Section Articles

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of August 3 to 7, 2026.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of July 27, 2026.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of July 20, 2026. 

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of July 13, 2026.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of July 6, 2026.

Canadian real estate lawyers are accustomed to handling closings end-to-end. Under Canada’s Torrens-style land titles systems, the government register provides statutory assurance of title, and closings largely involve inter-law-firm fund exchanges. When your client purchases real property in the United States, however, the process is fundamentally different. There is no government guarantee of title. Instead, title evidence and settlement are private-market functions performed by title insurers and escrow/settlement agents. Understanding these differences is essential to properly advising your client on a U.S. real estate acquisition.

Parallel class actions filed in multiple provinces are a familiar feature of Canadian class action practice, long understood to strain one of the central purposes of class proceedings: judicial economy. To address this concern, several provinces have amended their class proceedings legislation to provide additional tools for addressing parallel multi-jurisdictional class actions. Ontario did so in 2020 through amendments made to the Class Proceedings Act, 1992, which included the addition of sections 5(6)-5(8). More than five years after these provisions were implemented, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, in Yee v. Telus International (Cda) Inc., 2026 ONSC 3165, has finally interpreted and applied them – providing valuable guidance for counsel on the factors to be considered where a stay of an Ontario class proceeding is sought on the basis of overlapping parallel class actions.

This article reviews court commentary regarding funding arrangements, and the importance funding could be given in the future. While funding has largely been a neutral factor in previous carriage decisions, courts have in various ways emphasized the importance of presenting a reliable funding plan at this stage.

A recent certification decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Pedersen v. Advanced Bionics LLC, provides important guidance on the predominance requirement introduced by the 2020 amendments to Ontario's Class Proceedings Act, 1992. The case is noteworthy because it is one of the first decisions to meaningfully apply the predominance requirement following Justice Perell's analysis in Banman v. Ontario, 2023 ONSC 6187. This article considers the Court's novel use of the predominance requirement as a case-management tool capable of shaping and rehabilitating proposed class actions.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of June 29, 2026.

Canadian real estate lawyers are accustomed to handling closings end-to-end. Under Canada’s Torrens-style land titles systems, the government register provides statutory assurance of title, and closings largely involve inter-law-firm fund exchanges. When your client purchases real property in the United States, however, the process is fundamentally different. There is no government guarantee of title. Instead, title evidence and settlement are private-market functions performed by title insurers and escrow/settlement agents. Understanding these differences is essential to properly advising your client on a U.S. real estate acquisition.

This article examines the regulations and jurisprudence governing non-party evidence in estate litigation.

An interview with Hyunju (Crystal) Park, CPD Liaison on the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

An interview with Tinju Thomas, Secretary on the OBA Business Law Section.

An interview with Avechi Chimara, Vice-Chair of the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

An interview with Monique Rabideau, Co-Chair of Continuing Professional Development Programming, Chair of the Securities Law Committee, and member of the Business Law Section Executive.

An interview with Leanne Tran, Newsletter Editor on the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of June 22, 2026.

Most lawyers start their careers working at a law firm and later transition to in-house roles. I began my legal career articling in-house, where I spent 10 months in the legal department at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada. I am sharing my reflections to help those beginning their legal careers in-house or considering a transition into this type of role.

In Decision No. 1068/21, a WSIAT Panel addressed overlapping claims for chronic pain and psychological injury, finding that the worker’s psychological conditions were subsumed under chronic pain disability as the primary impairment. The Panel nevertheless granted entitlement under the presumptive PTSD policy, holding that a worker may remain “employed” while on leave for the purposes of the presumption.

This article considers whether a trust declaration entered into by an attorney for property violates the provisions of subsection 7(2) of the Substitute Decisions Act, particularly through revisiting the decision of Justice Gomery in Selkirk v Selkirk, 2022 ONSC 2653.

This article reviews the recent decision in D.R. v. A.R., 2026 ONSC 796 where the Court found that being able to make decisions, with assistance, is not the same as being incapable. The article also reviews what may be legal counsel's role where in assisted decision-making.

Please find below our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for the week of June 15, 2026.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of June 8, 2026.

Contributions from the child and youth law, research and advocacy community across Canada are helping the CBA Child and Youth Law Section ensure the Child Rights Toolkit is responsive to emerging technologies, attentive to children with intersecting marginalized identities, and focused on making children’s rights real in Canada.

The Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) recognised a new tort of intimate partner violence in its long-anticipated decision of May 15, 2026, Ahluwalia v Ahluwalia, 2026 SCC 16. However, the SCC confined the application of the new tort to an intimate partner relationship. What does this mean for other family members who experience family violence, such as children?

Tarion, the organization responsible for administering Ontario’s new home warranty program, has made regulatory changes to address the important issue of illegal building and selling of new homes in the province.

In Cressey Construction Corporation v. Parolin, 2026 BCCA 199, the Court confirmed that a long-standing work-from-home arrangement may become an enforceable term of employment and that an employer's unilateral decision to revoke that arrangement can amount to constructive dismissal.

On April 21, 2026, Collective Bargaining Ontario (CBO) launched its new redesigned Reports resource, an interactive database of wage trends and other information relating to collective agreements in the province. While there are still some apparent flaws that need to be ironed out, overall the new CBO Reports could be a helpful resource for labour lawyers who assist clients with collective bargaining and interest arbitration, and potentially also legal research for disputes about interpretation of collective agreement provisions.

In Boyce Estate v. 2113626 Ontario Inc. (Hampton Inn and Suites), 2026 ONCA 323, the Ontario Court of Appeal recently upheld the application of the common employer doctrine in the context of a wrongful dismissal claim. This decision is a good reminder that complex corporate structures are not meant to unjustly or unlawfully shield employers from liability.

In J.C. et al. v. Jugenburg et al., 2026 ONSC 3061, the court found that a plastic surgeon breached his duties to patients and intruded on their privacy by installing surveillance cameras throughout his clinic. This is the first time a court has found that recording footage alone, even if it was not viewed or shared, can result in liability for the tort of intrusion upon seclusion. The court awarded $21.5 million in aggregate damages for the class of roughly 7,000 patients for intrusion upon seclusion, and $1 million in punitive damages.

In this edition of the OBA Health Law’s Section Insider, we spoke with the 2026 recipient of the Susan Davidson Memorial Award for Excellence in Health Law, Bill Carter. Here’s what he had to say.

This article by Liz Kieffer, an incoming 3L law student at Osgoode Hall Law School, explores problems that may arise when testamentary documents misname or misgender transgender individuals, and makes recommendations to amend Ontario law to ensure that the intention of the will is carried out.

In the recent endorsement by Justice Alex Pazaratz in the case of Comeau v. Fox, 2025 ONSC 4318 (CanLII), lawyers are cautioned against holding a client’s signed Notice of Change in Representation to self-represent in escrow to be used at a later date, if and when the lawyer wishes to end the retainer.

David McRobert argues that Canada’s water problem is real; a constitutional shortcut is not. The remedy is not a grand federal takeover, but in co-operative federalism with tougher provincial rules, better infrastructure, Indigenous water governance and national standards with constitutional deference.

In Afolabi v. Law Society of Ontario, the Ontario Court of Appeal allowed the Law Society of Ontario’s (LSO) appeal and provided helpful analysis on the scope of procedural fairness owed in professional regulation licensing decisions. Central to the CA’s reasoning was its conclusion that the Divisional Court misunderstood the regulatory structure governing the LSO’s response to compromised licensing exams and, in doing so, conflated the distinct roles of two LSO divisions.

Interview with Kathleen Robichaud, Member-at-Large on the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

An interview with Mark Simon, Regional Representative on the OBA Business Law Executive.

An interview with Colleen Colemn Wright, Member-at-Large.on the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

An interview with Tulu Harsa, Member-at-Large on the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

Since the early 2000s, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become an increasingly popular workflow process in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry (AEC industry). While the rise of BIM software has allowed greater efficiency and collaboration in the AEC industry, it has also given rise to questions regarding copyright ownership: Who owns the copyright in a BIM model? What rights do collaborators have to use and modify the information in a design made using a BIM model?

On February 5, 2026, Pro-Demnity Insurance Company (the mandatory professional liability insurer for Ontario architects) published an article titled “Who Decides that a Contractor is in Default? A Guide for Architects” The message to architects administering construction contracts is unequivocal: under no circumstances should an architect make a determination that a contractor is in default or issue a Notice of Default. This is because a finding of default is, in substance, a legal opinion as to whether a contractor is in breach of contract – and architects are not in the business of giving legal opinions.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has issued its second administrative monetary penalty, since the expansion of its enforcement powers, against an individual who worked at a hospital and was caught snooping in 436 patient records without authorization. While the IPC did not issue a penalty against the hospital, the IPC made recommendations for the hospital to improve certain privacy practices.

