The Annual Retreat takes place each year on a Saturday morning in the spring – this year on May 13, from 9:00 to 12:30. Our sponsor is KPMG, will host the event at its new state-of-the-art facility at 150 Elgin Street. See the 2017 Retreat tab for more information.

Advanced Discovery Techniques: Dealing with bullies -Offence and Defence

Learn and practice the techniques of discovery offence. Ask questions to get the information – all the information. Overcome evasive action by witnesses and resistance from opposing counsel. Clarify ethical boundaries.

Learn and practice the techniques of discovery defence. Prepare your client effectively to be examined. Defend your client against aggressive tactics of opposing counsel.

This session will take place over two evenings: April 25 and April 27 from 5:00-6:30 at our sponsor’s offices, Catana Reporting 170 Laurier West, 8th Floor. Participants must commit to take part in both. Qualifies for 120 minutes substantive, 60 minutes professional hours.

AC Boot Camp (2 half-day Sessions) 

The Advocacy Club Boot Camp offers young litigators a unique educational experience. Here, participants learn by doing. We begin the Boot Camp with introductory exercises that teach interview techniques. Participants then work with witness statements to develop skills to follow up where witnesses lead. They practice both direct- and cross-examination techniques. They learn to analyze the case to develop themes. This is the most difficult skill litigators must master to succeed. Best of all, participants develop a sense of collegiality with their co-participants. This peer-to-peer contact continues well beyond the boot camp.  The graduates of this Boot Camp constitute a pool of highly talented young litigators. Many of them have gone on to train others in advocacy techniques. Several have presented at the CCLA civil litigation conference held each fall.  This program is accepted by the Law Society of Upper Canada for continuing professional development (CPD = 6.5 hours substantive, 1.5 hours professional).

The next available session takes place on April 18 and 19 from 1:00-5:00. The sponsor is Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP. Location is their offices at 1500 – 50 O’Connor St.