Program Chairs:
James Doris,
Tyr LLP
Rosemarie Juginovic,
Office of the Chief Justice of the Superior Court
Attend The Art of Examination-in-Chief and learn the techniques used by experienced counsel to control the narrative and tell a compelling story. Set yourself and your witnesses up for success at this brand-new skills program.
The plenary program will be held on November 29 and the
learning-by-doing skills workshop will be held on November 30. There are two registration options: (1) plenary + workshop or (2) plenary only. Please see below for more information.
Plenary Details | Tuesday, November 29, 2022, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm (ET)
Join us on November 29 for a practical session on examinations-in-chief featuring panel discussions and dynamic demonstrations that bring theory to life. Judges and leading litigators will take you step-by-step through their approaches to preparing for and conducting effective examinations-in-chief. Find out how to properly and thoroughly prepare yourself and your witnesses to deliver credible evidence at trial and receive effective strategies for organizing your examinations and questions in a natural and coherent sequence.
Topics will include:
- Whether or not to call witnesses (balancing the risk and exposure to cross-examination against the limited evidence you’ll get)
- The persuasive use of documents and exhibits
- Organizing yourself and your witness before and during a hearing or trial
- How to get the best quality evidence across when multiple witnesses are available
- The effectiveness of different strategies in virtual and hybrid contexts
Workshop Details | Wednesday, November 30, 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm (ET)
Participants of the plenary session are also eligible to join us for our learning-by-doing skills workshop on November 30, with in-person and online options available. The workshop is your chance to get on your feet and practise your examination-in-chief skills in a supportive learning environment. You will get practical, individualized feedback from our trained instructors on your technique and form, and will be given the opportunity to work with exhibits. You will also learn from your peers as you work through the interactive exercises in small groups.
Please note that the workshop requires advance preparation based on a mock case file, which will be provided to you in advance of the workshop. Please ensure that you set aside enough time to prepare for the workshop, which may take up to a half-day to prepare for, depending on your level of experience.
Registration includes electronic materials, which will be provided prior to the program. Registration also includes access to the live plenary webcast recording for 30 days from the date the link is sent to you.
COVID-19 Protocols:
Further to the recommendations of
Ontario's Chief Medical Officer on November 14, 2022, masking indoors is strongly recommended for attendees of this in-person event.
All health and safety protocols remain subject to change as public health measures in the Province of Ontario continue to evolve.
*Due to ongoing concerns with COVID-19, this program may be delivered entirely online. We will keep you informed as public health regulations continue to evolve.
Registration includes electronic materials, which will be provided prior to the program.
Please review the system requirements to view a Zoom event here.