Miller Thomson LLP is the latest Canadian law firm to seek a new look, at least on its letterhead.
The firm announced this week that it had a "new brand," in the form of a new logo that incorporates a different font and a yellow plus-sign. The makeover comes with a new website, and a new marketing campaign.
The firm says its new "visual identity" is meant to reflect the firm's growth, through several mergers in the 1990s. The firm has doubled its contingent of lawyers, which totals 450, over the past five years.
"Our brand launch is the beginning of the next phase of the firm's growth ambitions," said Pierre Paquet, a partner in the firm's Montréal office who heads up the firm's business development efforts.
Miller Thomson's move follows the recent rebranding of Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP as FMC Law, with a star-like design not unlike that used by NATO. And of course Ogilvy Renault LLP has undergone an even more dramatic transformation, merging with Britain's Norton Rose and losing its distinct brand name altogether.
Court uphold judge firing
The Ontario Divisional Court has upheld a 2008 order to fire a 24-year veteran justice of the peace in North Bay, Ont., after he told a self-represented litigant to plead guilty.
In a decision issued last week, a three-judge panel dismissed arguments from former justice of the peace Benjamin Sinai that he had been treated too harshly.
In 2005, the judgment says, Mr. Sinai scolded a man who showed up in court to face Highway Traffic Act charges but told the court that he did not know what his options were.
"Well, you have come into court without knowing anything. Do you expect us to give you a whole education on what is to transpire?" Mr. Sinai told the man, who replied that he had never been in court before.
A moment later, Mr. Sinai says in a transcript quoted in the judgment: "I am just going to tell you suppose you [sic]plead guilty and we get rid of it this morning."
The court also upheld criticism of Mr. Sinai for failing to respond to requests from his superiors that two outstanding judgments needed to be dealt with or handed over to someone else after he went on a stress leave.
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