52nd Annual Fall Conference

Date: November 15-16, 2024

The 52nd annual Criminal Lawyers’ Association Fall Conference is now open for registration!

The Annual Criminal Lawyers’ Association Fall Conference is Canada’s largest criminal law conference attracting more than 700 defence lawyers, judiciary, educators, reporters and other prominent guests from across Canada. Note, the Fall Conference is an in-person format only. Recordings of presentations will be made available to all registrants by December 5 PENDING QUALITY of recordings. If recordings are not available, there are no credits or refunds.

FROM OUTSIDE THE GTA AND NEED A HOTEL ROOM? PLEASE BOOK EARLY.

The CLA has secured a room block at the Toronto Marriott Eaton Centre. A preferred and CLA subsidized rate of $196 plus taxes CAD is available while supplies last for the nights November 14, 15, 16 (sold out). Due to the several major functions happening in Toronto in November, we do NOT have the option of increasing our room block size. As a result, please book your hotel rooms ASAP, The last day to book hotel rooms is October 24 IF hotel rooms are still available. Details on how to book at this special hotel rate will be included in your registration confirmation. We ask those practicing in the GTA to wait until October 1 to book a hotel room in order to allow those coming from outside the GTA to book first. Reminder to book your hotel room ASAP. The cancellation deadline for the Conference is November 1. There are no refunds after November 1 on the Conference registration if you are not able to get a hotel room

AGENDA AND SPEAKERS:

Friday, November 15, 2024

8:30 to 8:45 a.m.

Welcoming remarks from CLA President, Boris Bytensky
Land Acknowledgement, Drumming

8:45 to 9:25 a.m.: The New REP

Prof François Tanguay- Renaud, Osgoode Hall Law School (Toronto)
Daniel Song, Pringle Law (Vancouver)
Ira Glasner, Counsel for Public Prosecution Service of Canada

9:25 to 10:05 a.m.: Practical Warrant Attacks

The Honourable Justice Breese Davies, Superior Court of Justice (Toronto)
Leora Shemesh, Defence Lawyer (Toronto)
Sonya Shikhman, Bytensky Shikhman Barristers (Toronto)

10:05 to 10:45 a.m.: Tactics for Co-accused Cases

David Bayliss, David G Bayliss Professional Corporation (Toronto)
Nathan Gorham, Gorham Vandebeek LLP (Toronto)
The Honourable Michelle Fuerst, Superior Court of Justice, Central East Region

10:45 to 11:15 a.m.: Coffee Break

11:15 to 11:45 a.m.: Top 5 Cases – OCJ; SCJ; OCA

Justice Bruce Durno, Retired, Superior Court of Justice
Associate Chief Justice Michal Fairburn, Court of Appeal for Ontario
Justice Mara Greene, Ontario Court of Justice

11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Sopinka Lecture with Justice David H. Doherty, Ontario Court of Appeal

12.15 to 1:45 p.m.: Lunch

1:45 to 2:15 p.m.: JPTs in the OCJ

The Honourable Justice Victor Giourgas, Ontario Court of Justice – Toronto Region
The Honourable Justice Shannon B. McPherson, Ontario Court of Justice – Central West Region
Joe Wilkinson, Wilkinson Legal (Toronto)

2:15 to 3 p.m.: Barton 2 – BDSM

The Honourable Christine Mainville, Ontario Court of Justice (Toronto)
Janani Shanmuganathan, Goddard & Shanmuganathan LLP (Toronto)
Breana Vandebeek, Gorham Vandebeek LLP (Toronto)

3 to 3:30 p.m.: Defence of Allegations of Sexual Assault: Top 10 cases to have at your fingertips

Daniel Brown, Daniel Brown Law LLP (Toronto)
Dominic Lamb, Lamb and O’Brien (Ottawa)
Meaghan L. McMahon, Davies McMahon LLP (Ottawa)

3:30 to 4 p.m.: Effective written advocacy featuring The Honourable Justice David W. Stratas, Federal Court of Appeal

4 to 5 p.m.: Panel on dealing with offenders who have special needs

Autism Spectrum: Mark Mahoney, Harrington and Mahoney (USA)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Dr. Lawrence Martin, Physician at McMaster University (Dundas)
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): Dr. Kaitlyn McLachlan, University of Guelph (Guelph)
Moderated by: Jeffrey Manishen, Ross & McBride LLP (Hamilton)

5 to 5:45 p.m. CLA Annual General Meeting 6 to 8 p.m.: Cocktail Reception

Saturday, November 16, 2024

8:20 to 8:30 a.m.:

Welcome 8:30 to 10 a.m. Keynote Presentation: Communication – meaningful discussions, relationships and negotiation with Professor Guy Itzchakov, University of Halifax

10 to 10:30 a.m.: Precharge Advocacy

Tam Bui, Strike Consulting Inc. Private Investigations (Toronto)
Scott Fenton, Fenton Law Barristers (Toronto)
Michelle Psutka, Fenton Law Barristers (Toronto)

10:30 to 11 a.m.: Coffee Break

11 to 11:30 a.m.: Records and Disclosure Applications to Strengthen your Charter Arguments

Chris Murphy, Murphy’s Criminal Law (Toronto)
Danielle Robitaille, Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP (Toronto)

11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Practical Appellate advice for Trial Lawyers

Justice Steve A. Coroza, Court of Appeal for Ontario
Amy Ohler, AJO Law (Toronto)
Justice Catriona Verner, Superior Court of Justice, Central East Region

12:15 to 1 p.m.: Navigating Competing/Parallel Litigation

Jody Berkes, Berkes Law (Toronto)
Mackenzie Dean, Dean Law (Hamilton)
Jayson Thomas, Loopstra Nixon LLP (Toronto)

1 p.m.: Closing by CLA Vice President, Adam Weisberg

1 to 3 p.m.: Martin Medal Award Luncheon and Presentation featuring The Honourable Bruce Durno

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION: Includes access to on Online Hub with links to panel materials. The Saturday Martin Medal Awards Luncheon is an extra fee. Recordings of presentations will be made available to all registrants by December 5 PENDING QUALITY of recordings at no extra charge. If recordings are not available, there are no credits or refunds.

MEMBERS FROM THE GREATER TORONTO AREA (GTA) AS PER ADDRESS LISTED IN THEIR MEMBER PROFILE. This includes members from the City of Toronto and the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York:

$425 plus HST: Senior Active, Senior Observer & Affiliate members
$275 plus HST: Junior Active & Junior Observer members
$260 plus HST: Articling Student members & members on parental leave
$160 plus HST: Student members currently enrolled in law school

MEMBERS FROM OUTSIDE THE GREATER TORONTO AREA (GTA) AS PER ADDRESS LISTED IN THEIR MEMBER PROFILE:

$376 plus HST: Senior Active, Senior Observer & Affiliate members
$240 plus HST: Junior Active & Junior Observer members
$240 plus HST: Articling Student members & members on parental leave
$145 plus HST: Student members currently enrolled in law school

NON-MEMBERS:

$735 plus HST: Non-member legal professionals
$360 plus HST: Non-member students

REGISTER TODAY! Register online by going to https://members.criminallawyers.ca/event-5773057 or call the CLA office during business hours to register WITH CREDIT CARD INFORMATION by calling 416-214-9875 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Please note we do not offer a one-day rate. There is no sharing of registrations. Access to the Conference Online Hub will be emailed to all registrants at least 48 hours in advance to the email address provided when registering. Please be sure to monitor or spam/junk folders for materials. No sharing of materials is allowed as they are included with the registration fee. The CLA does not provide printed copies of the materials. Extra Options:

FREE to all registrants: CLA Friday Social, Friday, November 15, 6 to 8 p.m. Come and go as you please during the time period noted.
Women in Criminal Law Dinner
Martin Medal Luncheon

Cancellation Deadline: Cancellations will be accepted in writing if received by 12 noon (ET) on or before November 1, 2024. Cancellations are to be sent to support@criminallawyers.ca. A $35 admin fee will apply. No refunds will be accepted on or after November 2. The substitution of registrants is not accepted unless emailed to support@criminallawyers.ca 72 hours prior to the event start time. The sharing of registrations is not permitted. The CLA reserves the right to alter or cancel, without prior notice, any of the arrangements relating directly or indirectly to an event, for any circumstances beyond the CLA’s reasonable control. If the CLA cancels the event, registrants will be offered a full refund. Should circumstances arise that result in the postponement of an event, registrants will have the option to either receive a full refund or transfer registration to the same event at the new, future date. In the case of inclement weather, unless otherwise notified by CLA, the event will still take place. When an event proceeds as planned, there will be no refunds should attendees not be able to attend as a result of weather. The CLA will also not be liable to refund registration fees should the event be impacted by a transit strike, strike lock-out, accident, civil disturbance or any other cause whatsoever beyond their control.

SPONSORS

Platinum Sponsor