Canadians Know How To Stimulate The Legal Economy
Have you noticed that every time we run a story about the legal market in Canada there are a bunch of commenters telling us how great things are for lawyers in the great white north? Well, now we know why. The American Lawyer reports that the Canadian government has been pitching in to help Canadian and American law firms:
According to records obtained by The Lawyers Weekly, the Canadian government spent a record $57.1 million on outside law firms in the 2008-09 fiscal year. It’s the most Canada has ever paid out to private law firms in one year and represents a 34 percent increase from legal fees paid in 2007-08. (All expenditures have been converted from Canadian dollars at the rate of $1 Canadian = $ 0.936 U.S.)Weil, Gotshal & Manges led the pack of outside legal advisers with $7.7 million in billings.
That is some change I can believe in. When global warming fully kicks in Canada is going to be awesome.
Why the jump in government work for outside counsel? The answer is something so obvious that liberals and libertarians have been talking about it for years.
Details after the jump.
The reason for Canada’s jump in legal work is so perfectly simple that it would never work in the United States:
The single-most important reason for the jump in outside legal fees is attributed to a 30 percent jump in drug prosecution billings, according to the article. In Canada, outside lawyers with more than ten years of experience can work as crown agents, where they report to the sovereign government in the province where they operate.Several law firms in British Columbia that handle drug prosecutions-including Murchison, Thomson & Clarke and Jones & Co.—reaped more than $2.8 million in fees commensurate with the increase in work. British Columbia—known for its skiing, sightseeing, and political parties dedicated to the legalization of cannabis—is Ground Zero in Canada’s drug war.
Apparently, the legal work comes from prosecuting drug smugglers trying to get marijuana out of British Columbia and trying to take cocaine back to Canada.
In other words, it is a totally brilliant strategy for economic growth across a number of sectors — including the legal field. Why didn’t we think of that?
Seriously, when will U.S. realize that cannabis could well be the way out of this entire economic crisis?
Canada Pays Record $57 Million to Law Firms in 2009 [Am Law Daily]
Few hurdles for Canada smugglers to get choppers [Associated Press]
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Comments
firsty!
"Weil, Gotshal & Manges led the pack of outside legal advisers with $7.7 million in billings."
Is Canada going bankrupt?
Legalize cannabis! Boston girls are flatulent, guys in my high school administered hybrid tough love, etc.
Cannabis is less harmful (and more enjoyable) than alcohol.
California's Dept. of Equalization just released a study showing that legalized marijuana would raise more than $1.4 billion in tax revenue annually.
I'm just saying, when was the last time you saw a violent gang war over the distribution of alcohol... I'm guessing not since before the end of prohibition...
Elie - You know that flag has a pot leaf and not a maple leaf, right? If so, you have to at least reference Vancouver .
4, FTW!!!
Prohibition still doesn't work! Let's put the modern era Al Capone's out of business, raise some tax revenue, and have a good chill time in the process!
Sort of like the Canadian version of "Cash for Clunkers."
Most of the money goes to small time hacks who get paid 75/per hour to prosecute chicken shit possession cases. They all cheat like hell to make any money, and the government knows and tolerates it. It ain't no bonanza.
They hire big guys at real rates for serious work, like the interminable NAFTA trade fights with the US government. Canadians always lose because the US just ignores any tribunal order they don't like.
Fitting that Elie would actually believe in man-made global warming.
Canadian Tuxedos have always been attractive to me.
Has Latham laid off any first-years?
I used to not be a supporter, but with the unique economic crisis we are in it probably wouldn't be such a bad idea to legalize cannabis (at least for medicinal purposes at first). The main factor is TAX REVENUE. It's a billion dollar industry that could be taxed and help ease our current financial deficit. Maybe then Obama wouldn't have to raise taxes on Middle Class.
Almost 4:20... time to pass that dutchie, dood.
I will go on record here and say that I support the legalization of cannibis. I used to have a bad case of glaucoma from all those years of reading briefs and cases. I then got on the program in California, obtained a 215 card and in 6 months my glaucoma was gone. I still use cannibis as a prevenitve measure as I do not want my glaucoma to resurface. President Obama does not have the keen vision to legalize marijuana. Instead, he jams horrible programs, such as his healthcare reform and "cash for clunkers" down our throats. Obama's programs will bankrupt America. Legalizing Cannibis may provide an alternative manner to raise tax revenue without taxing the plebes.
Jesus Christ people still come to abovethelaw? This site is pathetic.
-Anonymous Commenter who doesn't care about the irony
12,
It's a good thing Obama cut taxes for the middle class already and has repeatedly stated his pledge not to raise taxes on families making less than $250k.
Maybe you should rotate in a different BS talking point from Drudge Report just to keep things interesting?
Ken Layne, the sickest of all losers, has more credibility than MysTTTal.
Eh.
I'm high right now
-Associate on Bay Street
16,
Fact of the matter is that without other methods of raising revenue the only way to do so is by raising taxes across the board (including the middle class).
The Drudge Report? Turn on CNN or read any legitimate news source.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/03/obama.bush.taxes/index.html
WAIT. What?
I don't think the drug thing is the story here (although legalizing weed would probably be a good thing for the US).
If I'm reading this right, isn't it saying that the government hires outside law firms to do prosecutions, instead of leaving it to the Canadian equivalents of the DA/US Attorney? THAT of course would be quite the stimulus for private attorneys in this country... and possibly more revolutionary than legalizing da herb. Am I missing something, or is Elie?
Canada is already awesome you stupid fap.
A detailed story (w/o the pretense) explaining why the U.S. government should legalize cannabis would have been more credible and interesting.
Wait. So Canada is wasting even more money on retarded drug policies by paying WGM assloads of money to prosecute harmless nonviolent drug offenders?Yay!
20,
Did you call CNN a "legitimate" news source? What's wrong with you?