While Artificial intelligence (AI) has increased productivity and innovation, it has amplified the challenges in the elder law landscape. Seniors have become the target of scams and other crimes involving AI. Older Canadians are particularly susceptible to these fraud schemes as AI becomes more sophisticated. For elder law practitioners, understanding how AI is reshaping financial abuse, undue influence, and fraud is essential, not only for litigation and estate disputes, but also for planning and client education. 

In November 2022, ChatGPT, a generative AI chatbot designed to allow users to input prompts and receive an AI-generated response, was first released to the public. While the platform has transformed how individuals and businesses interact with AI, it has also raised significant concerns regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information in the development and deployment of AI models.

The 2026 Canadian In-House Counsel Report is now out. This report is published annually by CBA In-House Lawyers together with Mondaq and Legal 500, and is intended to provide insight into the priorities and challenges facing in-house lawyers today. It was released in February 2026 and draws on nearly 500 responses from lawyers across the country, with the largest provincial cohort being Ontario at 36%. These reports are a timely pulse on the state and trajectory of the legal profession. The key theme of this year’s report is that in-house counsel are asked to do more without the adequate resources.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my professional life today is supporting internationally trained lawyers who are beginning their own requalification journeys. Through my involvement with Osgoode Professional Development and the broader internationally trained lawyer (ITL) community, I regularly speak with lawyers who are considering, or are in the midst of, the process of qualifying to practice in Canada.

Artificial intelligence is now embedded in everyday legal practice, with widespread adoption by lawyers—often even without formal approval. The rise of “shadow AI” highlights a growing gap between how quickly employees are using AI tools and how slowly organizations are implementing governance and safeguards. Professional obligations have not diminished in response to these developments; they have intensified. Competence requires not just using AI tools, but using them responsibly.

Recent developments reflect a growing global movement toward responsible AI use in legal decision‑making and advocacy. Against this dynamic global backdrop, the Ontario Bar Association’s International Law Section hosted the webinar AI and International Legal Risk: Governance, Accountability, and the Evolution of Global Legal Standards. The program was chaired by Elena Mamay, litigator at Mann Lawyers, and featured Professor Jake Okechukwu Effoduh, Assistant Professor at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law and Senior Fellow at CIGI, and Lauren Nickerson, AI and Litigation Associate at Torys LLP. Together, they examined how shifting international frameworks intersect with the daily realities of legal risk management in Canada.

Successful mediation outcomes depend on more than legal preparation - they require clients who are emotionally ready and engaged in the process. In this article, mediator Stuart Rudner shares practical guidance on how counsel can bridge the gap between being prepared on paper and being prepared at the mediation table.

In Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, 2026 SCC 16, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) customised a new tort of intimate partner violence (IPV) in response to what it described as the “pernicious social ill” of coercive control in intimate relationships. In doing so, the SCC granted family law litigants and survivors of IPV a powerful civil remedy; and practitioners, a comprehensive and structured primer on the advent of novel torts, marking a first in Canadian law. Although this decision arose in a family law dispute, it is expected to shape the development of tort law well beyond the confines of family law, making it an essential read for all civil litigators. This article focuses on the SCC’s preion governing the evolution of new torts.

The Ontario Bar Association’s International Law Section is pleased to congratulate Paul Lalonde on receiving the 2026 Award of Excellence in International Law.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of June 1, 2026.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of May 25, 2026.

Recently there have been changes to the Ontario’s New Home Warranty Program which came into effect April 1, 2026. New home buyers of new freehold homes in Ontario must register their purchase and notify their purchase to the Tarion Warranty Corporation within 45 days of signing the Agreement of Purchase and Sale. New home buyers will be required to register on the Tarion online portal. This is a step towards consumer protection and to prevent illegal home sales. Let’s see how this will work.

This case is a clear example of a failed commercial real estate transaction affirming that “time is the essence” clause must be complied with even if it is amidst pandemic challenges and that COVID-19 does not constitute an excuse for non-performance of contractual obligations.  It is a reminder that strict compliance of the terms of the Agreement of Purchase and Sale is necessary and failure to do so would lead to significant legal and financial repercussions.

