Ontario Estates: Drivers & Trends + Practice Management 2024

  • Free to attend
  • Under consideration by the Law Societies of BC & ON

SESSION 1: DRIVER & TRENDS (12.00 – 1.00 pm EST)

With ever-evolving laws, estate law firms in Ontario are juggling new ways of offering the best value proposition to clients. Many firms are leveraging digitization and technological advances to gain an edge over competitors.

This session explores the latest updates in case law impacting estates lawyers in Ontario, and reveals some of the challenges and opportunities facing the practice of estates law.

What are the key drivers and emerging trends shaping the estate law landscape in Ontario in 2024?


How are estate lawyers evolving their practices to align with societal shifts?


Best practices for navigating the estates transfer process, wills & trusts, and litigation challenges


How can advisors collaborate to add value to an estate?

SESSION 2: PRACTICE MANAGEMENT (1.00 – 2.00 pm EST)

How are estates law firms evolving their practice management strategies to stay competitive as they navigate increasingly complex family structures and multigenerational estates?

Discussion points include:

Innovation and its impact on the estates ecosystem in Ontario


How can firms leverage the digitization of estate planning to improve efficiency and attract new clients?


Adapting the practice to align with modern family structures
Key takeaways from successful estates law firms

BC Estates 2024

  • Free to attend
  • Under consideration by the Law Societies of BC & ON

SESSION 1: INTRO TO WESA + CASE LAW UPDATE (30 MINS)

Estates lawyers in British Columbia face their own unique set of challenges, driven by evolving provincial laws and legislation, together with shifts in client needs and expectations, and family structures.

This opening session will address the current topics on the minds of estates lawyers in BC in 2024.

Updates on evolving case law in the province, WESA, and its impact on the estate ecosystem

SESSION 2: UNDERSTANDING EVOLUTIONS IN TRUSTS (40MINS)

Review options for trusts
Challenging trusts
Updates on tax reporting on trusts – complex area (alter ego, tax, bare trusts)
Overview of technology in practice
What is Generative AI and what should you do with it?
Tech pitch: Optimizing your estate administration – case from Appara (8 mins)
AI – talk about AI in your practice (15 mins)

SESSION 3: VIRTUAL SIMULATION – UNWINDING A COMPLEX ESTATE (45 MINS)

Join us for this dynamic session which will feature a roundtable of respected estate advisors who will lead this real-time, interactive simulation examining various scenarios that can arise (and approaches to them) during the unwinding of an estate, including:

When a person dies: what happens when they have a will versus when they don’t have a will?
How to manage an estate with an operating business?
Complex family arrangements?
Managing trusts
Working with a roundtable of advisors

How are estates law firms in BC evolving their practice management strategies to stay competitive as they navigate increasingly complex family structures and multigenerational estates?

Discussion points include:

Best practices for boosting efficiency and cutting costs in estates law firms, and staying competitive in an aggressive market
How can firms leverage the digitization of estate planning to attract new clients and build loyalty?
Adapting the practice to align with modern family structures
Key

Personal Injury Law: Drivers & Trends + Gaining a Competitive Edge through Practice 2024

  • Free to attend
  • Under consideration by the Law Societies of BC & ON

Law Society of Ontario: This program contains 2 hours of Professionalism Content.
Law Society of BC: This program is accredited for 2 hours of CPD

SESSION 1: DRIVERS & TRENDS IN PERSONAL INJURY LAW (12-1PM ET)

Discussion topics in this session include:

What are the key drivers and trends dominating the world of personal injury lawyers in Canada?

How are personal injury law firms navigating the growing trend towards mental health claims?

The significance of the increased focus on social media evidence to resolve personal injury disputes

Speakers:

  • Sandra Zisckind, Managing Partner at Diamond & Diamond
  • Warren WhiteKnight, Partner at Bergeron Clifford LLP
  • Kenny Eliason, CEO, Record

CHAIR: Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO at ADB Insights (Legal Innovation Forum)

SESSION 2: GAINING A COMPETITIVE EDGE FOR YOUR PI FIRM THROUGH INNOVATIVE PRACTICE MANAGEMENT (1-2PM ET)

Discussion topics in this session include:

What management software and digital platforms are personal injury firms using to improve the client experience and build trust?

How are personal injury firms diversifying their portfolios to stay competitive in the changing market?

Developing a powerful marketing plan to build brand identity and boost business

Speakers:

  • Missy Yeboah, Director of Client Operations at BridgePoint Financial Services
  • Jan Marin, Senior Associate at Gluckstein Lawyers
  • Morgyn Chandler, Managing Partner at Hammerco Lawyers


CHAIR: Heather Suttie, Legal Market Strategy & Management Consultant at Suttie

The New Deal: The Commercial Real Estate Sector + AI in Transactions 2024

  • Free to attend
  • Under consideration by the Law Societies of BC & ON

This program is under review for CLE and CPD credits in the following states + provinces: British Columbia, California, Illinois, New York, Ontario Pennsylvania and Texas.

