians can't unilaterally withdraw life support from a patient if the family objects. The story on page 21 discusses the implications of that ruling. The guide offers valuable tips from our lawyer contributors on what to do when personal injury strikes. It also details how to preserve the estate in order to reduce the risks to your loved ones. Forewarned is forearmed, so we trust these articles will help you to understand some of your legal rights and make you better informed to deal with those big lifechanging issues when they come up. Good luck with those legal challenges! — Gail J. Cohen Editor in Chief, Canadian Lawyer/Law Times, Carswell Media, a Thomson Reuters business 2014 LEGAL RESOURCE GUIDE VISIT THE INTERACTIVE DIGITAL EDITION www.canadianlawyermag.com/lrg • Check out websites • Link to lawyers • Download information • Request a free consultation FROM THE PUBLISHER OF 3