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Articles by Susannah Tredwell
Tips Tuesday: Finding the Current Version of a Quote in a Book
This is a fairly specific problem: sometimes a case quotes a section from an older edition of a book and you need to find the quotation in the current edition of the book. Assuming the most recent edition is available electronically, generally the easiest way is to search for a portion of the quote in the new edition. However, if the wording has significantly changed it may be hard to identify the equivalent in the new edition.
Imagining a Possible Future: Self-Represented Litigant Courts
The growth of self-representation in all adjudicative settings may ultimately require a new approach to adjudication that is even more fundamental than a root and branch overhaul of procedure and practice.
It Depends on How You Ask the Question: The True Number of Unrepresented Accused in the Ontario Court of Justice
This paper is part of a larger, multi-year project looking at representation, efficiency and outcomes in Ontario’s provincial court[1]. As outlined in an earlier Slaw piece on this project (“Using Representation Pathways to Explore Court Data”, October 2025), several parts of this research are ongoing.
Monday’s Mix - Slaw
Each Monday we present brief excerpts of recent posts from five of Canada’s award-winning legal blogs chosen at random* from more than 80 recent Clawbie winners. In this way we hope to promote their work, with their permission, to as wide an audience as possible. A recent Ontario Superior Court of Justice appellate decision has important implications for both owners/employers and constructors when it comes to workplace hazard disclosure.
Summaries Sunday: Supreme One-Liners
As a supplement to our Sunday Summary each month, Supreme Advocacy LLP in Ottawa presents Supreme One-Liners, a super-short descriptive guide to the most recent decisions at the Supreme Court of Canada. Supreme Advocacy LLP offers its more comprehensive weekly electronic newsletter, Supreme Advocacy Letter, summarizing all Appeals, Oral Judgments and Leaves to Appeal granted. Appeals Constitutional Law/Courts: Review of Delegated Powers Democracy Watch v.
Tips Tuesday: Researching Indigenous Legal Orders
The introduction to the chapter notes that it “provides a very brief introduction to researching Indigenous legal orders. It is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather a starting point primarily intended for non-Indigenous law students researching in an academic setting.” It includes an overview of the terminology, an overview of sources of Indigenous law, a discussion of ethical considerations and limitations of resources, as well as a list of further reading.
Tips Tuesday: Use Newspaper Archives to Find Cases
Not all mystery cases are caused by a mistyped citation or AI hallucination. Sometimes people remember only the vague details of a case (“it was an employment case involving someone who insisted on dressing up as a clown at work”) but not the names of the parties. While they may have a vague idea of when it happened, people tend to remember events as being more recent than they actually were.
Use the CanLII AI to Help With Boolean Searching
CanLII recently announced CanLII Search+, a “research assistant powered by artificial intelligence”. As you might expect, it pulls from CanLII’s extensive collection of case law. There are two elements to CanLII Search+. First, it takes a plain language search and translates it into a Boolean search. It will give you multiple search options, of which it will recommend one. You do have the option to use one of the searches CanLII didn’t recommend or to edit the search it did recommend.
Tips Tuesday: Finding Court Information
While I’ve written about this issue efore, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the excellent summary that the Globe and Mail has put together of How to access Canadian court records by jurisdiction. The list includes all provincial and territorial jurisdictions, links where appropriate and contact information for those jurisdictions that don’t make their court records easily available online. — Susannah Tredwell
Use Google Street View to Verify Information
Posted in: Google Street View is a great resource that can be used for a number of different purposes (e.g. travel planning). While legal research is not really something normally associated with Street View, I’ve used it to confirm whether an address really exists and, if if it exists, what kind of address it is. For example, when it says “suite 270” in an address, is there really a suite with that number or is it the number of a PO Box?
Does this case really exist?
I’m frequently asked to track down cases that lawyers can’t find. Most of the time the problem is an incorrect citation, but sometimes the problem is that the (usually older) case isn’t available in any online databases or print reporters. I’m now running into a new challenge: does the case exist or is it an AI hallucination? I generally start with the assumption that the problem is an incorrect citation.
Finding Federal Orders in Council
The ease of finding a federal order in council depends greatly on when it was published. The easiest way to get a federal OIC is through the Orders in Council online database which is a searchable database of orders in council from 1990 on. If the full text of an order listed in the database is not available, you can email the OIC Division to ask for a copy. Orders in Council made between 1867 and 1924 can be found on the Orders in Council Research Tool through Library and Archives Canada.
Finding Federal Orders in Council
The ease of finding a federal order in council depends greatly on when it was published. The easiest way to get a federal OIC is through the Orders in Council online database which is a searchable database of orders in council from 1990 on. If the full text of an order listed in the database is not available, you can email the OIC Division to ask for a copy. Orders in Council made between 1867 and 1924 can be found on the Orders in Council Research Tool through Library and Archives Canada.
