Category attorney

Canadian paralegals do slightly different jobs than what other paralegals in other countries do. In Canada, paralegals are neither just law clerks nor assistants to attorneys. They are considered as legal agents and they could also represent their clients on a lot of legal matters. They are considered as officers of the court and thus making them formal parts of the Canadian justice system. Because of their highly regarded status, they can work as Notary Publics, Commissioners, and Justices of the Peace. By obtaining a paralegal license, paralegals in Canada are allowed to represent their clients in court.

??? Summary criminal matters – Summary conviction offences are considered as less serious than the indictable criminal offences. People who commit summary crimes are punished by being imprisoned for a few days or being forced to pay small fines. The maximum penalty for a summary criminal matter is six months and the maximum fine is only five thousand dollars. Paralegals have to be skilled as lawyers especially if they want their clients to be free from accusations.

??? Traffic tickets – Each province in Canada has a list of drivers and their corresponding traffic violations. This is because traffic laws are handled at a provincial level. After being ticketed on the road, the motorist will be given the chance to plead. Of course, pleading is not possible without the help of a paralegal or a lawyer. Motorists have the chance to show up with their paralegals up to fifteen days. However, this is not really followed since most provincial courts allow motorists to plead up to fifteen days.

??? Accident claims – Automobile insurance is compulsory in most Canadian provinces. Records state that there are more than one hundred and fifty thousand road traffic accidents that happen every year. The bottom line with automobile insurance is that whoever is responsible for the accident is required to pay compensation. The problem in accidents is that no one wants to take responsibility. This is where paralegals appear. They will have to investigate to find out which party is responsible. It is also their job to make sure that their client receives deserved compensation.

??? Landlord-tenant matters – Both Canadian landlords and tenants have their own rights. If one party violates the rights of another, it would be the duty of the paralegal to intercede and settle things. The Ontario Residential Tenancies Act provides the guidelines regarding landlord-tenant matters. Paralegals are experts in this field. They have to since a lot of right violation really occurs between tenants and landowners in Canada. Some of the matters that paralegals have to deal with include privacy, pets, temperature, maintenance, and evictions.

??? Free consultation – Canadian paralegals are very gracious when it comes to legal advice. They offer free consultation especially for those who do not really have money to pay for paralegal services.

These are the areas that Canadian paralegals usually specialize in their service provision. As you can see, their duties and obligations are really different from those of paralegals in the United States and other countries.

Theresa Sowinski is an experienced professional in the legal field. Her experience includes working with various government and private organizations. She has handled responsibilities of negotiation, risk management, drafting and editing legal documents as well as regulatory and legal compliance. Theresa Sowinski has worked with dedication and resolve to handle teams of professionals across various disciplines and achieve common company goals. As an in-house legal manger, she has handled various job responsibilities in the commercial sector and worked with team of legal professionals. Her expertise in the legal arena makes her the first choice of companies looking for a reliable resource.

With a solid working foundation in the field of legislation, Theresa Sowinski offers pertinent advice and insight to her clients regarding judicial opinions and predicted action. In past, she has worked for the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”). Here, she participated in the drafting of federal regulations relating to engines and propellers. She worked directly with FAA engineers and responded to industry during Notice and Comment period. Among her professional achievements with the organization, she has been a speaker for International Law Symposium: Recent Developments in Aviation Law. She was August 2002 Chairperson, King County Bar, Aviation Section, 2001-2004. She has also edited and coordinated the Northwest Aviation Law and Insurance Seminar for 2003.

A dedicated professional, Theresa Sowinski keeps herself updated on the latest developments in the field of law. She displays admirable communication abilities on her job and she has represented her clients in front of juries as well as opposing counsel on various occasions. Theresa Sowinski also played an important part in negotiating and drafting multi-million dollar contracts for her clients and she also interpreted complex contractual agreements for her clients. She has worked with federally funded contracts and is familiar with various OFCCP contracting requirements. She also keeps herself updated with the knowledge and information of the FARs and DFARs. A true professional, Theresa is adaptable to organizational needs. She has the ability to work individually or as part of team to advance towards common business goals.

About The Author:

Terrell Alberto is a technical writer, researcher who has a passion of writing and research. He mainly spends his time to informative websites like Wikipedia and Squidoo. Nowadays, He’s writing about finance articles which are his core interest.

Ohio has a new Power of Attorney statute and form that went into effect March 22, 2012. The law is found at ORC 1337.21 et seq. This new “uniform” act was meant to simplify Powers of Attorney and eliminate all the different forms created over the years. It certainly has simplified the form and will eliminate all the different variations of these documents. The problem is that it may create problems. Ohio’s Power of Attorney form is a bit too simple and too vague.

Past forms created by attorneys tended to be very specific and detail oriented. The reason for the specificity and detail was that many businesses, financial institutions, corporations, title companies, and the like, would not accept a Power of Attorney unless the powers were spelled out. It also served to fully explain to the person using the Power of Attorney exactly what they were allowed to do. This new form does not provide that detail. In fact, the actual granting of the authority is contained in one sentence and then a check list of thirteen (13) items. For example, this form can allow powers to be exercised, by checking a box, for “Real Estate” or “Banks and Other Financial Institutions”, but that’s all it says. In order to determine the exact powers which are granted, or not granted, you need to look in the statute itself. Most individuals will not do so.

This new statutory form also enables the person signing the form the option to nominate someone as their legal guardian if at some future point a guardianship is necessary.

It is also interesting to note that although the statute says “Power of Attorney”, it does not grant a “Power of Attorney”, and the person receiving the Power of Attorney does not act as Power of Attorney. This law is based on the legal relationship of principal and agent. This document appoints someone as your “Agent”. So when one acts or signs for the principal, you do not say, or sign, as Power of Attorney, you do so as “Agent” for that principal. The acronym “POA” no longer exists.

The best part of the new form is that it prevents the Agent from diverting your assets from your estate without additional specific written authority. The agent does not have the authority to make gifts, change or make payable on death accounts, change beneficiaries on life insurance policies or retirement accounts and the like. In the past these powers were part of the Power of Attorney and gave the Power of Attorney free access to deplete the principal’s assets and completely change the way property would pass at death.

There is a saying that the granting of a Power of Attorney is like giving a license to steal. Just grabbing an internet form Power of Attorney and signing it to “save money” is not a good idea. Anyone wishing to grant a Power of Attorney needs to have a long talk with their attorney about what powers should, and should not, be granted and all the possible ramifications.