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GIFFIN KOERTH SMART FORENSICS How you look at it matters There's more to smart forensics than superb science and a knack for solving puzzles. Here's our view on what makes a preferred partner. 360° Services The real world is complex. Forensic files mirror that complexity. So should forensic services. Unshakeable Science To win more cases and settle to greater advantage, do the forensics first. Clear Communications Your case is not compelling unless it's clear – and the telling holds up under fire. Collaborative Work Style Today's cases are simply too involved for people to work on their own. Vital Culture People make a difference – especially when you make a difference for them. benches. Each province has at least one committee and Ontario and Quebec have two. The committees sit for a pre- determined period of time between two and three years, and B.C. had not had one since the federal election last fall. Brenner does not believe the absence of a judicial advisory committee is cause for the delay. He says there is still a pool of potential judges approved by the last committee. New committees have now been appointed across Canada. The chief justice also balks at blam- ing the vacancies on "foot dragging" by the federal minister of Justice. "I wouldn't describe it as foot dragging, the federal government has to be very careful with these appointments for obvious reasons, they are appointments for life or at least until the person is 75 if they choose to serve until that time," says Brenner. "Clearly the government has to do, and should do, due diligence before they make these appointments." Regardless, the lack of judges means trials are being cancelled in B.C. "There are a total of 103 judges in British Columbia [88 at the Supreme Court level and 15 at the Court of Appeal]. To date, this government has made 24 appointments in British Columbia, out of 31 total vacancies," said Eke. "This government will continue to select and recommend for appointment women and men of undisputable merit and legal excellence and continue to be vigi- lant in seeking linguistic competence in both official languages in selecting judges of provincial superior and fed- eral courts." Whatever the reason, Brenner If you see it the way we do, give Chris Giffin a call at 416.368.1700. Giffin Koerth is located in downtown Toronto at 40 University Ave., Suite 800, M5J 1T1 giffinkoerth.com FORENSIC ENGINEERING • FORENSIC ACCOUNTING • COMPUTER FORENSICS believes filling the judicial roster is essential to providing justice and access to the courts. "What troubles me is we have to send litigants away that have had trial dates for perhaps as long as a year and have been counting on getting to court to have a formal adjudication of their dispute," he says. "To be told on Monday morning when they think their trial is going to start that we don't have a judge for you, you'll have to reschedule the trial for another six months or something down the road is frustrating for everybody, as well as expensive." 40 M AY 2009 www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com ntitled-1 1 1/21/09 2:28:57 PM