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11th Annual Recent Call Conference

Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m.

RECENT CALL CONFERENCE DETAILS: Saturday, September 27, 2025, 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m.

IN-PERSON OPTION: Ontario Bar Association, 20 Toronto Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto

VIRTUAL OPTION: Will be a live feed.

Registrants also have the option to attend an in-person social from 3 to 5 p.m., Ontario Bar Association. One beverage of choice will be provided (with a cash bar) along with a selection of crudite and dips, assorted flat breads, bread sticks with assorted cheeses. Several CLA directors will be in attendance to network with recent calls. Confirmed so far are: Boris Bytensky, Shaunna Kelly, Tonya Kent, Jill Makepeace, Chris Sewrattan, Breana Vandebeek, and Adam Weisberg.

The Recent Call Conference is recommended for individuals in their first seven years of practice. Everyone is welcome to register including students, articling students and non-members. This program provides opportunities for interactivity. Each panel of speakers will invite and answer questions from attendees.

Conference recording will be made available to ONLY the recent call registrants within 15-business days after the conference.

CPD Confirmed!

  • 1 hour and 10 minutes of Professionalism
  • Substantive Hours: Three hours and 30 minutes (if hours are not needed for professionalism they can be added to substantive)

AGENDA:

8:45 to 9 a.m.: In-person check-in, food and beverage

9 a.m. to 9:05 a.m.: Virtual broadcast commences. Welcome from:

9:05 to 9:40 a.m.: Guilty Pleas: Navigating Strategy, Ethics, and Client Realities

9:40 to 10:15 a.m.: Guilty Pleas: refining your courtroom skills

  • Moderator: Amy Murchison, Amy Murchison Law
  • Justice Peter Fraser, Ontario Court of Justice
  • Jasmine Mann, Pyzer Criminal Lawyers

10:15 to 11 a.m.: Upstairs, downstairs, and back again: How, when, and why to elect or re-elect

11 to 11:15 a.m.: BREAK

11:15 a.m. to 12 noon: Testifying: Advising Clients and Obtaining Instructions

12 to 1 p.m.: LUNCH

1 to 2 p.m.: Hail to the (Examination In) Chief

2 to 3 p.m.: Preparing Your Client for Cross-Examination

  • Moderator: Brandon Chung, Associate, Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP
  • Michelle Biddulph, Associate, Greenspan Humphrey Makepeace LLP
  • Nathan Gorham, Partner, Gorham Vandebeek
  • Monte MacGregor, MacGregor Warth Criminal Law

3 p.m.: Closing remarks from

3 to 5 p.m. Social

  • Ontario Bar Association. One beverage of choice will be provided (with a cash bar) along with a selection of crudite and dips, assorted flat breads, bread sticks with assorted cheeses. 

REGISTRATION (pricing for in-person and virtual are the same. When registering, you will be able to select your preference):

  • $25 plus HST: CLA Student Members
  • $30 plus HST: CLA Junior Active & Junior Observer Members
  • $50 plus HST: CLA Senior Active, Senior Observer & Affiliate Members
  • $130 plus HST: Non-members*
REGISTER online by going to https://members.criminallawyers.ca/event-6254960. You can also register over the phone with credit card information by calling the CLA office, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET at 416-214-9875.
* Not a current member of the CLA? Find out more about membership by going to https://members.criminallawyers.ca/joinus
 
There are no refunds.

