Szemplinski Law Offices Blog

Junior Lawyer Position Available

2011-10-02T15:57:00.000-04:00

We are accepting applications for a Junior Litigation Lawyer for a short-term contract. Duties will consist mostly of litigation work; other work may involve commercial transactions, research, and other general tasks as needed. The lawyer's primary assignment will be to research, prepare for, and attend civil pre-trial conferences. If the matters are not settled, the lawyer will be expected to

Retainer Agreement and Fee Updates

2011-05-01T18:23:00.000-04:00

We have updated our standard Retainer Agreement and posted additional information about our fees and disbursements. The most current versions of the Retainer Agreement, Signature Page, and Fees and Disbursements guide are now posted publicly for download: Retainer Agreement

Ontario Civil Procedure Rule Changes

2011-03-25T20:12:00.000-04:00

Last year, a number of changes came into force in the Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure. In an attempt to limit the expenses of litigation, discovery has been narrowed in scope and time and a discovery plan is now required. The rules for pre-trial conferences have been updated. Coinciding with the increase in the Small Claims Court monetary limit, the Simplified Procedure monetary limit has also

Ontario Small Claims Court Limit Now $25,000.00

2011-03-25T20:06:00.000-04:00

Last year, the monetary limit for bringing a case in Small Claims Court in Ontario increased to $25,000.00 from $10,000.00, along with several rule changes. The increased limit allows more cases to be brought through the simpler Small Claims Court procedures, rather than having to start a lawsuit through the complex Rules of Civil Procedure in Superior Court. This should allow for faster and

HST in Effect in Ontario

2011-03-25T19:52:00.000-04:00

The Harmonized Sales Tax came into effect in Ontario in July 2010. In most (but not all) cases, the HST combines the federal GST of 5% and the Ontario PST of 8% into a single tax of 13%, for which businesses can obtain input tax credits. Legal fees and most disbursements are now subject to the new HST rate. Further information is available from the Ontario Ministry of Revenue and Canada Revenue

New Law Firm Blog

2011-03-25T19:45:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the new law firm blog for Szemplinski Law Offices! We started this blog to inform visitors of additional information related to our main practice areas of debt collection, civil litigation, business law, and estate planning. Postings on this blog will include legal updates, short articles, and product reviews.