The New Tort of Intimate Partner Violence: Practical Strategies After Ahluwalia 2026


Course Date: September 16, 2026

Full Course Materials
Total: 1h 26min
Course Agenda ▼
Course Introduction and Land Acknowledgement (12:00 – 12:05)
 
Raymond Lee — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Sandra L. Kovacs — KazLaw Injury Lawyers, Vancouver
Janelle O'Connor — Murphy Battista LLP, Vancouver
 
The New Tort of Intimate Partner Violence (12:05 – 12:45)
 
  • the key elements of the new tort of Intimate Partner Violence
  • how coercive control shapes liability and evidentiary requirements
  • when to pursue IPV claims alongside assault, battery, or other torts
  • how courts may approach damages, causation, and compensation
  • the interaction between tort claims and family law remedies
  • emerging litigation strategies and unresolved issues following Ahluwalia
Sandra L. Kovacs — KazLaw Injury Lawyers, Vancouver
Janelle O'Connor — Murphy Battista LLP, Vancouver
 
Mitchell v. Mitchell—Decision and Implications (12:45 – 1:15)
  • case study: Mitchell v. Mitchell
  • evidentiary themes and record-building with IPV
  • where the tort is headed
  • practical take-aways

David Tobin — Frenkel Tobin LLP, Toronto

Panel Q & A (1:15 – 1:25)
 
Sandra L. Kovacs — KazLaw Injury Lawyers, Vancouver
Janelle O'Connor — Murphy Battista LLP, Vancouver
David Tobin — Frenkel Tobin LLP, Toronto
 
 Closing Remarks (1:25 – 1:30)
 
Sandra L. Kovacs — KazLaw Injury Lawyers, Vancouver
Janelle O'Connor — Murphy Battista LLP, Vancouver