We are pleased to announce that the Annual CLA Spring Conference will be offered as a hybrid conference for 2026.
Conference location: In-person: 20 Toronto Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto ON M5C 2B8
CPD CONFIRMED:
- 45 minutes of Professionalism content.
- 15 minutes of EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion)
- Two hours and 35 minutes substantive (if hours are not needed for professional and/or EDI they can be added to substantive)
- Plus: Approved for LAWPRO’s Risk Management Credit
Agenda and Speakers:
8:50 to 9 a.m. Welcome by Cassandra DeMelo, Co-Chair, Spring Conference, CLA Director, London
9:00 to 9:20 a.m Changes Coming to the OCJ
9:20 to 9:45 a.m. What To Do When Police Have Your Client’s Property
- Renata Dziak, M.Sc., Forensic Scientist, Biology, Centre of Forensic Sciences, Ministry of the Solicitor General (Toronto)
- Brendan Neil, Neil Lawson Criminal Defence (Milton)
- Susan Pennypacker, Pennypacker Law (Toronto)
- Moderated by: Cassandra DeMelo, Co-Chair, Spring Conference, CLA Director, London
9:45 to 10:10 a.m. AI and Policing
10:10 to 10:45 a.m. Top 5 under 5
10:45 to 11 a.m. Break and Exhibitor Visit
11 to 11:30 a.m. Litigating Charter motions and voluntariness voir dires: Indigenous and racialized clients
11:30 a.m. to 12 noon Making Friends in Court – The Role of Amicus Curiae
12 to 12:45 p.m. NCR – Procedure, Pitfalls and Practical Tips
- Justice Clayton Conlan – Superior Court of Justice – Central West
- Mary Cremer, Cremer Barristers (Toronto)
- Brady Donohue, Assistant Crown Attorney (Toronto)
- Moderated by Karen Symes, Morphew Symes Barristers (Toronto)
12:45 to 1:15 p.m. Behind the Prison Walls – the Realities of Incarceration for Individuals with Mental Illness and Cognitive Deficits
- Emily Dixon, Defence Lawyer (Toronto)
- Howard Sapers, Executive Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (Ottawa)
- Moderated by Karen Symes, Morphew Symes Barristers (Toronto)
1:15 p.m. Closing Remarks by George Joseph, Co-Chair, Spring Conference, CLA Director, Thunder Bay
REGISTRATION:
The price for in-person and virtual is the same enabling registrants to switch preference up to 48 hours in advance with no penalty. There are no refunds. Recordings, pending quality, will be made available for viewing to registrants only up to September 30, 2026. We will not be selling access to the recordings separately. There are no refunds.
- $85 plus HST: CLA Junior Active & Junior Observer Members
- $100 plus HST: CLA Senior Active, Senior Observer & Affiliate Members
- $65 Plus HST: Articling Student members
- $45 plus HST: CLA Student Members
- $225 plus HST: Non-members – open to all legal professionals*
- $110 plus HST: Non-member students*
Please note members are required to log-in to get the member rate. This is so the system recognizes you as a member. Non-members rates will appear unless logged-in.
* Not a member? Join online by going to https://members.criminallawyers.ca/joinus or call the CLA office during business hours to renew your membership (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., ET, 416-214-9875)
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THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS
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Petrone & Partners
Transcripts Ontario