2026 Annual CLA Women in Criminal Law Dinner
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026, 6 to 9 p.m.
Join us at Mercatto for a strolling dinner. You will experience a unique dining experience that is comprised of a combination of passed and stationed offerings creating a casual and social dining experience. There will also be a Chef attended Gelato Sundae Station to add a sweet note to the evening. Advance registration required. This event is open to all legal professionals that identify as female, two-spirited and non-binary persons.
- CLA members: $75 per person plus HST
- Non-members: $95 per person plus HST
* The fee includes access to the event, dinner, dessert, and two beverages of choice (wine, beer, and bar rail highballs: vodka, rum, tequila, bourbon, rye/whiskey, as well as pop and juice). We have capped this event at 100 people. Please register by 12 noon, November 9, 2026 (pending space availability.) Note: if you have dietary or accessibility needs, you must register before November 9 in order for the venue to be able to accommodate. Please note there are no refunds.
SPONSORS
We extend our gratitude to all our sponsors. Special acknowledgment is given to the following sponsors;
Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP
Interested in sponsoring the Women in Criminal Law Dinner? Email ed@criminallawyers.ca.
We are now accepting 2026 Fall Programming sponsors and exhibitors! All sponsorship levels include the FOUR functions below:
1. 54th Annual CLA Fall Conference (November 20-21, 2026 – in-person)
2. 38th Annual G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Award Presentation (November 21, 2026 – in-person)
3. Annual Women in Criminal Law Dinner (November 19, 2026 – in person)
4. 12th Annual Recent Call Conference (September 26, 2026 – Hybrid)
- 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.
- 2026 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.
- mercatto, 101 College Street, Toronto, 6 to 9 p.m.
- 75 to 100 criminal defence lawyers that identify as female.
- Dinner registration opens in July.
- 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 is now open.
- 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
- COMPANY BANNER/LOGO/NAME EVENT WEB PAGES: banner to include logo, sentence about sponsor & web/social media specs
- COMPANY LOGO/NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: linked to sponsor website and sent to more than 6,900+ legal professionals
- ONE DEDICATED EMAIL PROMOTION – sent via the CLA office to more than 6,900+ legal professionals.
- EXHIBITOR SPACE at the Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
- VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at all portions of the sponsorship.
- 60 SECOND COMMERCIAL – can be a video or a slide presentation to be played during intermissions at Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
- FIVE COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATIONS to each of the Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
- LEAD SPONSOR OF G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Award Presentation.
- PDF ADVERTISEMENT SHARED WITH ALL REGISTRANTS
- CLA Social media acknowledgement via LinkedIn, X and Instagram.
- COMPANY BANNER/LOGO/NAME EVENT WEB PAGES: banner to include logo, sentence about sponsor & web/social media specs
- COMPANY LOGO/NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: linked to sponsor website and sent to more than 6,900+ legal professionals.
- EXHIBITOR SPACE at the main Fall Conference.
- VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at all portions of the sponsorship.
- 45 SECOND COMMERCIAL – can be a video or a slide presentation to be played during intermissions at Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
- THREE COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATIONS to each of the Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
- CLA Social media acknowledgement via LinkedIn, X and Instagram.
- COMPANY BANNER/LOGO/NAME EVENT WEB PAGES: banner to include logo, sentence about sponsor & web/social media specs
- COMPANY LOGO/NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: linked to sponsor website and sent to more than 6,900+ legal professionals
- VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at all portions of the sponsorship.
- 30 SECOND COMMERCIAL – can be a video or a slide presentation to be played during intermissions at Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
- ONE COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION to each of the Fall & Recent Call Conferences.
- CLA Social media acknowledgement via LinkedIn, X and Instagram.
- COMPANY NAME ON EVENT WEB PAGES
- COMPANY NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: linked to sponsor website and sent to more than 6,900+ legal professionals
- VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at all portions of the sponsorship.
- COMPANY NAME ON EVENT WEB PAGES
- COMPANY NAME INCLUDED IN EMAIL PROMOTIONS: sent to more than 6,900+ legal professionals
FALL CONFERENCE EXHIBITOR SPACE $1,250 CDN EACH PLUS HST.
ONLY 14 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 20, 2026.
- Take-down time will end at 5 p.m., Saturday, November 21, 2026.
- Security personnel will be on duty between 7 p.m., Friday, November 20 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.