The Superior Court of Justice Ontario granted relief from forfeiture to the applicant who brought an application pursuant to Section 20(1) of the Commercial Tenancies Act (CLA) R.S.O. 1990, c. L.7 (CTA), and section 98 of the Courts of Justice Act (CJA) R.S.O. 1990, C.43 (CJA). Section 20(1) of CLA provides relief from forfeiture “having regard to the proceeding and conduct of the parties under section 19 and to all other circumstances.” Section 98 of the CJA grants the court jurisdiction to grant relief from forfeiture as the court considers just.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of May 11, 2026.

In 2026, the uncanny valley isn't just for digital media anymore—it has come for physical movement. As humanoid robots master complex choreography and "physical AI" threatens jobs once thought safe from automation, are human dancers next on the chopping block? In this deep dive, IP and entertainment lawyer Abhi Ranade explores the collision of robotics, economics, and the dance floor. Discover how the little-known legal doctrine of choreography copyright might just be our best incidental defense against the "Turing Trap," and why the future of human movement may rely on keeping the law human.

A series of landmark antitrust decisions—from NCAA v Alston to the $2.8 billion settlement in House v NCAA—has dismantled the traditional amateurism model in U.S. college athletics, paving the way for athlete revenue-sharing and, now, private equity investment. The University of Utah's recent partnership with Otro Capital signals a new era in which collegiate athletic programs are being structured as commercial enterprises with institutional investors at the table. This article examines the legal and regulatory developments driving this transformation, the investment structures emerging in U.S. collegiate sports, and what these trends may mean for Canadian university athletics as financial pressures mount and the gap between the two models continues to widen.

From anti-SLAPP motions to online republication and anonymous digital speech, defamation law continues to evolve alongside the ways we communicate. This recap highlights key takeaways from the OBA’s April 16, 2026, “Key Updates in Defamation Law” program, co-chaired and co-moderated by Anisha Bhardwaj and Nour Al-Saied, featuring insights from Ryder Gilliland, Andrea Gonsalves, and Arad Moslehi on the practical and doctrinal issues shaping modern defamation disputes.

The Ontario Court of Appeal recently clarified that the burden of proof for the defence of mitigation is not limited to proving the plaintiff’s failure to take steps to mitigate. The defendant must also prove that mitigation opportunities were available and would have indeed mitigated the damage.

Recent IRCC policy changes are significantly reshaping international student representation and increasing the importance of compliance-focused legal advice. Positive developments include IRCC’s December 2025 clarification that students who become part-time in what was intended to be their final semester due to a failed course may still preserve PGWP eligibility, as well as the removal of the separate co-op work permit requirement for eligible students. At the same time, new restrictions on spousal open work permits, particularly the requirement that master’s programs generally be at least 16 months in length, are creating new barriers for international students and their families. These changes mean practitioners must conduct more detailed pre-retainer due diligence, carefully assess program eligibility and downstream immigration consequences, and approach study permit matters with a stronger focus on long-term strategy, compliance, and risk management.

Discussion of the use of artificial intelligence in an arbitration decision in Quebec leading to the decision being quashed.

The scope of the police’s power of arrest is an important issue to all people as it entails a violation of people’s individual liberty and autonomy. Thus, the extent of this power and purposes the police can exercise this power for must be carefully circumscribed. In R v. Wilson, the Supreme Court of Canada addressed the extent of the police’s power to arrest in determining whether a statutory immunity from being charged or convicted for the offence of possession of a controlled substance in specific circumstances included immunity from being arrested for that offence.

People are more than the sum of their parts and unfortunately, so is the discrimination they face. This observation was put forward by the scholar and advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw in a study addressing the discrimination faced by Black women in America and showing how it differs from merely a sum of sexism (also experienced by white women) and racism (also experienced by white men). It has led to the development of the concept of “intersectionality,” a framework in which the different types of discriminations faced by an individual or group are understood as “overlapping and mutually constitutive rather that isolated and distinct.” How, if at all, does this concept play a role when considering issues of equality and discrimination under the Charter in Canada? After all, to establish whether discrimination exists, the framework set by section 15(1) relies on individual, siloed grounds—be they enumerated (race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability) or analogous (non-citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, Aboriginality-residence, and non-resident status in a self-governing Indigenous community ) grounds. This was one of the central questions tackled by the Supreme Court of Canada in Québec (AG) v Kanyinda, 2026 SCC 7.