When did older Ontario acts come into force?
Generally, if an act does not have any explicitly stated coming in force provisions, it comes into force on the date of Royal Assent. There are, however, exceptions. For the period after December 31, 1918 and before July 25, 2007, any Ontario act that did not have explicitly stated coming in force provisions did not come into force on Royal Assent.
Tips Tuesday: Getting the Most Out of Legal AI Research Tools
It’s pretty much impossible to get away from a discussion of how AI is going to affect legal practice these days. From AI tools that allow users to summarize documents to tools that create new precedents to tools that carry out legal research, it feels like there’s an AI tool for every part of the legal process. We’ve also seen the stories about legal research using AI gone bad: for example, this Federal Court case or this Ontario case.
Tips Tuesday: Getting the Most Out of Legal AI Research Tools
It’s pretty much impossible to get away from a discussion of how AI is going to affect legal practice these days. From AI tools that allow users to summarize documents to tools that create new precedents to tools that carry out legal research, it feels like there’s an AI tool for every part of the legal process. We’ve also seen the stories about legal research using AI gone bad: for example, this Federal Court case or this Ontario case.
Check the Receiver’s Website if You’re Looking for Bankruptcy Documents
If you’re looking for court documents related to a Canadian insolvency proceeding and you know who the receiver or monitor is, check their website. Receivers often make the documents related to the proceeding publicly available on their website. The post Check the Receiver’s Website if You’re Looking for Bankruptcy Documents appeared first on Slaw.
Check the Receiver’s Website if You’re Looking for Bankruptcy Documents
Thank you for this interesting article. Do you have any suggestions for how to integrate these types of concepts with… more » Hello, we responded to your article in our blog "Good Character Matters". Thank you for the good discussion https://www.ngariss.com/our-professional-conduct-posts/good-character-matters/ more » Amazing piece! Good character assessment can act as a catch-all safety valve.
Limit Your Search to Tables of Contents
Both Lexis+ and Westlaw Canada allow you to restrict your search to just the table of contents of a book. Restricting a search to just subject headings — rather than the full text of a book — can be an effective way of reducing the number of extraneous results. To search the table of contents of a specific book in Lexis+, go to the title of the text you want to search and select Table of Contents (TOC) only below the search bar.
Take Advantage of CanLII’s New Interface
CanLII recently unveiled a new interface with the most obvious change being the introduction of a an interactive sidebar for case law and legislation. The sidebar replaces the tabs that used to be located at the top of a page; they include such things as case history and treatment, cited documents, regulations, and AI analysis. The goal of the change was to make legal research on CanLII more efficient, since researchers can see this additional information without moving to a new page.
Take Advantage of CanLII’s New Interface
CanLII recently unveiled a new interface with the most obvious change being the introduction of a an interactive sidebar for case law and legislation. The sidebar replaces the tabs that used to be located at the top of a page; they include such things as case history and treatment, cited documents, regulations, and AI analysis. The goal of the change was to make legal research on CanLII more efficient, since researchers can see this additional information without moving to a new page.
Monday’s Mix - Slaw
Each Monday we present brief excerpts of recent posts from five of Canada’s award-winning legal blogs chosen at random* from more than 80 recent Clawbie winners. In this way we hope to promote their work, with their permission, to as wide an audience as possible. This week the randomly selected blogs are 1. Civil Resolution Tribunal blog 2. Family LLB 3. Know How 4. Hull & Hull Blog 5.
Summaries Sunday: Supreme One-Liners
As a supplement to our Sunday Summary each month, Supreme Advocacy LLP in Ottawa presents Supreme One-Liners, a super-short descriptive guide to the most recent decisions at the Supreme Court of Canada. Supreme Advocacy LLP offers its more comprehensive weekly electronic newsletter, Supreme Advocacy Letter, summarizing all Appeals, Oral Judgments and Leaves to Appeal granted. Oral Judgments Criminal Law: Homicide R. v.
Big Four Fear is Unfounded
Fearmongering and fretting about impacts of the Big Four on the legal services sector are the equivalent of tilting at windmills and just as pointless. I’m tired of overheated headlines and breathless reporting. No, I’m not talking about the trials and tribulations of tariffs and trade. I’m talking about the handwringing and blathering around KPMG’s successful application to practice law in Arizona. For the love of all that’s holy, handwringers and blatherskites – knock it off.
