Wednesday is an important day in the mayor's fight to keep his job.

Before noon, a divisional court will hear Rob Ford’s request for the decision in his conflict of interest case to be stayed.

That effectively amounts to a temporary 'time-out' in the legal skirmish that could throw the mayor from office.

Lawyer John Mascarin of Toronto firm Aird & Berlis LLP expects the court to agree to the stay because Paul Magder, the man who filed the original conflict of interest complaint against the mayor has said he has no objections to such a move.

However, Mascarin says Rob Ford's legal team still has to convince a judge that he deserves a stay.

"The last thing you want to do is go in there and think it will be a slam dunk because you don't want the court to say 'you did not address this thing, or the other," he says.

Mascarin adds that there is a good chance the court will make a decision on the stay on the spot.

If not, he says a written decision will likely be released within a day or two.

Winning the stay would mean Ford's job would be safe until the court rules on his appeal.

That hearing goes on January 7th but its not clear when a decision might come down.

If Ford loses his attempt to get a stay, his last hope would be his appeal hearing.

City Hall would also be put in the awkward position of having to decide how to replace a mayor that could win his job back if that appeal is successful.