Recent Call Committee presents: Handling and preventing ineffective assistance of counsel claims

Date: Live Webcast - Thursday, March 2, 2023, 7 to 8:30 p.m. ET

The CLA Recent Call Committee is back with an informative webinar featuring Bill Thompson, Riaz Sayani and Katie James – “Handling and preventing ineffective assistance of counsel claims”

One of the many things that keep a criminal defence lawyer up at night is the fear of having a former client make an “ineffective assistance of counsel” claim. Or having appeal counsel allege this as a ground of appeal. Join us to learn what you can do if a claim is made against you and how to protect yourself from claims occurring.

Bill Thompson is a partner at Addario Law Group LLP. He has practiced criminal, constitutional and regulatory law for 17 years at all levels of court in Ontario. He frequently works closely with unions in the province to represent people subject to criminal complaints arising in their workplace. He is also often retained by LawPro to assist criminal lawyers who are the subject of ineffective assistance of counsel claims. Bill is a member of the Advocates’ Society Criminal Justice Section Executive. He is the past Chair of the Ontario Bar Association Criminal Justice Section and a past member of the Canadian Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Executive. He is a member of the Criminal Lawyer’s Association, Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the National Association of Criminal Defence Lawyers. Bill spends the rest of his time driving his daughters to and from hockey practices.

Riaz is an associate at Savard Foy LLP. He practices
criminal, constitutional and regulatory law, with a special focus on appeals and prison law. Before joining Savard Foy LLP, Riaz worked for two of Canada’s leading criminal defence firms and clerked at the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

Katie James is a Claims Counsel at LawPRO in the Primary Professional Liability Department working within LawPRO’s New Claims Unit. Katie has also worked in the Specialty Claims Department at LawPRO. In addition to her management of a professional negligence claims portfolio Katie enjoys speaking on topics of interest to the profession on risk prevention and in particular on immigration and criminal topics. Prior to joining LawPRO, Katie was both a criminal and civil litigator. Recently, the American Bar Association awarded the 2022 Outstanding Committee Program Award to a panel Katie was one of the speakers on.

Join us on March 02, 2023 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. EST.

FREE: for Student/Articling student members
$10 plus HST: Junior Active/Junior Observer members
$15 plus HST: Senior Active/Senior Observer/Affiliate members
$40 plus HST: Non-members

Note: This event will be recorded and pending quality will be shared with all registrants.