This article discusses the use of section 59(2) of Ontario’s Provincial Offences Act as a sentencing tool to reduce mandatory minimum fines in exceptional circumstances where imposing the statutory minimum would be unduly oppressive or contrary to the interests of justice. It explains the legal principles governing section 59(2) submissions, the distinction between inconvenience and genuine hardship, and the evidentiary requirements counsel should prepare to support relief applications. The article also examines the limitations imposed by appellate jurisprudence, including the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision in Ontario (Environment, Conservation and Parks) v. Henry of Pelham Inc., emphasizing that mandatory minimum fines serve important deterrence and public welfare objectives. Practical guidance is provided for counsel representing clients facing significant fines under provincial regulatory legislation.

Unlawful Enforcers does not seek to assign blame to a single institution or actor. Rather, it recognizes that the integrity of the justice system depends on the consistent application of constitutional principles at every stage of the investigative and adjudicative process. Safeguarding constitutional rights is a shared obligation across the legal profession and justice system. Grounded in empirical research and focused on systemic reform, Unlawful Enforcers advocates for stronger accountability, transparency, oversight, and institutional responsiveness to better protect constitutional rights, and to strengthen public confidence in the administration of justice and the rule of law.

In a decision relating to two proposed class proceedings – Pavlioglu et al. v. FinanceIt Canada Inc. and Quinn v. Vault Home Credit Corporation – the Ontario Superior Court considered the novel question of whether to grant the plaintiff’s “unprecedented” request for temporary stays of an indeterminate number of present and future related individual actions commenced by or against potential class members.

This article summarizes a recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision that considers key differences in provincial consumer protection legislation in the context of an unsuccessful appeal of a certification decision concerning unsolicited service fees charged to consumers who ship goods into Canada.

This article summarizes a recent Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision that provides important clarity on the meaning of "final and complete" under the mandatory dismissal for delay provisions of the Class Proceedings Act, 1992.

An interview with Devon Molloy, Member-at-Large on the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

An interview with Tomiwa Ogundipe, Student Member-at-Large on the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

An interview with Carrie Ritchie, Member-at-Large on the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

An interview with Ghaith Sibai, Member-at-Large on the OBA Business Law Section Executive.

It may surprise you to learn that Christine Davies did not start her career in the courtroom.  Christine began her litigation career as a research lawyer, immersed in complex legal issues and nuanced research questions. When an opportunity arose to practice another form of advocacy, the transition was a natural one. Christine, who has always been comfortable on her feet, jumped into her role as a litigator, drawing on her appreciation for the minutiae of the law and constant curiosity that was fostered at the start of her legal practice.

Judicial independence is often described as a constitutional principle and a cornerstone of the Canadian legal system. At its core, it guarantees that judges decide cases based solely on fact and law, free from external influence. But at critical moments, judicial independence becomes something more tangible - contested, scrutinized, and at times, publicly misunderstood. Recent developments have brought renewed attention to the judiciary’s role within our democratic framework. These moments provide an opportunity not only to reaffirm the doctrine of judicial independence, but also to examine how it operates in practice - particularly where legal decision-making intersects with broader governmental priorities and public sentiment.

Canada's youngest in the workforce are among the most vulnerable. Their anecdotal stories highlight the need for further and better education on workplace rights for Canada's youth.

A 59-year-old IBM executive was awarded $682,151.18 in wrongful dismissal damages – but it's the novel approach to valuing cancelled equity that employers and employees alike should be watching.

Recently, the Ontario Divisional Court in Bokhari v. Top Medical Transportation Services, 2026 ONSC 1073 (Bokhari) provided definitive guidance on the proper approach to jurisdictional screening at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the Tribunal). The decision restores the “plain and obvious” standard for dismissal of applications for lack of jurisdiction. While the decision expands access to relief under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code), it simultaneously weakens a key procedural tool used by the Tribunal to reduce its backlog. Whether the decision ultimately enhances access to justice remains to be seen.

The employment law landscape in Ontario underwent several changes over the past year through legislative reform and case law developments. As we are near the end of Q1 2026, this review serves as an overview of the key legal developments from 2025 (and a couple of former changes that need review annually), designed to help employers maintain compliance for the balance of the year and onward.