SESSION 1: COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FINANCE: DRIVERS + TRENDS (12:00 – 1:00PM)

Key drivers + trends for commercial real estate finance in North America and globally in 2024


What kind of deals (and in what areas of CRE) are driving the market? How are CRE platforms redefining their offerings to compete in an evolving market?


What to expect in 2024 for commercial real estate

Speakers:

  • Gaurav Mathur, Director, Equity Research (REITs/Real Estate), Laurentian Bank Securities
  • Ravi Mann, President, Propetual Capital Partners
  • Greg Spafford, Managing Director, Real Estate Asset Management & Fund Head (REIIF), Forum Asset Management

Chair: Alyssa Barry, Principal + Co-Founder, irlabs

SESSION 2: OPTIMIZING EFFICIENCY + DRIVING VALUE IN TRANSACTIONS WITH AI (1:00 – 1:45PM)

The role of AI in driving transaction strategy and deal ideation

How AI can help drive efficiencies in the due diligence process

Post-transaction integration and the potential impact of AI

Speakers:

  • Sandra Sbrocchi, Head, Osler Works – Transactional, Osler
    Daniel Himmel, Vice President, Client Services & Strategy, ClearyX
  • Alex Smith, Global Product Lead (Senior Director) – Knowledge, Search, AI, iManage
  • Leo Wang, Legal Technologist / Legal Operations, Osler

Chair: Andrew Bowyer, Founder, The Legal Innovation Forum

Immigration: How to define, develop and implement an innovation strategy in your immigration practice to deliver results 2023

  • Free to attend
  • Under consideration by the Law Societies of BC & ON

Canada is experiencing historic rises in population largely from immigration, a key pillar of its macroeconomic strategy. For professionals whose practices focus on immigration (both consumer and corporate), this surge offers significant opportunities to those who are focused on innovating in their practices to deliver results.

Beyond advising clients on navigating the complexity of Canadian immigration laws and rules, professionals must optimize their practices in order to gain an edge in a competitive marketplace. In order to do this they need to focus on improving the end user experience, put the right ecosystem of advisors in place and leverage advanced processes underpinned by technology.

During this 60-minute webinar, our speakers will focus on the following:

Key drivers and trends at play in the Canadian immigration landscape and the opportunities and challenges for professional advisors in the immigration ecosystem.

Key pillars to designing a user-focused strategy in your immigration practice and how to implement it.

How to build an ecosystem of external advisors and put the right team in place internally.

Leveraging advanced processes and technology to drive efficiency (and the bottom line) in your practice.

This program contains 1 hour Professionalism Content from the LSO.
This program is accredited for 1 hour of CPD credits from The Law Society of BC.

Speakers:

  • Charlene Quincey, Partner at DGILaw.com – Farrell LLP
  • Ana Celina Reyes, Assistant Director of Practice Group Management, Mayer Brown LLP
  • Jessica Demuth, Vice President, Legal Solutions, Exigent Group Limited
    Latchi Delchev, Strategic Director, Immigration, Mitratech

Chair: Andrew Bowyer, Founder & CEO, ADB Insights

The New Deal: How is the corporate M&A landscape evolving? 2023

  • Free to attend
  • Under consideration by the Law Societies of BC & ON

Part 1 – The Deal Landscape (12:00-12:50pm ET)

Over the past year, M&A market activity retreated from the highs of 2021. While economic and geopolitical uncertainties have caused some challenges, these same forces are also generating opportunities.

During this section, our speakers will discuss:

Key drivers + trends when it comes to corporate M&A both in North America and globally?

Which sectors are driving deal flow and which ones are ones to watch?

What to expect in 2024 for M&A?

Part 2 – Optimizing your M&A practice to deliver results (12:50-1:40pm ET)

In a complex operating environment, M&A practitioners must look at ways to innovate in their practices to remain competitive.

During this section, our speakers will discuss:

How to develop, define and implement a strategy to optimize your M&A practice to be more efficient and client centric

The role of advanced approaches to people, process and technology to drive innovation in your M&A practice

Case studies of innovation at work in M&A practices

This program contains 50 minutes of Professionalism Content from the Law Society of Ontario.

This webinar is under consideration for CLE credits from the NYS CLE Board.;

Speakers:

  • Nadezhda Nikonova, Senior Corporate Counsel, Oracle
    Christopher McVety, VP Legal, Enova
  • Ashley White, Partner, Bennett Jones
  • Joe Green, Chief Innovation Officer, Gunderson Dettmer
    Sondra Rebenchuk, Senior Innovation Counsel, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
  • Jack Shepherd, Principal Business Consultant, iManage

Chair: Andrew Bowyer, Founder + CEO, ADB Insights