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FACL 13th Annual
Conference and Gala

Join Us!

Our conference is once again merged with the Asian Canadian Law Students Conference! The conference theme is Realities in Law and Practice and will include a Luncheon fireside chat with Justice Goodwin Liu (Associate Justice, California Supreme Court) and Justice Shaun Nakatsuru (Ontario Superior Court of Justice).

When?

Saturday, February 8, 2020

8:00am – 9:00pm

Where?

Toronto Region Board of Trade

First Canadian Place

77 Adelaide St W

Toronto, ON M5X 1C1

Ticketing

Last day to buy tickets is on Monday, February 3, 2020. Member prices will be reflected after you log in. (Become a FACL Ontario member here: https://faclontario.kinsta.cloud/register.) For difficulties logging in, or if you have forgotten your password, please email facl.ontario@facl.ca for assistance.

Member Prices

Private Practice:

  • Conference Only: 230
  • Gala Only: 230
  • Combined Conference: 400

Government / Not-for-Profit / Sole Practitioner:

  • Conference Only: 160
  • Gala Only: 155
  • Combined Conference: 265

Articling Students:

  • Conference Only: 90
  • Gala Only: 75
  • Combined Conference: 150

Students:

  • Conference Only: 70
  • Gala Only: 75
  • Combined Conference: 120

Non-Member Prices

Private Practice:

  • Conference Only: 280
  • Gala Only: 280
  • Combined Conference: 450

Government / Not-for-Profit / Sole Practitioner:

  • Conference Only: 210
  • Gala Only: 205
  • Combined Conference: 315

Articling Students:

  • Conference Only: 95
  • Gala Only: 80
  • Combined Conference: 160

Students:

  • Conference Only: 75
  • Gala Only: 80
  • Combined: 130

Law school students: Should the subsidized law school student pricing be sold out but you would still like to attend the conference, you may feel free to purchase a ticket under the articling student category.  

All Combined Tickets, Gala Only Tickets, and Student Tickets are SOLD OUT! If you would still like to attend, please add your name to the wait list here: https://forms.gle/5w8T3yzewEpB47Yq7

Please note that the conference schedule below is subject to change.

Ticket Type Price Cart
     

Event Schedule

8:00am to 9:00am

Registration

9:00am to 9:20am

Welcome Remarks

9:20am to 10:25am

Voices of Change: How to be an Ally to Racialized Women in Law

This program contains 45 minutes of EDI Professionalism content

  • Master P. Tamara Sugunasiri, Superior Court of Justice
  • Mabel Lai, Crown Law Office – Criminal/Ministry of the Attorney General
  • Naveen Mehta, MESH/diversity
  • Hilda Wong, First National Financial LP
  • Moderated by: Sundeep Sandhu, Blaney McMurtry LLP

Women in law face barriers. How do we overcome them as a profession? Our panelists will discuss how racialized women practicing law can make their voices heard, get access to meaningful work and opportunities, have their contributions recognized, and network with senior lawyers. In addition to describing how allies can help, support and empower, the panelists will reinforce the overall benefits of fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and profession.

10:25am to 10:35am

Break

10:35am to 11:40am

Asian Canadians in the Supreme Court OR An Open Dialogue with HR Professionals in the Legal Career Field

Asian Canadians in the Supreme Court

This program contains 60 minutes of Substantive content

  • Rahool Agarwal, Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
  • Nader Hasan, Stockwoods LLP
  • Emily Lam, Kastner Lam LLP
  • Sandy Tse, Public Prosecution Service of Canada
  • James Yap
  • Moderated by: Shantona Chaudhury, Pape Chaudhury LLP

For many lawyers, arguing in the Supreme Court of Canada is the crowning achievement of their career. In 2018-2019, several members of the Asian Canadian bar had this honour, litigating cases ranging from criminal law to copyright to international human rights. They acted for parties and interveners, and they will share their insights on advocacy at the highest level of court. The discussion will be moderated by one of the leading appellate lawyers in the country and co-Executive Director of the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute.

