The Canadian legal system is likely the most similar to the legal systems in the United States. Since Canada had been a British colony, it adopted the same British common law system as the United States. And because it shares a border and culture with the United States, there are many other similarities as well. Continuing my series of interview with litigators from around the world, I’d like to share some things I learned about…

An American lawsuit often begins when a plaintiff files a complaint, which is a legal document that sets forth allegations against one or more defendants. When the plaintiff delivers the complaint to a defendant, the law requires the defendant to respond or run the risk of a default. If a defendant does not ask the court to dismiss the lawsuit before discovery, or if the defendant made that motion and failed, its response…

A lawsuit often begins when the plaintiff files a complaint. Its formal role is to notify the defendant about the subject of the lawsuit, but it may serve other roles as well. Drafting a complaint is a complicated task. It requires legal research, storytelling skills, and some strategic decisions. A bad complaint could lead to a lawsuit being dismissed before discovery. A good complaint can prompt the defendant to settle on favorable terms. Why should…

What Can I Get From Suing Someone? When people come to me with a legal problem, I often have to ask them what they want from the other side.  Do they want money?  Do they want some property?  Do they want an order from a judge telling someone to do something?  Because lawsuits can’t give everyone everything they want, it helps to be clear about what lawsuits can actually do. Why should you continue to…

There are often substantial differences between litigation procedure in larger jurisdictions and in smaller jurisdictions. I practice in one of the world’s busiest and most sophisticated jurisdictions, but I often handle cases in smaller ones. Recently, I spoke with Gregory Dolin about litigation in one of the world’s smallest jurisdictions, the nation of Palau. Justice Dolan sits on the Supreme Court of Palau. Palau’s judicial system is newer than many, since the country only…