Osgoode Professional Development

For two decades, the Annual National Forum in Administrative Law and Practice has brought together leading practitioners, decision-makers, advocates and academics for two days of discussion and debate. This year, program chairs Andrew Gibbs, Kate Glover Berger, Brendan van Niejenhuis and Kirk Shannon will bring together a faculty of experts to explore the most important developments shaping Canadian administrative law today. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Ti1H00

Meghan Payne is Counsel at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, where she advocates for health care clients and their staff in complex medical malpractice litigation and administrative matters. She provides advice on a wide range of health law issues, including regulatory college matters, adverse events and disclosure, as well as complex consent and mental health issues.

Meghan also has extensive experience representing physicians at designated psychiatric facilities before the Consent and Capacity Board and in CCB appeals.

She will be co-directing the Osgoode Certificate in Mental Health Law alongside Mark Pearce this fall. Participants will gain practical insights and best practices from some of Canada’s leading experts in the field. Learn more: https://bit.ly/49NpytQ

As our Summer Program with students from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) comes to a close, we'd like to thank them for being part of another memorable learning experience.

Before returning to Hong Kong, the group enjoyed guided tours of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and Osgoode Hall, gaining further insight into Ontario's legal and parliamentary institutions.

We wish everyone the very best as they complete their final assessments remotely and look forward to hearing about their experiences with the program.

Nicola Simmons is a lawyer at Keel Cottrelle LLP with a broad practice in administrative law, including human rights, labour and employment, privacy and education law. She advises on matters such as student discipline, special education and school board governance, and has represented clients before courts and administrative tribunals across Ontario.

On October 16, she will co-chair OsgoodePD’s Fundamentals in Special Education Law alongside Nadya Tymochenko. Through this program, participants will get the foundation they need to deal with day-to-day challenges in Special Education. Learn more:
https://bit.ly/4uqlRCI

Thank you to all the Professional LLM students who joined us last week for our guided tour of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

The tour offered a behind-the-scenes look at one of Ontario's most significant historic landmarks, providing participants with a deeper understanding of the province's parliamentary system, legislative process and the history of the Legislative Building.

Since 1993, Richard M. Bogoroch of Bogoroch & Associates LLP has been certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Civil Litigation. He is widely recognized as one of Ontario’s leading medical malpractice and personal injury lawyers by Lexpert and Best Lawyers, both peer-reviewed lawyer ranking publications.

This fall, he joins Bronwyn Martin of Moodie Mair Walker Lawyers as co-chair of Anatomy of a Medical Malpractice Case. In one focused day, participants will gain a practical, end-to-end framework for managing medical malpractice cases, from records and experts to resolution, using a real-life fact scenario. Learn how to assess cases faster, avoid costly missteps and build stronger, more defensible strategies on either side of the file. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4ozFl5T

How do experienced mediators know when to intervene, when to challenge and when to simply listen? This October, Winkler/IAM/OsgoodePD Mediation Forum 2026: Critical Moments in Mediation: Lessons in Judgment, Courage and Craft will feature four in-depth interviews with leading mediators exploring the decisions that shape successful mediation outcomes.

The first morning interview will feature Paul Iacono, interviewed by Penny Georgoudis, who will examine how judgment, candour and reality-testing can help break impasse, build trust and reshape expectations in complex disputes.

You'll also hear from internationally recognized mediator Bill Marsh, interviewed by Jennifer Egsgard, who will explore the limits of neutrality and the mediator's role when disputes involve justice, accountability, identity and public harm.

Designed to spark meaningful discussion and practical learning, these conversations will be followed by audience dialogue, giving participants the opportunity to connect these insights to their own practice. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3QaYgY1

Last week, our Professional LLM students came together for a networking dinner. Thank you to everyone who attended – we hope you enjoyed the opportunity to connect with colleagues, share experiences and expand your professional network.

From charity bingos in the 1980s to helping shape one of the world’s largest regulated gaming markets, Don Bourgeois has witnessed the evolution of gambling law in Ontario firsthand.

The co-director of The Osgoode Certificate in Gambling Law reflects on the transformation of the industry, the growing business opportunities within Canada’s gaming sector and why understanding the legal and regulatory landscape is more important than ever. Read more ⬇️
https://bit.ly/42ndA7l