Law Times

Law Times • January 26, 2009 BRIEF: OBA INSTITUTE OBA Institute is something for everyone BY KELLY HARRIS Law Times education forum in Canada, and this year it seeks to move beyond provincial borders in creating international appeal, says com- mittee member Heather McGee. McGee, T co-founding partner of McGee and Fryer law office in Markham, will be the chairwoman of the event in 2010 taking over from 2009 chairwoman Margaret Rintoul, partner with Blaney Mc- Murtry LLP. This is the 34th year the institute has been held and Mc- Gee says those who have attended in past years will see a change. "We are working toward mak- ing it into a North American event," says McGee. "Participants will see a change this year, we've broadened the speakers so that we have experts from across North America, in fact we have one fellow calling in by conference from Israel, and we are bringing in international expertise and we are broadening, not only from a substantive law program, but also skills and networking." The institute is the largest con- tinuing legal education event in Canada with 17 programs with a number of tracks, 31 exhibitors, and nine special events. "It is really one-stop shop- ping for CLE," Rintoul says. "If you only do one CLE this year make it the institute." he Ontario Bar Asso- ciation Institute has long been the largest legal One added bonus to this year's event is a CD-ROM that will be given out to all of those attending the event. The CD will contain information and material from all of the events in an easy-to-use fashion without the need for printing off thou- sands of pieces of paper. The sessions will also have an international appeal. The civil law track has a cross-border program developed through a partnership with the New York State Bar As- sociation. Legal professionals from both sides of the border will be part of the discussions. The session "Civil Litigation — When the Butterfly Flaps its Wings: Cross-Border Litigation in Your Practice," is being held Monday, Feb. 2, and looks at being an innovative and interac- tive program allowing lawyers to pick and choose from different moderated expert panels. The different panels include track one: The Elements of Cross- Border Litigation, Getting to the Money in Cross-Border Liti- gation, Jurisdictional Challenges in Cross-Border Litigation, Ob- taining Cross-Border Injunctive Relief, and Obtaining Extra- Territorial Evidence. The second track includes: Cross-Border Insolvency, Class Actions, Intellectual Property, and Consideration of Insurance Issues in Cross-Border Litigation. "We are trying to break pro- gramming now into some more niche expert programming, as well PAGE 15 The Ontario Bar Association Institute exhibition hall is a focal point of the annual event. as the broad-based programming we've always done," McGee says. The institute begins on Sat- urday, Jan. 31 with a program dedicated to criminal justice. The Saturday events are held at the OBA Conference Centre, 20 Toronto Street, Toronto. The events run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a break for lunch. The session entitled "The Char- ter: The Practical Perspective" is co-chaired by Suhail Akhtar, as- sistant Crown attorney, with the Ontario Ministry of the Attor- ney General, and Scott Bergman with Cooper and Sandler. The session asks the questions, how do you make a Charter argument, and how do you re- spond to a Charter argument? Justice Michael Moldaver and Justice Robert Blair, both of the Ontario Court of Appeal, will be part of the panel. Join- ing them will be Justice Michelle Fuerst, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and Michal Fairburn, crown counsel with the Ontario Ministry of Attorney General. The session will include demonstrations on cross-ex- amining police officers and ac- cused, with reference to certain Charter sections. The sessions on Monday, Feb. 2 and Tuesday, Feb. 3 will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre – South Building – 222 Bremner Blvd., Toronto. Monday morning begins with a bilingual breakfast, the first Ontario Lawyers' Assistance Program breakfast, and a break- fast session looking at sole, small firm, and general practices. In the sole, small firm, and general practice breakfast, Dan Pinnington, director of practi- cePRO, Lawyers' Professional Indemnity Company – LAW- PRO – looks at ways to do things faster and cheaper. This includes the latest gadgets, soft- ware, and ways to avoid mal- practice claims. See Volunteers, page 16 Giffin_LT_Jan26_09.indd 1 www.lawtimesnews.com 1/23/09 8:56:42 AM

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