Webcast Recording: The 5th Annual Mental Disorder and the Law Conference

Date: Saturday, February 22, 2020

RECORDED ON: Saturday, February 22, 2020, 9:30 to 4 p.m.

The 5th Annual Mental Health Conference – being held on February 22, 2020 has been accredited for 50 minutes of EDI Professionalism Content and 25 minutes of Professionalism content. 2 hours and 55 minutes substantive (if hours are not needed for EDI and/or professional they can be added to substantive)

A day of exploring some of the nuanced (and some of the more basic) intersections of the criminal law and issues of mental health.

HOSTED BY THE CRIMINAL LAWYERS’ ASSOCIATION (CLA) AND THE LAW AND MENTAL DISORDER ASSOCIATION (LAMDA)

Agenda and Topics:

• 9:30 – 10 a.m. Check-In and Networking

• 10 – 10:05 a.m. Opening Remarks – Webcast begins
  • • Cassandra DeMelo, DeMelo Law, Women’s Vice President, Criminal Lawyers’ Association and Co-Chair, CLA Mental Health Committee

• 10:05 – 10:40 a.m. “Lessons from Walker: What being amicus means now”
  
  • • Moderator: Graedon Pfeiffer, Greenwood Defence
    • Dena Bonnet, Crown Counsel
    • Megan Savard, Addario Law Group LLP , Director, Criminal Lawyers’ Association
    • The Honourable Riun Shandler, Ontario Court of Justice

• 10:40 – 10:55 a.m. BREAK

• 10:55 – 11:10 a.m. “The 4-1-1 on s. 33.1: How the NCR test might look if s. 33.1 is struck down by the Court of Appeal”
  
  • • Moderator: Cassandra DeMelo, DeMelo Law, Women’s Vice President, Criminal Lawyers’ Association and Co-Chair, CLA Mental Health Committee
    • Jill Presser, Presser Barristers
    • Danielle Robitaille, Henein Hutchison LLP

• 11:10  – 11:50 a.m. “Keeping up with the Justices: Reviews of the latest and greatest out of the Court of Appeal by the greatest and latest out of the Bar”
  • • Moderator: Anita Szigeti, Anita Szigeti Advocates
    • Michael Davies, Davies Barristers
    • Maya Kotob, Anita Szigeti Advocates
    • Meaghan McMahon, Davies Barristers, Recent Call Director, Criminal Lawyers’ Association
    • Joanne Stuart, Crown Counsel
• 11:50 a.m.  – 12:30 p.m. “Jails are not and can not be treatment centres“
  • • The Honourable Senator Kim Pate

• 12:30 – 1:15  p.m. LUNCH BREAK

• 1:15 – 2 p.m. “The Double-Whammy: a consideration of the intersection of race and mental illness in criminal law?
  • • Moderator: Cassandra DeMelo, DeMelo Law, Women’s Vice President, Criminal Lawyers’ Association and Co-Chair, CLA Mental Health Committee
    • Jennifer Chambers, Executive Director, Empowerment Council 
    • Roy Wellington, H. Roy Wellington, Barrister

• 2 – 2:25 p.m. “Fall from Grace: when getting fired by your client (or firing them) is for the best”
  
  • • Moderator: Dean Embry, Embry Dann, Assistant Secretary, Criminal Lawyers’ Association and Co-Chair, CLA Mental Health Committee
    • David Connally, Barrister & Solicitor
    • Sabrina Feldman, Sabrina Feldman Law
    • Suzan E. Fraser, Fraser Advocacy

• 2:25 – 2:40 p.m. BREAK

• 2:40 – 3:20 p.m. “Paging the Doctor: preparing your client for assessments, and the intricacies of this process”
  • • Moderator: Leah Shafran, Greenwood Defence
    • Emily Dixon, Defence Lawyer
    • Dr. Mitesh Patel
    • Dr. Lisa Ramshaw

• 3:20 – 3:55 p.m. “Worlds Colliding: Civil and Criminal Mental Health Law Clash In MOCK ORB hearing”
  • • Moderator: Anita Szigeti, Anita Szigeti Advocates
    • Kelley Bryan
    • Christel Francis
    • Dr. Robert McMaster, Forensic Psychiatrist, CAMH
    • Meghan O’Brien, Lamb and O’Brien
    • Dr. Mark Pearce, Forensic Psychiatrist, CAMH

• 3:55 – 4:00 p.m. Closing Remarks
  • • Dean Embry, Embry Dann, Assistant Secretary, Criminal Lawyers’ Association and Co-Chair, CLA Mental Health Committee