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Franchise Disputes in Canada: The Case for Mediation and Arbitration
Canada enjoys a robust and growing franchising environment. According to the Canadian Franchise Association (www.cfa.ca/Publications_Research/Fastfacts.aspx), franchise businesses account for 40% of all retail sales in Canada. More than 78,000 franchise units across Canada directly employ more than one million people. Commensurate with growth, franchise-specific legislation has now been enacted in five provinces in Canada (in order of enactment, Alberta, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Manitoba). In addition, franchising is generally regulated in Quebec under that province's Civil Code, in which franchise agreements are considered to be contracts of adhesion.
With the introduction into Ontario of class action legislation in 1992 under the Class Proceedings Act, franchise disputes common to a distinguishable group of all or substantially all the franchisees within a specific franchise system have become the subject matter of very large and significant class actions. Companies with such prominent names as Petro Canada, Bulk Barn, A&P, Midas, Quiznos, Tim Hortons, Sears, Suncor, Pet Valu, and Shoppers Drug Mart, and even the Ontario government, have been or are currently involved in franchise class actions.
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later
The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.
Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations
This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.
How AI Has Affected PR
When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.
The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs
The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.