Bar Talk
The Law Society of Upper Canada has suspended former Ottawa defence lawyer Kevin Murphy for six months for his conduct during a 1998 murder trial.
Mr. Murphy apologized for his misconduct at a Law Society hearing this week in Toronto. He is currently employed as a lawyer with the federal government's Public Prosecution Service.
A statement of allegations by the Law Society said Mr. Murphy "abused and hectored witnesses" and accused Crown counsel and various witnesses of participating in "conspiracies" against his client, Julia Elliott. The presiding Superior Court judge, Paul Cosgrove, sided with Mr. Murphy that his client's rights had been wrongly trampled and she was released from the trial in 1999.
The judge's decision was overturned by the Ontario Court of Appeal and Ms. Elliott later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter. Mr. Cosgrove resigned last year after he was sanctioned by the Canadian Judicial Council for failing to restrain the lawyer.
Year of the Lateral Hires
We hear that legal headhunters are working overtime these days as lawyers line up to move from firms that are adjusting to the new Spartan era of slower business and lower fees. Some lawyers are bailing to escape the treadmill drive to reach income quotas in a shrinking market. Some want more freedom to run their practice. Others will be nudged out. What ever the reason, headhunters say they are busier than they have been in two years.
"This year is going to be huge," said Michael Cooper , managing director of Galileo Executive Strategies. Kicking things off, he has landed new posts for a pair of associates who will be bigger fish in smaller ponds.
Bennett Jones LLP associate Jelena Novikov has moved her securities practice to Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. Securities lawyer Alex Eisenberg has moved to Gardiner Roberts LLP from Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP.
bartalk@globeandmail.com