An Open Dialogue with HR Professionals in the Legal Career Field

This program is collaboratively presented by Osgoode’s Asian Law Students Association and U of T’s Asia Law Society

  • Ari Blicker, Aird & Berlis LLP
  • Janice Chung, Ministry of the Attorney General
  • Amanda Fiorelli, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
  • Safia Ho, Ontario Securities Commission
  • Moderated by: Tiffany Guo (Osgoode 2L) and Ryan Chan (UofT 2L)

This panel will offer law students and new lawyers insights into the recruitment process with HR professionals and student recruitment members in the legal field. Panelists will discuss best practices, strategies and tips for succeeding in the legal recruitment process. After the panel discussion, the audience will have the opportunity to have an in-depth discussion with HR professionals in a more intimate Q and A setting.

11:40am to 1:15pm

Lunch - Fireside Chat with Justice Goodwin Liu and Justice Shaun Nakatsuru

1:15pm to 2:20pm

Breakout Panels

Session A: Building Your Book of Business and Finding Mentors – Solo/Small Style

This program contains 45 minutes of Professionalism content and 15 minutes of Substantive content

  • Sue Chen, Sue Chen Law Professional Corporation
  • Eduardo Lam, Poon & Ho LLP
  • Felix Tang, Open LLP
  • Rinku Deswal, RD Law Professional Corporation
  • Moderated by: Ronald Trac, Ronald Trac Law Professional Corporation

The prospect of starting your own practice or joining a smaller practice may seem like a daunting task for many lawyers, especially young lawyers or those leaving large, established firms. Learning how to network, get clients, and deepen your practice areas may be intimidating without formal structures and programs in place to teach and guide you. In this session, our panelists, who come from various practice backgrounds and are at different points in their careers, will be discussing their experiences in building their book of business and finding mentors outside of the typical structure of large, established firms.

Session B: Indigenous Peoples in Canadian Law – The Path Forward in Pursuit of Truth and Reconciliation

This program contains 60 minutes of EDI Professionalism content

  • Assoc. Professor Amar Bhatia, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • Katherine Hensel, Hensel Barristers
  • Senwung Luk, Olthuis Kleer Townshend
  • Jessica A. Wolfe, Crown Counsel, MAG – North
  • Moderated by: The Honourable Harry S. LaForme (former Justice of the Ontario Court of Appeal), Olthuis Kleer Townshend

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission into the historical legacy of Canada’s Residential School system was the first step in recognizing the injustice and abuse that was imposed upon Canada’s Indigenous peoples for decades. Despite the passage of time, those historical harms inflicted upon Canada’s Indigenous people continue to exist today. Today, lawyers continue to seek justice in treaty rights, the duty to consult and actively oppose the systemic discrimination and structural racism of justice proceedings against Indigenous peoples. Our panel of diverse practitioners will discuss what their reality looks like in their respective areas of the profession.

Session C: Career Paths Beyond Bay Street

This program is collaboratively presented by Osgoode’s Asian Law Students Association and U of T’s Asia Law Society

This program contains 45 minutes of Substantive content

  • Fathima Cader, Cader Law
  • Rosel Kim, Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)
  • Rashmi Kumar, Hicks Adams LLP
  • Vincent Wong, University of Toronto Faculty of Law, International Human Rights Program
  • Moderated by: Gabby Aquino (Osgoode 2L) and Tiffany Dang (Osgoode 1L)

Beyond Bay Street aspires to bring together a diverse group of voices from different parts of the legal space to interrogate our understandings of the law, whose interests are at play, what goals it envisions, and how those goals can and/or should be achieved. The objective of this discussion is to expand law students and legal practitioners’ notions of “doing law” in ways that are not limited to the Bay Streets of the world, and to connect them to legal academics, practitioners, and other leaders in this work whose stories and experiences can help them carve their own paths. Ultimately, the panel aims to signal to audiences that “doing law” does not have one single meaning, but requires creative and innovative responses to address often complex and complicated issues.

