Lexpert: McCarthy Tétrault LLP is the highest ranking technology law firm in Canada
By Roland Hung and Charles Morgan on June 27th, 2013

The 2013 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory was published on June 26, 2013, and once again, McCarthy Tétrault LLP is the highest ranking technology law firm in Canada. In Computer & IT Law, McCarthy Tétrault LLP is top-ranked in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. In Technology Transactions, McCarthy Tétrault LLP is top-ranked in Toronto and Vancouver, and …

Tech Summit 2013 Recap – Innovation in Cloud
By Ryan Prescott on June 24th, 2013

At McCarthy Tétrault’s 3rd Annual Technology Law Summit, moderator Barry Sookman, and panelists John LeBlanc of Scotiabank and David Crane of McCarthy Tétrault, lead a discussion on procuring and contracting for cloud based services. Top takeaway tips from the session include: Cloud is Everywhere: Be cognisant that software and services that use the cloud may …

Controls Assurance Reports in Outsourcing Transactions: Knowing What to Ask For
By David Crane on June 17th, 2013

Outsourcing and cloud computing service engagements are fraught with financial, security and other risks, especially if dealing with an unproven service provider. Obtaining a third party assurance report with respect to a service provider’s internal controls can provide some comfort. However, customers are often confused about what kind of assurance report they should obtain. CSAE …

BC vs Ontario: BC Supreme Court Confirms No Common Law Tort for Invasion of Privacy
By Roland Hung and Ryan MacIsaac on June 14th, 2013

The Supreme Court of British Columbia recently confirmed that there is no common law tort of invasion of privacy in that province. This is in contrast to an earlier decision from the Ontario Court of Appeal which accepted such a cause of action. Background In January, 2012, the Ontario Court of Appeal released Jones v …

Tech Summit 2013 Recap – Innovation in Outsourcing
By Meghan Waters on June 11th, 2013

At McCarthy Tétrault’s 3rd Annual Technology Law Summit, Charles Morgan, Barry Sookman, George Takach (all of McCarthy Tétrault) and John Chang of PricewaterhouseCoopers were featured in the Innovation in Outsourcing panel. Top takeaway tips from the session include: Do your Diligence: You would never buy a company without performing comprehensive diligence first, and you should …

Update: Supreme Court of Canada Amends Controversial Aspect of VIAGRA® Judgment
By Sanjaya Mendis on June 10th, 2013

As discussed in the November 9, 2012 post, Supreme Court Invalidates Pfizer’s Blockbuster VIAGRA® Patent, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down Pfizer’s blockbuster VIAGRA® patent on the basis of insufficient disclosure: see Teva Canada Ltd. v. Pfizer Canada Inc., 2012 SCC 60. In a curious twist, the SCC declared the ‘446 …

New Electronic Health Records Legislation on the Horizon in Ontario
By Daniel G.C. Glover on June 5th, 2013

The Liberal government in Ontario has introduced significant new amendments to its health privacy legislation, the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). While there are many important aspects to the new legislation, one key aspect involves significant new responsibilities imposed on "prescribed organizations" or "PO"s in the proposed amendments to PHIPA. Sections 55.1 and 55.12 …