The Ontario Bar Association’s Women Lawyers’ Forum recently hosted its 11th Pathways to Power panel, “Women in Big Law: Leadership, Influence, and the Path Forward,” an event highlighting the diverse leadership journeys of women at the top of the legal profession. Featuring Janice Rubin, Sarit Batner, Monique Jilesen, Lorraine Mastersmith, and Kristin Taylor, the discussion offered practical insight into career progression, firm leadership, and ongoing efforts to advance equity in law.

Recently, the Federal Court of Appeal (“FCA”) released its long-awaited decision of Canada v DAC Investment Holdings Inc. (“DAC”). The FCA overturned the Tax Court of Canada and held that the general anti-avoidance rule applied to a Canadian-controlled private corporation (“CCPC”) that continued into the British Virgin Islands to cease being a CCPC. The FCA held that the continuation abused sections 123.3 and 123.4, and subsection 250(5.1) of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

This article reviews the treatment of pour-over clauses across Canadian jurisdictions.

Summary of Brown Bag Lunch meeting - March 17, 2026.

Summary of Brown Bag Lunch Meeting - February 17, 2026.

Summary of Brown Bag Lunch meeting from January 20, 2026.

Summary of Brown Bag Lunch meeting from December 2025.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of April 13, 2026.

In this personal reflection, Dr. Ningjing (Natalie) Zhang shares what she learned about small talk after arriving in Canada as a new immigrant in her thirties, the first in her family to attend post-secondary education. Drawing on the T.A.L.K. framework by Harvard Business School Professor Allison Wood Brooks, she walks through four practical principles, Topics, Asking, Levity, and Kindness, and applies them to the everyday conversations that shape a legal career: client intakes, networking receptions, mentor coffees, and difficult phone calls. Written for lawyers who, like her, were never handed the unwritten manual on Canadian small talk, the article offers both a framework and a quiet permission to keep learning.

Canada has launched a modernization review of the federal Privacy Act, led by the Treasury Board via a public consultation and discussion paper. The review seeks input on improving services, strengthening digital-age privacy protections, and updating oversight—covering themes like accountability, safeguards, and a stronger compliance regime. Consultations run until July 10, 2026, with findings expected in the winter 2026–27.

This article traces my shift from a litigation-centred understanding of dispute resolution toward an appreciation of arbitration and ADR as more collaborative and globally responsive systems of resolving disputes. I reflect on the academic, international, and practical experiences that first introduced me to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and shaped my growing interest in arbitration. Insights from the 2025 Queen Mary University of London International Arbitration Survey (conducted with White & Case) further reinforced this perspective, particularly concerns that the increasing adoption of litigation-style advocacy, “guerrilla” tactics, and overly adversarial conduct may undermine the efficiency and collaborative ethos that arbitration seeks to preserve.

This article addresses a persistent stigma in the Canadian legal market: that students who pursue law degrees abroad did so because they could not gain admission to a Canadian law school. It pushes back on that assumption by examining the legitimate and varied reasons people choose the UK path, and demystifying the NCA licensing process. The argument is this: studying abroad is not the easier route, and understanding that before you leave makes all the difference when you return.

Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of April 6, 2026.

On January 18, 2024, after more than 20 years of negotiation, the Government of Canada, the Government of Nunavut and the Inuit of Nunavut (represented by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI)) signed the Nunavut Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement. The Agreement was effective when signed and will result in the transfer of administration and control of Crown Land in Nunavut on April 1, 2027. For Stephen Mansell, Chief Negotiator for the Government of Nunavut, this was the culmination of years of painstaking work. For the territory’s roughly 40,000 residents, 85% of whom are Inuit, it marks a historic shift in control over land, water, and resources...

Hierarchy in the legal profession is inevitable, but how we exercise it is a choice. This article argues that the problem is not hierarchy itself, but the ways authority is used to diminish rather than develop the people beneath it. Drawing on research in psychological safety, leadership development, and the neuroscience of dignity, it examines how lawyers shape the careers and confidence of those who come after them. Five practical tips offer a framework for leaders at every level: from asking better questions to naming the lid, owning hard conversations, and treating dignity as non-negotiable. The goal is not to flatten hierarchy, but to make it worth following.