Legal news and trends for Canadian in-house counsel and c-suite executives
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/50889
CLOSING • A roundup of legal department news and trends Gear up on corporate governance, litigation, and securities law: report Corporate governance, securities regulations, and litigation work are on the rise at legal departments in Canada according to the 2009 Sal- ary Guide by Robert Half Legal. The report found in-house counsel being recruited are, "lawyers with at least three years of general corpo- rate and securities law with litigation management experience are being recruited by corporations to help them meet ongoing legal require- ments." As for law firms there is some good news according to the report. There is an increased demand for legal pro- fessionals practising in restructuring and insolvency litigation, and labour and employment. "Law firms are in need of top tal- ents to enhance their service offer- ings and grow revenue in a highly competitive business environment," said Jonathan Veale, Robert Half Legal Toronto, division director. "While some firms are consolidating resources, in part as a response to contracting budgets, others are hir- ing experienced lawyers who can contribute to building niche practice groups." 3rd annual In-House Counsel Forum awards Brian Leck, general counsel of the Toronto Transit Commission, Marc McAree, Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP partner and Canadian Lawyer InHouse environmental law columnist, and Canadian Lawyer InHouse editor Kelly Harris. Social responsibility highlighted the business and in-house counsel awards held Feb. 26 in Toronto, as part of the 3rd annual In-House Counsel Forum. The forum and awards were hosted by Insight and given out in four categories: envi- ronmental leadership, social responsibility and corporate citizenship, innovation and scholarship, and alternative dispute resolution. Brian Leck, general counsel of the Toronto Transit Commission, was the recipi- ent of the social responsibility and corporate citizenship award. Leck was recog- nized for the work he did in managing the TTC's alcohol and drug testing prac- tices, as well as managing increased operator assault concerns. Swiss getting heat to pony up bank records Swiss banking giant UBS is being pressured to turn over 52,000 names of suspected tax avoiders to United States authorities, according to vari- ous media reports. According to a report in Deutsche Welle, Germany's public broadcast- er, on Feb. 19, UBS agreed to pay US$780 million (CDN$1 billion) and turn over customer data to the U.S. government. Then, in what is being described by some onlookers as a surprise move, the announcement came the U.S. Department of Justice was filing documents to compel UBS to hand over the identities of 52,000 custom- 34 • APRIL 2009 INHOUSE ers suspected of having offshore ac- counts to avoid paying taxes. Bank law in the central European country requires the institutions to turn over information about clients suspected of criminal activity. Howev- er, Swiss law does not recognize tax evasion as a crime and the tradition of Swiss banking secrecy dates back 75 years. "It appears that the pres- sure is really on for Switzerland to give on bank secrecy," says Peter Wells, a partner at Lang Michener LLP. "UBS has already given up about 500 names with the permission of the Swiss government, but the IRS are after records for about 52,000. Ger- many is also putting the heat on." go to: www.canadianlawyermag.com/inhouse E-mail ideas and questions to: kharris@clbmedia.ca For weekly INHOUSE news and updates