UPCOMING SEMINARS
Please find the list of our upcoming seminars below. Subscribe today!
All our seminars are accredited for CPD credit with every Canadian Law Society (except Quebec).
End of Year “Spectacular” with Peter Sankoff and Steven Penney
11am MST, Friday, 15 December 2023
Join the two Profs for their fourth annual End of Year Review, taking look at the jurisprudential highlights and lowlights from 2023. They’ll analyze the key cases, add their insight, and make a few predictions for 2024. Every year, this is one of our most popular seminars. Don’t miss it!
Steven Penney is a Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Alberta. Born and raised in Edmonton, he received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta and a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School. He researches, teaches, and consults in the areas of criminal procedure, evidence, substantive criminal law, privacy, and law and technology. He is co-author of Criminal Procedure in Canada and co-editor of Evidence: A Canadian Casebook, a member of the advisory boards of the Alberta Law Review and Canadian Journal of Law & Justice, and Chair of the Centre for Constitutional Studies advisory board.
Using Section 7 of the Charter to Challenge Prison Conditions – Adelina Iftene
11am MST, Friday, 12 January 2024
In this seminar, drawing upon her empirical work with incarcerated people, as well as on the relevant s. 7 jurisprudence and scholarship, Dr. Adelina Iftene will explore the ways in which s. 7 of the Charter may be used as a litigation tool in challenging prison conditions of confinement. The presentation will cover some social science evidence documenting the inadequacies of conditions and treatment in federal and provincial prisons, their impact on incarcerated people, the potential sources of a s. 7 breach in this context, and how various principles of fundamental justice may be engaged. Some s. 1 issues will also be covered in the presentation. The presentation will be example-heavy, with focus especially on inadequate prison health care.
Dr. Adelina Iftene is an Assistant Professor and the Criminal Justice Specialization Coordinator at Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, as well as the Associate Director of the Health Law Institute at Dalhousie. Adelina teaches and conducts research in the areas of criminal law, evidence, sentencing and imprisonment and prison policy. Her book “Punished for Aging: Vulnerabilities, Rights, and Access to Justice in Canadian Penitentiaries,” was published by University of Toronto Press in 2019. She is also the co-author of the Annual Review of Criminal Law (Thomson Reuters).
The Top Habits of Losing Lawyers
11am MST, Friday, 9 February 2024
While there are many ways to win a case, losing is often the product of a number of common traits. During his career as an appellate litigator, Peter Sankoff has seen some amazing trends in the types of cases that wind up in his office, hoping for a successful appeal.
Although one can never predict how any individual case will go, there are many ways to increase your chances of winning, and that starts by eliminating these terrible habits from your job description. In an entertaining presentation, Peter will present his Top 25 losing lawyer habits. His hope is that once you recognize these nasty traits, you can do everything in your power to reduce them, cutting down your losses in the process.
The Confessions Rule – Part 2 – Steven Penney
11am MST, Friday, 8 March 2024
Following up on Part I of this two-part seminar, Professor Penney will present Part II of his exploration of the Confessions Rule, which will cover specialized topics in the admissibility of statements, including voluntariness voir dires; the “derived confessions” rule and the “fresh start” doctrine; the issue of corroborated involuntary confessions (the “St Lawrence rule”); and the admissibility of “Mr. Big” statements.
Steven Penney is a Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Alberta. Born and raised in Edmonton, he received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta and a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School. He researches, teaches, and consults in the areas of criminal procedure, evidence, substantive criminal law, privacy, and law and technology. He is co-author of Criminal Procedure in Canada and co-editor of Evidence: A Canadian Casebook, a member of the advisory boards of the Alberta Law Review and Canadian Journal of Law & Justice, and Chair of the Centre for Constitutional Studies advisory board.
Cross-Examination with Kyla Lee
11am MST, Friday, 10 May 2024
Based on the methods in her book, Cross-Examination: The Pinpoint Method, Kyla will break down the skills and processes necessary to craft a killer cross examination. This seminar will cover how to prepare your cross-examination, dealing with different types of witnesses, difficult witnesses, the ethics of cross-examination, and how to elicit all the evidence you need to make a strong case.
Kyla Lee is a prominent criminal defence lawyer and impaired driving lawyer in Vancouver BC. Kyla is known for her knowledge of the Immediate Roadside Prohibitions. She has appeared as counsel in all levels of Court in BC and as lead counsel at the Supreme Court of Canada. She is the author of Cross-Examination: The Pinpoint Method and Immediate Roadside Prohibitions in Western Canada on LexisNexis.
Sexual Assault Update
11am MST, Friday, 14 June 2024
The law governing sexual assault trials evolves more quickly than most people can keep up. In this seminar, Peter Sankoff will discuss the latest trends and developments.
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