Family Law Summit Talk on March 28, 2022

Category: Speaking and Teaching
Posted on by Alex Procope

Alex Procope spoke at the Law Society of Ontario’s 16th Family Law Summit on March 28, 2022. Alex joined a panel with Phil Brown, Senior Counsel at the Law Society’s Practice Supports and Resources and Harjot Dosanjh from the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee. The panel discussed client Capacity in Family Law.

Alex’s talk and material Capacity Toolkit for Family Law Proceedings focused on a lawyer representing a client with potential or unresolved capacity issues. This can be a very challenging time not directly addressed in the rules of court. He reviewed ways to accommodate disability and assess capacity for ourselves as lawyers. He touched on the use and misuse of medical reports. He also reviewed some additional resources for lawyers struggling with a client that they think might be incapable respecting an issue in the proceeding or incapable of instructing them.

The program description is below

​The evolving attitudes toward the practice of family law have led to significant changes in how breakdowns of relationships are handled and the role of family lawyers in the process. Legislation has been amended and there is an increased recognition of alternative methods of dispute resolution. As well, the advent of new technology and the challenges of the pandemic that created abrupt changes to court processes have led to a transformation and modernization of family law practice. What does this mean for you and how you manage your practice and interact with your clients? Our presenters consider the effects these factors have had on parenting and decision-making, child and spousal support, property division, procedures, and practice management. Hear from experienced lawyers, judges, and experts on the latest case law, trends, and hot topics and get practical takeaways that you can implement into your practice.
    • Hear about the future of family law from our judicial panel
    • Get an update on spousal support and answers to your SSAG questions
    • Learn about torts in family law and bringing a claim for damages
    • Understand negotiation theory and how to successfully advance your client’s position
    • ​Be aware of trauma-informed lawyering and how you can integrate it into your practice