On August 29th and 30th, educators from across the province met for OJEN’s annual late-summer professional development conference. This was the first in-person Summer Law Institute (SLI) since 2019 and it was wonderful to connect with everyone again!
Panels and guest speakers presented on a wide range of issues including Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom to Bail Reform.This year’s speakers included legal academics, activists, education experts, lawyers, a police detective and a Court of Appeal judge among many others. A total of 30 speakers volunteered their time and expertise to make the event a success. Check out the complete program here.
One of the highlights of the conference was a tour of the New Toronto Courthouse at the end of the first day. The 17-storey courthouse, which opened earlier this year, houses most of the city’s Ontario Court of Justice criminal operations. Earlier in the day, the OJEN Toronto Committee gave participants a presentation on the background of the courthouse and some of the state-of-the-art technology that it is equipped with. It is sure to become a popular destination for classroom visits!
We are very grateful to the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General for donating their conference facilities. The Attorney General himself, the Honourable Doug Downey, took part in a session, addressing the audience and taking part in a Q & A.
Many thanks to the Law Foundation of Ontario for their funding which makes the SLI and many other programs possible. Thank you to the knowledgeable speakers who gave everyone so much to think about, the teachers who spent 2 of their last days of summer vacation immersed in legal learning, and to everyone who contributed to a great conference!