CLE Online

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)

Erica Olmstead — Edelmann & Co. Law Offices, Vancouver

Jurisprudence Update: Administrative and Immigration Law (9:10 – 11:10)

• review of key Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada immigration, refugee and citizenship decisions in 2021
• discussion of recent developments in other areas of the law that may impact immigration, refugee, and citizenship law practice
• trends, highlights, and lowlights in recent jurisprudence, and what is expected in 2022

Meera Bennett — Legal Counsel, Ministry of Attorney General, Legal Services Branch, Vancouver
Darren McLeod — Legal Counsel, IRB, Vancouver
Steven Meurrens — Larlee Rosenberg, Vancouver
Banafsheh Sokhansanj — Department of Justice Canada, Vancouver

BREAK (11:10 – 11:25)

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (11:25 – 12:40)

• updates from the IRB

Jody Brennan — Assistant Deputy Chairperson, Refugee Appeal Division, Western Region, IRB, Vancouver
Karin Michnick — Assistant Deputy Chairperson, Refugee Protection Division, Western Region, IRB, Vancouver
Alice Tang — Assistant Deputy Chairperson, Immigration Division, Western Region, IRB, Vancouver
Linda Taylor — Assistant Deputy Chairperson, Immigration Appeal Division, Western Region, IRB, Vancouver

LUNCH BREAK (12:40 – 1:20)

Federal Court Update (1:20 – 2:05)

• informal requests
• anonymity requests
• Federal Court settlement pilot project on immigration files

Julie Gordon — Senior Registry Officer, Special Projects (Regional Training), Federal Court Registry, Vancouver

BREAK (2:05 – 2:20)

Representative Group Proceedings in the Immigraton Judicial Review Process (2:20 – 3:25)

• identifying cases for group litigation: remedies available, what works, what doesn't, and whether that matters
• managing clients: communications, expectations, instructions
• structuring group litigation: class proceedings, case management, lead cases
• cases of note
• lessons learned and practice ethics

Erin C. Roth — Edelmann & Co. Law Offices, Vancouver
David Tyndale — Department of Justice Canada, Ontario Regional Office, Toronto

Closing Remarks (3:25 – 3:30)

Erica Olmstead — Edelmann & Co. Law Offices, Vancouver