Book Review: Out of Darkness: Rumana Monzur’s Journey through Betrayal, Tyranny and Abuse
Several times each month, we are pleased to republish a recent book review from the Canadian Law Library Review (CLLR). CLLR is the official journal of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL/ACBD), and its reviews cover both practice-oriented and academic publications related to the law. Out of Darkness: Rumana Monzur’s Journey through Betrayal, Tyranny and Abuse. By Denise Chong. Toronto: Penguin Random House Canada, 2024. 298 p. Includes photographs and author’s note.
Excluding the AI Summary from your Google Search
If you’re fed up with seeing the AI summary at the top of your Google search results you have several options. The easiest thing to do is just add -AI to your search. However, if your search includes the term “AI”, this obviously won’t work: In this case you have two options. You can either click on the web tab: Or you can add profanity to your initial search: (Admittedly this last method may give you results you weren’t expecting.)
The Glass Half Full: Respect for the Administration of Justice in Canada
Lawyers should “encourage public respect for and try to improve the administration of justice,” according to our code of professional conduct. The “try to improve” part is fairly straightforward. When we see problems in our legal system we should try to fix them, whether or not we personally or our clients are affected. We should be part of the solutions, not part of the problems. But what about “encouraging public respect” for the justice system?
Redefining Business Development for Modern Canadian Lawyers
Posted in: The traditional business development approaches for lawyers – expensive dinners, conferences, and rigid networking events – are not the only ways to build your book. In today’s rapidly evolving legal landscape, we have an opportunity to reimagine business development into something you will want to do rather than feel obliged to do.
Monday’s Mix - Slaw
Each Monday we present brief excerpts of recent posts from five of Canada’s award-winning legal blogs chosen at random* from more than 80 recent Clawbie winners. In this way we hope to promote their work, with their permission, to as wide an audience as possible. This week the randomly selected blogs are 1. Legal Sourcery 2. Sport Law Blog 3. Eloise Gratton 4. Labour Pains 5.
The Application of Gladue Principles in Judicial Discipline: Gibbon v Justices of the Peace Review Council
Posted in: I typically write about lawyer discipline, not judicial discipline.
Three Thoughts About Legal Services Pricing
The 2025 Edition of the “Report on the State of the US Legal Market,” from the Thomson Reuters Institute and the Center on Ethics and the Legal Profession at Georgetown Law, is a pleasantly comfortable variation on this longstanding publication’s familiar theme of “Large American law firms make astonishing amounts of money but would still benefit from running even slightly like actual businesses.” Receiving a new version of this report and its consistent message every January is a welcome new...
A Billion Here, a Billion There, and a Billion for Legal Aid
The most recent legal aid data from the Department of Justice Canada reports that total expenditures on legal aid reached a landmark in 2022-23 surpassing the $1 billion mark, standing at $1.14 billion.[1] This brings to mind the phrase famously attributed to the American Senator Everett Dirksen, although he later denied having said it but decided he would let it stand anyway because it sounded good; a billion here, a billion there and pretty soon you’re talking about real money.
Use define: in Google
If you’re looking for the definition of a word on Google, you can use the define: tag. For example, if you are looking for the definition of “affidavit”, you’d use the syntax define:affidavit which will bring up a brief definition along with its pronunciation. If you click on the “see more” arrow, google will bring up a brief etymology of the word as well as usage over time.
Wednesday: What’s Hot on CanLII? – November 2024 - Slaw
Each month, we tell you which three English-language cases and French-language cases have been the most viewed* on CanLII in the previous month and we give you a small sense of what the cases are about. For this past month, the three most-consulted English-language decisions were: 1.
Factors for Consideration in the Supreme Court of Appeal: Tort of Family Violence
In 2022, Justice Mandhane introduced the tort of family violence to address the injuries committed during the course of a marriage. A year later, in 2023, the Ontario Court of Appeal overturned this new tort in the decision Ahluwalia v Ahluwalia, 2023 ONCA 476. This matter is now being appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada. In the article “’Weaponizing’ The Tort of Family Violence?
Why Law Firms Can’t Help But Bill By The Hour
In law firms, lawyers are everything. They do everything: They are the owners of the firm, and they’re also its officers and directors, but they’re also its managers and supervisors, and wait, they’re its workers too, and they set all the rules and make the policies and create the culture. The only thing lawyers don’t do in law firms is the stuff they consider beneath them, the clerical and support work.
Canadian Courts and Generative AI: Broadening Our Gaze to Potential Corrosive Risks
Canadian courts are concerned about AI. They are concerned that litigants may misuse AI and attempt to introduce fake cases or deepfake evidence into court proceedings. They are also concerned about AI potentially usurping judges’ decision-making role and thereby undermining the proper administration of justice.
