Five great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.
.png?width=787&name=Friday%20Top%20Five%20(1).png)
Companies could face hefty fines under new Canadian privacy law
The federal government is threatening to impose fines that could add up to millions of dollars on private companies that violate Canadians' privacy. On Tuesday, CBC reported that Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains introduced the Digital Charter Implementation Act; one of the biggest shakeups in Canada's history of privacy law. If the bill passes, companies could face fines of up to five per cent of global revenue or $25 million — whichever is greater — for the most serious offences. Bains said the legislation provides for the heaviest fines among the G7 nations' privacy laws.
Student-led business finds demand from legal sector for help hosting virtual meetings
When Daphne Simon needed to organize a virtual conference for 170 attendees, she turned to a team of 20-year-olds to handle the technology. Less than eight months after launching her virtual conference brand, First Class Facilitation, Simon has more than 60 clients around the world, including numerous Canadian arbitrators and large law firms. Set to bring in revenue of $500,000 by the end of the year, it has helped customers run Zoom mediations, arbitrations, hearings, collective bargaining sessions, shareholder meetings and law student interviews. Read the full story on The Globe and Mail.
ANALYSIS: 4 Questions That Are Transforming the Legal Industry
Is this really needed? Do I need to learn that? And, do I need to be there in person? Getting the “right” answers starts with asking the “right” questions. Bloomberg Law explains, "Technology in legal practice is nothing new. But the number and types of tools available are ever-increasing, and they are being used more now than they were pre-pandemic." In a recent article, they share the top four questions firms and organizations of all sizes should be asking themselves before they proceed with new legal processes and technology. Click here to read the full list.
New search engine for legal tech tools and resources launched
With the “explosion” in new legal technology and the dawdling-pace of adoption among many law firms, utilizing an online search tool for legal tech products and resources is an effective way to stay on top of the market. A new article from Law Times shares the news of LegaltechHub: an online service that helps demystify the legal tech industry by bringing globally available tools and resource into one place. To learn more about the new resource, plus how its spousal team of creators with backgrounds in Big Law brought it to life, click here.
Canadian Law Awards panel notes advances women have made in law and the path forward
This year’s Canadian Law Awards featured a panel discussion on the topic “How Today’s Leaders are Redefining Success and Breaking New Boundaries.” The consensus of the all-female panel? While much progress has been made in the advancement of women in the legal profession, there is much still to do. Canadian Lawyer wrote a recap of the discussion between the panel of eight women from across Canada, from both private practice as well as in-house. Their advice included finding your own voice and style, and not letting self-doubt hold you back.
