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Summer Law Institute (SLI)

2023 SLI for Secondary School Teachers

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 29th and Wednesday, August 30th, 2023. We look forward to welcoming you back to the SLI in person this summer!

Register by July 21st at the Early Bird rate of $75.

Register after July 21st at the regular rate of $99.

Registration closes on August 28th.

Please note the change of venue this year.

Our new venue is the Oxford Innovation Centre, 315 Front Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 3A4.

The registration fee includes all session materials and meals (light breakfast and lunch). Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registration

Register Here

 

Schedule and speaker biographies

View the full Summer Law Institute schedule and the speaker bios!

Sessions

Click a title below to read the session description.


Supporting “Undocumented” Students in the Classroom

Supporting “Undocumented” Students in the Classroom

Among some of the most vulnerable individuals in our province’s educational settings, young people without immigration status face many barriers and hurdles in their day-to-day lives. These intersecting challenges often cause significant hardships for these students. Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY) offers a program called CASA, Childhood Arrivals Support and Advocacy. Hear more about this program and the concrete ways you can support those in your classroom at the SLI’s opening session!

  • Allison P. Williams, B.A. (Hons.), M.A., J.D. – Litigation Lawyer, Justice for Children & Youth (JFCY)
  • Talayeh Shomali – Director, Borderless Access to Education
  • Dennique Lavia – Project Assistant, Childhood Arrivals Support & Advocacy Program (CASA)
Tech and Justice: Perspectives on the New Toronto Courthouse (OJEN’s Toronto Committee)

Tech and Justice: Perspectives on the New Toronto Courthouse (OJEN’s Toronto Committee)

The newly opened Toronto Courthouse at 10 Armoury Street is a state-of-the-art facility that represents a modern, innovative take on delivering justice for Ontarians. During OJEN’s Toronto Committee session, hear from those working on the frontlines who will open a window into different areas of the court process, from the initial investigations on the scene by the police, to bail, to witness testimony, and the impact of technology on it all. This will be a fantastic primer before getting a firsthand look at the courthouse at the end of the day.

  • David Spence – Assistant Crown Attorney
  • Detective Christina Donaldson
  • Meghan Scott – Assistant Crown Attorney
  • Dahlia Nicholson – Victim/Witness Assistance Program
  • Royland Moriah – Defence Counsel, Rusonik, O’Connor, Robbins, Ross, & Angelini LLP

Panel on Bail Reform – C-48: does it go too far or not far enough?

Panel on Bail Reform – C-48: does it go too far or not far enough?

In response to calls for tougher crime laws, especially as they relate to repeat offenders, the federal government has proposed Bill C-48. This bill would make it harder for certain individuals to be released on bail. Join us for what is sure to be a robust discussion on one of the hottest-button legal issues of the day. With panelists:

  • Tyler King, PhD student, University of Toronto
  • Shakir Rahim, Director of Criminal Justice, Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA)
  • Dr. Jane Sprott, Professor of Criminology, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)
  • Danardo Jones, Assistant Professor, University of Windsor – Faculty of Law>

Artificial Intelligence in the classroom

Artificial Intelligence in the classroom

Friend or foe? Tool or threat? What role, if any, does and should AI play in the classroom? Join us for an exploration of one of the biggest topics of the day, legal or otherwise. Our panel includes some of the foremost thought leaders and practitioners on the subject:

  • Mark Daley, Western University’s first chief digital information officer
  • Abdi Aidid, University of Toronto law professor and author of the new book The Legal Singularity: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Law Radically Better

Tour of the New Toronto Courthouse

Tour of the New Toronto Courthouse

The New Toronto Courthouse opened in March 2023. The largest courthouse in Ontario, it brings six criminal courts under the Ontario Court of Justice and specialty courts for drug treatment, youth, and mental health under one roof. It boasts 63 courtrooms including a multiple-accused, high-security courtroom. It also features an Indigenous learning centre, the first of its kind in an Ontario courthouse.

Housing as a Human Right Panel

Housing as a Human Right Panel

There are few topics more top of mind these days than housing. As life gets less and less affordable, individuals and families are being pushed to the financial brink. A homelessness crisis has become visible and urgent. What is the law’s role in solving this societal issue? How effective are recent pieces of legislation and government initiatives at targeting the causes of the crisis? And what are the practical solutions that will allow us to ensure a right to housing for all?

  • Diana Chan McNally – Community Worker, Educator, and Advocate
  • Bryony Halpin – Senior Policy Analyst, Ontario Human Rights Commission
  • Dania Majid – Lawyer, Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO)

Canadian Civil Liberties Association: Teaching Critical Thinking Through Rights-Based Education

Canadian Civil Liberties Association: Teaching Critical Thinking Through Rights-Based Education

Nat Paul, Director of Education at the Canadian Civil Liberties Education Trust (CCLET) and former OJEN Director of Educator Support will demonstrate CCLET’s in-class workshop designed to teach students about their rights and develop their critical thinking skills. Learn about CCLET’s resources for teachers, as well as interesting cases and legal issues.

OJEN's New Resources

OJEN’s New Resources

Get a sneak peak at the newest curriculum-linked resources that were added to OJEN’s online library this summer. OJEN staff provides an overview of each resource and demonstrates how it can be used to enrich classroom learning.

Top 5 Significant Cases of the Past Year – SLI 2023

Top 5 Significant Cases of the Past Year – SLI 2023

Justice Lorne Sossin of the Court of Appeal for Ontario shares his picks for the top five cases of the past year that are of the greatest importance and interest to educators.

About the SLI

OJEN’s Summer Law Institute (SLI) is our flagship professional development event for secondary school teachers of law and law-related subjects. The SLI is a two-day conference, held in downtown Toronto. The event features experts talking about emerging areas of law and key issues facing the justice system in Ontario. It has become a late-summer staple for many teachers as they prepare to return to the classroom.

After three years of offering the SLI virtually as a webinar series, we are delighted to announce that OJEN’s 2023 SLI returns to its original in-person format!

Look out for some of your returning favourites! You can also check out the past Law Institute programs or our Webinar Archive to learn more about our previous events.

“Every year I look forward to the OJEN Summer Law Institute and although we weren’t able to physically gather, OJEN went above and beyond to prepare. As usual, the webinars addressed topics in law that are both current and relevant and the speakers shed light on the critical issues. The delivery of the sessions was seamless. The links to the webinars were delivered in a timely fashion and I particularly  enjoyed receiving the link to the recording right after. I used the recordings at my first History Department meeting in September and shared the Environmental Law webinar with the Geography Department.” — Lora Gillies, York Region District School Board, about the 2020 Summer Law Institute webinars.

For information about the Summer Law Institute please contact lawinstitutes@ojen.ca

OJEN thanks the Law Foundation of Ontario, whose funding makes the SLI and so many other crucial projects possible.

FAQ

What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?

TTC – Union Station – 9 minute walk

GO – Union Station – 9 minute walk

Gardiner Expressway – 4 minute drive

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport – 5 minute drive

Toronto Pearson International Airport – 17 minute drive

Parking: Impark (315-325 Front St. W. – Lot #524)

Is my registration/ticket transferrable?

Registrations will not be refunded after August 22nd, 2023. However, registrant substitution will be permitted.

Where can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Direct any questions or concerns to lawinstitutes@ojen.ca.

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