Summer Law Institute (SLI)
2026 SLI for Secondary School Teachers
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.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 25th and Wednesday, August 26th, 2026.
We look forward to welcoming you back to the SLI in person this summer!
Register at the early bird rate at $75 by July 17th, 2026.
Register at the regular rate of $110 after July 17th, 2026.
Registration closes on August 21st.
Our 2026 venue is Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5H 2N6.
The registration fee includes all session materials and meals (light breakfast and lunch). Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sessions and speakers
Stay tuned for more announcements by checking this page or subscribing to the Newsflash, OJEN’s newsletter for educators.
The role of AI and youth privacy
AI has become a prominent tool in day-to-day activities, but how are young people’s personal data collected and used? This session explores the role of AI and its benefits, as well as its detriment on young people, and the risk on their privacy.
Speakers: Christelle Tessono, Andre Cote and Emily Chan
International law: its limits and its possibilities
International Law can provide extensive opportunities for collaboration and solutions to resolve problems, yet be restricted due to independence and issues of enforcement. Join this discussion to learn about the possibilities of International Law, and its limits.
Policing in schools
Does the presence of police officers in schools make children more or less safe?
Speaker: Andrea Jimenez
New tort of intimate partner violence
On May 15, 2026, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized a new tort of intimate partner violence, allowing litigants to pursue damages against their intimate partners for conduct such as isolation, financial control, sexual coercion, and intimidation. This decision is the outcome of the Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia case, where Kuldeep Ahluwalia was subjected to physical, psychological, and financial abuse from her husband.
This is a landmark decision for survivors of intimate partner violence, with Canadian Law recognizing the detrimental effects of physical, psychological and financial abuse.
Speakers: Julie Hannaford and Angela Pagano
Social media, free speech, and student rights
What can students post on social media? Is social media a form of free speech? What are the limits on students’ rights? What is the role of Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act? This discussion will delve into the intersectionality of social media and free speech, and the challenges associated with advocating for students’ free speech, yet protecting their personal information.
Speaker: Anaïs McNicoll
Bill 21
Engage in a discussion about Bill 21. Bill 21, a Quebec Law, bans public sector employees such as teachers, lawyers and police officers from wearing religious symbols like crosses, hijabs and turbans, while performing their duties.
Speaker: Harini Sivalingam
Top 5 Cases of The Year
A Summer Law Institute favourite, join Professor Sonia Lawrence’s presentation on her Top 5 Canadian legal decisions of the past year, highlighting the significance of each decision and why each decision could be of special interest to educators.
Registration
"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.
"The Summer Institute was excellent. The topics covered were of real interest to high-school students. I would definitely recommend the Summer Institute to my teacher friends." — Teacher Law Institute participant.
FAQ
Is my registration/ticket transferrable?
Registrations will not be refunded after August 7th, 2026. However, registrant substitution will be permitted.
Where can I contact the organizer with any questions?
Direct any questions about the Summer Law Institute to lawinstitutes@ojen.ca.
Thanks to The Law Foundation of Ontario, whose funding makes the SLI and so many other crucial projects possible.