2:20pm to 2:35pm

Break

2:35pm to 3:40pm

Breakout Panels

Session D: Privacy Law: A Comprehensive Update

This program contains 60 minutes of Substantive content

  • Daanish Samadmoten, Fasken
  • Kristin Ali, Osler
  • Fazila Nurani, Privatech
  • Moderated by: Imran Ahmad, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

This session will examine the most recent developments, trends, and strategies in the cutting-edge world of privacy law. With the exponential growth in cyber capabilities, “Big Data”, and the information economy comes no shortage of opportunities and challenges for businesses, lawyers, and everyday people. Our experienced panelists will address the different regulatory regimes and anticipated reforms, strategies for dealing with cyber threats and privacy-related litigation, and practical approaches for handling cyber and privacy risks in the business context.

Session E: Breaking the Invisible Barrier – Reaching Success as ESL / Foreign-trained Lawyers

This program contains 45 minutes of EDI Professionalism content and 15 minutes of Substantive content

  • Junyi Chen, Blaney McMurtry LLP
  • Sabina Han, Fasken
  • Cathy Qi, AIG
  • Nozomi (Zoe) Smith, Pallett Valo LLP
  • Moderated by: Jack Yu, Fasken

In addition to race, colour, and other diversity barriers, language is a salient barrier. Many legal professionals face language-related challenges, as the number of English-as-second language lawyers and internationally trained lawyers in Canada has significantly increased in the past decade.
After FACL Ontario’s successful event “The Invisible Barrier: Working as a lawyer in Canada with English as a Second Language” in September, 2019, we are continuing this necessary dialogue. We will share experiences and ideas on how to overcome barriers for this group of lawyers, leverage the unique skillsets that can be brought to the table, and reach success in the legal profession.

Session F: Lawyers at the Intersection of Access to Justice and Private Practice

This program is collaboratively presented by Osgoode’s Asian Law Students Association and U of T’s Asia Law Society

This program contains 50 minutes of Substantive content

  • Victor Kim, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
  • Marie Jihee Park, Park Family Law
  • Karen Phung, Miller Thomson
  • Breana Vandebeek, Gorham Vandebeek LLP
  • Moderated by: Andrew Gong (UofT 2L) and Vernon Lin (UofT 2L)

The meaning of access to justice varies from who you speak with and has evolved with technological advances. This panel of lawyers will discuss what access to justice means currently and what it should mean moving forward in creating a more equitable and just society. Equally important, how should we achieve our conception of what access to justice means? The panel will ask what roles law students, lawyers, and law firms should play in achieving our ideal conception of access to justice, and what some of our obligations are to achieving that end. Moreover, what makes serving under-represented communities and citizens of disadvantaged backgrounds different from serving sophisticated commercial entities?

3:40pm to 3:50pm

Break

3:50pm to 4:50pm

The Business of Law: Powering It Up on the Tech Side

This program contains 60 minutes of Professionalism content

  • Jonathan Chen, Lenczner Slaght
  • Sanjay Kutty, Spark LLP
  • Peter Nguyen, Resolver
  • Parna Sabet-Stephenson, Gowling WLG
  • Tara Vasdani, Remote Law Canada
  • Moderated by: Janice Kim, Sullivan Festeryga LLP

Where Business, Tech, and Law collide! Is this your first time hearing about tech and law? Are you interested in learning about how everyone else is managing their practice with tech? We’re here to give you a better sense of how the practice of law is affected by technology and how to embrace improving your practice with technology. This session includes:

  • A crash course on blockchain and smart contracts in plain English;
  • Identifying challenges and integrating technological solutions for internal firm benefits and external client value;
  • Moving towards a paperless practice resulting in a more efficient law practice; and
  • Utilizing artificial intelligence and tech in your practice
4:50pm to 5:00pm

Closing Remarks

5:00pm to 6:30pm

Cocktail Reception

Cash Bar

6:30pm to 9:00pm

Dinner and Awards Ceremony - Gala Keynote Address by The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Business Attire

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