This is how our Recent Call Conference will work:

IN-PERSON REGISTRANTS:
  1. Registration includes access to the September 27, 2025 Recent Call in-person Conference & social and links to all materials (will be provided in a Conference Hub for accessing). Ontario Bar Association, 20 Toronto Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto
  2. Only those that have registered in advance can claim CPD.
  3. The recordings of the conference WILL be available after the conference and placed on the Virtual Hub page within 15-business days after the conference for registrants to access.
  4. Access to the Virtual Hub will be open for 60-days for all Recent Call Conference registrants. We will NOT sell access to the Virtual Hub – it will only be accessible to those that register for the conference in advance.
  5. Individuals can change to the virtual option up to 48 hours before the conference with no penalty. To update, please email support@criminallawyers.ca.
VIRTUAL REGISTRANTS:
  • Registration includes access to the September 27, 2025 Recent Call virtual Conference and links to all materials (will be provided in a Conference Hub for accessing).
  • It is up to each registrant to ensure they have a strong internet connection prior to the event. Please be sure to test before 9 a.m. on September 27. 
  • Access information to the Virtual Hub will be emailed to all registrants at least 48 hours before the start date and will be sent to the email address entered when registering.
  • It is up to the registrant to make sure they have the Virtual Hub link and test access before the conference start date. Be sure to check your spam and junk boxes. The CLA is not responsible if you cannot locate the access link or if you have access issues. If you are not able to locate the access information by 9 a.m., September 26, please email support@criminallawyers.ca.
  • Only those that have registered in advance can claim CPD.
  • The recordings of the conference WILL be available after the conference and placed on the Virtual Hub page 15-business days after the conference for registrants to access.
  • Access to the Virtual Hub will be open for 60-days for all Recent Call Conference registrants. We will NOT sell access to the Virtual Hub – it will only be accessible to those that register for the conference in advance.
  • Individuals can change to the in-person option up to 72 hours before the conference with no penalty SPACE PERMITTING. To update, please email support@criminallawyers.ca.
 
SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
 
SILVER SPONSORS

Addario Law Group

Calvin Barry Professional Corporation

CosmoLex

Heller Hunter Azevedo

Lacy Naster LLP

Liva Freeman Dent LLP

Metcalfe Law

Midtown Legal

Osgoode Hall Law School, York University

Weisberg Law

 
BRONZE SPONSORS

Clio

Guidepoint Clinic

Just For Today

We are now accepting 2025 Fall Programming sponsors and exhibitors! All sponsorship levels include the FOUR functions below: 1. 53rd Annual CLA Fall Conference (November 21-22, 2025 – in-person)

  • 600 to 700 attendees
  • 90% of attendees are practicing criminal defence lawyers.
  • 95% of attendees practice in Ontario.
  • Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel, 525 Bay Street, Toronto
  • Conference registration opens in September.

2. 37th Annual G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Award Presentation (November 22, 2025 – in-person)

  • 2025 Winner to be announced by the end of July
  • 200 to 300 attendees
  • Attendees are criminal defence lawyers, justices and o various members of the legal community.
  • Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel, 525 Bay Street, Toronto
  • Luncheon registration opens in September.

3. Annual Women in Criminal Law Dinner (November 20, 2025 – in person)

  • mercatto, 101 College Street, Toronto, 6 to 9 p.m.
  • 75 criminal defence lawyers that identify as female.
  • Dinner registration opens in July.

4. 11th Annual Recent Call Conference (September 27, 2025 – Hybrid)

  • 200 to 300 participants
  • 90% of participants are practicing criminal defence lawyers in their first seven years of practice.
  • Ontario Bar Association, 20 Toronto Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto
  • Conference registration opens in August.

Sponsorship levels (includes all four functions noted above):

  • Visionary (x1) $10,000
  • Platinum (x3) $7,500
  • Gold (x5) $5,000
  • Silver (x10) $2,000
  • Bronze (unlimited) $1,000

BREAKDOWN OF SPONSOR BENEFITS NOTED BELOW: VISIONARY X1 $10,000 CDN

  1. COMPANY BANNER/LOGO/NAME EVENT WEB PAGES: banner to include logo, sentence about sponsor & web/social media specs
  2. COMPANY LOGO/NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: linked to sponsor website and sent to more than 5,900+ legal professionals
  3. ONE DEDICATED EMAIL PROMOTION – sent via the CLA office to more than 5,900+ legal professionals.
  4. EXHIBITOR SPACE at the Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
  5. VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at all portions of the sponsorship.
  6. 60 SECOND COMMERCIAL  – can be a video or a slide presentation to be played during intermissions at Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
  7. FIVE COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATIONS to each of the Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
  8. LEAD SPONSOR OF G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Award Presentation.
  9. PDF ADVERTISEMENT SHARED WITH ALL REGISTRANTS
  10. CLA Social media acknowledgement via X and Instagram.

