Federal Court Annual Education Seminar Fall 2018

Overview

This seminar focused on the impact of significant intellectual property developments, provided updates on Immigration and Administrative Law, and included a session addressing judicial productivity.

Objectives

The objectives of the seminar were for participants to learn about the impact of recent significant changes in patented medicines regulations, to review case law developments in Immigration and Administrative Law, and to explore strategies for optimal judicial productivity.

Summary

The program content was presented through a mix of presentations and interactive question and answer sessions, with faculty consisting of senior judges of the Court, experienced counsel, government representatives, and multi-disciplinary academics. Led by a retired appellate judge who returned to teaching law, the session on Administrative Law explored decisions in the Supreme Court of Canada and their implications for the Court’s jurisdiction. Immigration Law presenters provided a comprehensive analysis of emerging policy trends in the refugee process, litigation issues arising in the process, and Citizenship Act changes. In a session led by experts in the field of trauma and refugees, participants gained a practical understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and stress-related disorders recognized by the World Health Organization for refugee claimants. A psychologist presented on optimizing productivity and staying on top of reserve decisions.

A keynote address by a retired Supreme Court of Canada judge talked about “life after the bench”.