Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Article | April 20, 2026
Unlearning the Adversarial Instinct: Rethinking Why the ‘Americanised’ Approach Didn’t Resonate
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.
Article | April 20, 2026
The NCA Process: Who Told You It Was Easier?
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.
Article | April 20, 2026
Judicial Independence in an Age of Political Contestation
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.
Article | April 20, 2026
Court of Appeal Summaries (April 6 – April 10)
Following are our summaries of the civil decisions of the Court of Appeal for Ontario for the week of April 6, 2026.
Article | April 20, 2026
Nunavut Devolution: A Nation-Building Moment for Canada’s Third Territory
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...
Article | April 17, 2026
Hierarchy Is Not the Problem. How We Exercise It Is.
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.
Article | April 14, 2026
Empowering the Consumer: The Rise of Consumer-Driven Banking in Canada
Canada is advancing toward implementing a consumer-driven banking framework, also known as open banking, which aims to empower consumers and small businesses by allowing secure sharing of financial data with authorized entities via APIs, eliminating the need for risky screen scraping methods. Article summarizes historical development, recent progress in CDBA and outlines what consumers can expect in 2026 and 2027.