PLATINUM X3 $7,500 CDN EACH

  1. COMPANY BANNER/LOGO/NAME EVENT WEB PAGES: banner to include logo, sentence about sponsor & web/social media specs
  2. COMPANY LOGO/NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: linked to sponsor website and sent to more than 5,900+ legal professionals.
  3. EXHIBITOR SPACE at the main Fall Conference.
  4. VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at all portions of the sponsorship.
  5. 45 SECOND COMMERCIAL  – can be a video or a slide presentation to be played during intermissions at Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
  6. THREE COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATIONS to each of the Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
  7. CLA Social media acknowledgement via X and Instagram.

GOLD X5 $5,000 CDN EACH

  1. COMPANY BANNER/LOGO/NAME EVENT WEB PAGES: banner to include logo, sentence about sponsor & web/social media specs
  2. COMPANY LOGO/NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: linked to sponsor website and sent to more than 5,900+ legal professionals
  3. VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at all portions of the sponsorship.
  4. 30 SECOND COMMERCIAL  – can be a video or a slide presentation to be played during intermissions at Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
  5. ONE COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION to each of the Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
  6. CLA Social media acknowledgement via X and Instagram.

SILVER X10 $2,000 CDN EACH

  1. COMPANY NAME ON EVENT WEB PAGES
  2. COMPANY NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: linked to sponsor website and sent to more than 5,900+ legal professionals
  3. VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at all portions of the sponsorship.

BRONZE $1,000 CDN EACH

  1. COMPANY NAME ON EVENT WEB PAGES
  2. COMPANY NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: sent to more than 5,900+ legal professionals

FALL CONFERENCE EXHIBITOR SPACE $1,250 CDN EACH PLUS HST ONLY 16 EXHIBITOR SPACES ARE AVAILABLE. EXHIBITOR INFORMATION:

  • The exhibitor space will be in the Ballroom Foyer – where all coffee breaks and Friday’s cocktail reception will be held.
  • A listing of exhibitors, with a map with the placement of each, will be included in the Conference Materials. 
  • Email confirmations sent to all conference attendees will list confirmed exhibitors. 
  • The CLA website will also include a listing of confirmed exhibitors.
  • Food & beverages provided during scheduled CLA breaks are open to exhibitor staff to enjoy. Food circulated during the Friday social is also open to exhibitor staff to consume, but beverages will be at the expense of individuals (cash bar). 
  • Actual conference registration and luncheon attendance are NOT included with Exhibitor fee, but may be purchased separately. 
  • Space allocations will be available by mid-November. Each exhibitor will be contacted with space allocation details and shipping instructions closer to the conference date.
  • We will provide a 10′ x 10′ space, six-foot table, table cloth, two chairs and an electrical outlet for your use. Exhibitors MUST stay within their allotted 10′ x 10′ space due to fire-code regulations and in fairness to other exhibitors.
  • We will print exhibitor staff name badges IF names are provided to the CLA office at least 48 hours in advance of the conference.
  • Set-up time will begin at 6:30 a.m., Friday, November 21, 2025.
  • Take-down time will end at 5 p.m., Saturday, November 22, 2025.
  • Security personnel will be on duty between 7 p.m., Friday, November 21 and 8 a.m., Saturday, November 22; however, the CLA is not responsible for any lost or damaged items.
  • Wifi is included. However, exhibitors requiring telephone or hardwired high-speed lines will need to make arrangements directly with the hotel banquet office. Any additional fees for telephone/internet are to be paid directly to the hotel.  

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION TO TO CONFIRM YOUR SPONSORSHIP.