Monday’s Mix - Slaw
Each Monday we present brief excerpts of recent posts from five of Canada’s award-winning legal blogs chosen at random* from more than 80 recent Clawbie winners. In this way we hope to promote their work, with their permission, to as wide an audience as possible. This week the randomly selected blogs are 1. Double Aspect 2. The Defence Toolkit 3. Durant Barristers Blog 4. ReconciliAction YEG 5.
Summaries Sunday: SOQUIJ
Every week we present the summary of a decision handed down by a Québec court provided to us by SOQUIJ and considered to be of interest to our readers throughout Canada. SOQUIJ is attached to the Québec Department of Justice and collects, analyzes, enriches, and disseminates legal information in Québec.
Elevating the Client Experience in Professional Services
In the super-competitive professional services landscape, the ability to deliver an exceptional client experience continues to be a critical differentiator. While firms have traditionally focused on technical expertise and functional capabilities, clients now demand a more holistic, client-centric approach.
The Law Society of Alberta Trial of Minister Madu – What Has Race Got to Do With It? - Slaw
In January 2022, headlines across Canadian media ignited a controversy involving Kaycee Madu, Canada’s first Black provincial justice minister. The reports centered on Madu receiving a traffic ticket from a police officer after a traffic stop and subsequently calling the police chief to discuss his concerns over the traffic stop.
Mastering AI Prompts for Legal Professionals Practical Strategies and Tools
This submission is part of a column swap with the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) bimonthly member magazine, AALL Spectrum. Published six times a year, AALL Spectrum is designed to further professional development and education within the legal information industry. Slaw and the AALL Spectrum board have agreed to hand-select several columns each year as part of this exchange. Tips for drafting effective AI prompts.
10 Practical Strategies for Law Schools to Embrace AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming nearly every sector of society, and the legal field is no exception. While AI is rapidly reshaping legal practice, legal education risks falling behind. Surveys of university graduates indicate that they feel unprepared for the workforce due to a lack of AI integration into their education. Legal regulators like the Law Society of Ontario, emphasize that lawyers must understand AI’s risks and benefits to meet professional responsibility standards.
Look at Freedom of Information Requests
If you’re trying to find government information that is generally not made available, it may be helpful to look in databases of information released as part of an FOI request. Note that availability of this information varies by jurisdiction. The Government of Canada provides a database of completed Access to Information (ATI) requests made to the Government of Canada after January 2020.
Nominations for the 2025 Hugh Lawford Award for Excellence in Legal Publishing
CALL/ACBD is accepting nominations for the 2025 Hugh Lawford Award for Excellence in Legal Publishing. The Canadian Association of Law Libraries has long had an annual award for excellent legal publishing. Some years ago, we renamed the award we present after Queens University Professor Hugh Lawford (1933-2009) to recognize his contributions to legal publishing in Canada. As a group of legal information specialists, our work depends on being able to access and share high-quality legal knowledge.
Canadian Judicial Council Guidelines on Social Media Use – An Important First Step - Slaw
The Canadian Judicial Council (CJC) has issued ethical guidelines for judges on the use of social media. These guidelines could be a useful template for updating or expanding codes of ethics for tribunal members. In this column I identify some of the key parts of the guidelines as well as some of the shortcomings.
2023 Walter Owen Book Prize
The Canadian Foundation for Legal Research has announced its award for the 2023 Walter Owen Book Prize to Modern Criminal Evidence (Toronto, Emond Publishing) for exceptional legal scholarship in Canada. The Walter Owen Book Prize honours its namesake (1904–1981) who privately practised law for 40 years; served as President of the Canadian Bar Association; and in 1959, became the Foundation’s first President.
Being On or Off Message in Law Publishing and Elsewhere
From the reassuring distance of not relying significantly on the professional information industry to pay my creditors, I can permit myself to comment, on or off message at whim, on the requirement, for some others, to remain on it, and always promote the party line. The obvious result, if this is the case, is that much of what we read and hear is likely to be public relations nonsense, and even lies.
Animal Therapy - Slaw
In this wellness message I wanted to focus on my favorite subject; animals. I know that many of you have pets and are great animal lovers. I have been told by numerous friends and colleagues that they enjoy the company of their furry companion more than people. It’s sad to say but at times it is true. The overwhelming amount of work, daily responsibilities and just life in general, makes us feel tired and spent.
How to Find Annotated Rules of Court for Ontario on CanLII
I’ve previously talked about the CanLII Manual to British Columbia Civil Litigation, a free resource that includes an annotated version of the B.C. Rules of Court. However, B.C. is not the only jurisdiction for which you can find an annotated Rules of Court on CanLII. The Civil Procedure and Practice in Ontario, published in 2022 and written by a team of 135 leading litigators and experts, provides both commentary and case law, as well as links to other useful resources.
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