Osgoode Professional Development

We’re pleased to be an Education Partner for the Lexpert Rising Stars Awards 2026, taking place on November 12 at Liberty Grand in Toronto.

The annual awards recognize leading lawyers and in-house counsel from across Canada who are making an impact in their respective fields and contributing to the legal profession.

We’re proud to support this event and look forward to celebrating the achievements of this year’s Rising Stars alongside colleagues and members of the legal community. Learn more about the Lexpert Rising Stars Awards: https://risingstarscanada.com/

Exceptional written advocacy begins with understanding what persuades the court.

This November, The Hon. Justice Peter Lauwers, Court of Appeal for Ontario, will deliver the keynote address at the 30th Annual Course on Written Advocacy, sharing insights drawn from years of judicial experience.

Presented jointly by The Advocates' Society and Osgoode Professional Development, this intensive program provides practical instruction, individualized feedback and the opportunity to strengthen one of the most important skills every advocate can develop. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4wLrc8q

A great day of connection, conversation and community at the NCA Network’s Third Annual Career & Networking Summit!

We were pleased to join internationally trained lawyers, students, mentors and legal professionals for a day focused on navigating the path to a legal career in Canada. From career insights and mentorship to meaningful conversations about building a professional network, the Summit created valuable opportunities for members of the NCA community to connect, learn and support one another.

Thank you to NCA Network for bringing the community together and for having OsgoodePD as a sponsor. A special thank you to Michael Tam and everyone who contributed to making the Summit such a meaningful event!

As part of Osgoode’s Professional LLM in Financial Law, the Behavioural Economics course explores how economics, law and human behaviour intersect in financial decision-making. Professor Alexander Coutts discusses the course’s practical approach to credit, debt, bankruptcy and consumer protection, as well as the role of behavioural economics in an era of AI and rapidly evolving technology. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3TLUENP

With major infrastructure projects expected to drive significant construction activity in Canada, what does this mean for the future of construction arbitration? Bruce Reynolds and Howard Wise explore the growing demand for specialized expertise in construction disputes and introduce the National Forum on Construction Arbitration, a new program focused on the practical strategies needed to navigate complex disputes in the arbitral setting. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4dYzX86

With decades of leadership in education and human rights, Patrick Case brings unparalleled expertise to one of the most pressing challenges facing today's educational institutions: developing fair, effective and legally defensible policies and complaint procedures.

As former Assistant Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Education, Patrick has helped shape equity and human rights initiatives across the province. This fall, he leads The Osgoode Advanced Certificate in Policy and Procedure Writing for Educators, an advanced program in human rights procedures and education policy drafting designed for professionals responsible for managing complaints of discrimination, harassment and competing rights.

Participants will gain practical strategies to draft legally sound, workable policies that promote fairness, reduce organizational risk and support effective decision-making. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3T0dMa3

Congratulations to Jo-Ann Lee, recipient of the LLM Prize in Taxation Law!

The annual prize recognizes the student with the best graduate paper in a Taxation Law course, based on nominations from course instructors and as determined by the academic directors.

Jo-Ann’s winning paper, “Not Meant for This Kind of Taxpayer: Re-Imagining Canada v. Loblaw Financial Holdings Inc. (2021 SCC 51) Through the Modern GAAR,” examines the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision through the lens of the modern General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR).

Congratulations, Jo-Ann, on this well-deserved achievement!

After beginning her legal education in Turkey, Deniz Bulut knew that building a legal career in Canada would require a strong foundation in Canadian law. Deniz reflects on her journey from the Graduate Diploma in Foundations of Canadian Law to the LLM in Canadian Common Law, and how the Diploma helped her bridge the gap between civil and common law, develop her legal research and writing skills and build the confidence she needed to succeed in the LLM. Learn more:
https://bit.ly/4rw8YWZ

The Supreme Court of Canada’s Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia decision has reshaped the tort law landscape for family law practitioners. Julie K. Hannaford, who argued the case before the Supreme Court, and Alexi Wood discuss the practical implications of the decision and how The OsgoodePD Guide to Torts for Family Law Lawyers can help practitioners navigate this evolving area. Learn more:
https://bit.ly/4xOXXS9

We’re proud to celebrate the achievements of our alumni!

Congratulations to Marcela Santos, whose paper proposal has been accepted for the CALE/ACEJ 2026 Conference: Guidance and Accountability Towards a More Just Society, taking place October 22–24 at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Marcela will present “Beyond the Human Wall: Agentic AI, Information Lineage, and Ethical Screens in Canadian Law Firms,” exploring the implications of agentic AI, ethical walls and lawyers’ professional obligations around confidentiality and technological competence.

We’re excited to see Marcela bring her expertise and perspective to this important conversation on the evolving intersection of technology and legal ethics. Congratulations, Marcela! Learn more about the conference: https://bit.ly/3VsSz9T