The Criminal Lawyers’ Association (CLA) is one of the largest specialty legal organizations in Canada, with more than 1,200 members. We are a voice for criminal justice and civil liberties in Canada. Our advice and perspective is sought by all levels of government and the judiciary on issues relating to legislation and the administration of criminal justice. We also assist our members in every aspect of the practice of criminal litigation. The Association is governed by an executive and board of directors elected by the membership. Our current President is Anthony Moustacalis.
CLA develops and hosts continuing education programs for criminal law practitioners and offers the most comprehensive annual criminal defence law conference in Canada. The three day convention and education program each fall includes leading counsel and lecturers from Canada and elsewhere. The highlight of each convention is the presentation of the G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Medal for an outstanding contribution to criminal justice. G. Arthur Martin was Canada’s greatest criminal advocate before he became a leading jurist with the Ontario Court of Appeal.
The CLA Newsletter, For The Defence, is Canada’s foremost newsletter on Criminal Law. It is published five times per year and contains material to keep readers informed and up-to-date with legal developments. The Newsletter is highly regarded by lawyers, judges and academics throughout Canada and in legal media. We encourage contributions from all sources for this publication.
The CLA has long been active in the debate about the importance of a strong, independent and well funded legal aid program. We know from experience that this is the key to equal access to justice for everyone charged with a criminal offence. We will continue to be at the front of this issue in the hope that access to justice will become a reality for those without the income or assets to fund their defence.
Our Legislation Committee is regularly asked to make submissions on behalf of our members to Legislative Committees at both the Commons and Senate level as well as Provincial Legislatures on all proposed Bills affecting criminal justice. Our Young Lawyers Committee presents free Education Programs for the benefit of our younger members. The Association is often called upon to seek intervenor status in cases before the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.
The Criminal Lawyers’ Association is an affiliate of the U.S. National Association of Criminal Defence Lawyers and works closely with The Canadian Counsel of Criminal Defence Lawyers (CCCDL), The County and District Law President’s Association (CDLPA) and other key stakeholders.
Applications received between January 1 and September 15, 2014 will provide individuals with a membership from the date the application is processed to March 31, 2015.Memberships are non-refundable or transferable. Membership applications are not processed during the month of December.
Please allow up to 15 business days for applications to be reviewed and processed.
Benefits of membership:
Membership benefits for both Active and Student members:
Active Membership: If you are a practising criminal defence lawyer in Ontario in good standing with the Law Society of Upper Canada and a significant portion of your practice is devoted to the defence of criminal charges or you are a lawyer who devotes a significant portion of your efforts to the interests of the defence bar, then you are eligible for Active membership in the Criminal Lawyers’ Association. Download application.
Student Membership: If you are a student-at-law, articling student or a student in an accredited law school you may apply for a Student membership. Download application.
Observer Membership: For practising criminal lawyers OUTSIDE of Ontario. Download application.
Benefits that WILL be provided to Observer Members:
Benefits that WILL NOT be available:
CLA members can find out more, and register online, by going to http://www.karelo.com/register.php?BID=372&BT=10&Ev=13973
Saturday, March 29, 2014, Donald Lamont Learning Centre, Osgoode Hall, Toronto ON
Junior criminal defence counsel invariably begin their careers litigating trials in the Ontario Court of Justice. Those trials can be simple and yet they provide a gateway to understanding and litigating complex issues. Those trials also become the main way in which junior counsel sharpen and develop their skills as advocates, including recognizing and working through ethical issues that come up in the course of trial. Judges and senior members of our bar will speak on how to litigate the most common offences that young lawyers take in the early years of their career. Discussion will include recognizing ethical dilemmas that arise and the Rules of Professional Conduct to be considered. This conference will better equip junior counsel with the tools and understanding they need to litigate the cases they will most often see in their early years. Access the complete schedule and speaker list by clicking here.
Registration Fees and Options:
In-person and LIVE webcast options available. Registrants will be asked to select option when registering.
CLA Members:
Non-Members:
REGISTER BY GOING TO http://www.karelo.com/register.php?BID=372&BT=10&Ev=14041
This program has been accredited for 0 hr 30 min Professionalism Content. This program is also eligible for up to 4 hr 0 min Substantive Content.
Saturday, May 24, 2014, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Donald Lamont Learning Centre (LSUC), 130 Queen Street West, Toronto
In-person and Live webinar options will be available for members and non-members.
More details to be announced in February.
November 28 – 29, 2014
October 30 – 31, 2015
| Date of Fall Conference | Title of Conference | Accreditation |
| November 1-2, 2013 | Doing What We Do Best. Trials, Not Pre-Trials | This program has been accredited by the Law Society for 2.5 professionalism hours. This program is also eligible for a further 7.5 substantive hours. |
| November 16-17, 2012 | The Secret of a Criminal Lawyer’s Success: Trial Prep | This CLA program was accredited for 4.0 Professionalism Hours. This program is also eligible for up to 5.75 Substantive Hours. |
| December 9-10, 2011 | And Justice for All – Presenting and Oscar Winning Defence | Accredited by the Law Society for 3 Professionalism Hour(s); Accredited by the Law Society for 9 New Member CPD Hour(s) |
| November 5-6, 2010 | New Laws Require New Defences. Advocating in an era of the war on crime | This program has been accredited based on the learning criteria established for the specialty area of Criminal and qualifies for 10 CLE credits at the Intermediate level. |
| November 26-28, 2009 | The Top Ten List | This program has been accredited by the Law Society of Upper Canada for 8 hours towards the professional development requirement for certification. Specialty Area: Criminal Law. Program level: intermediate |
| November 27-29, 2008 | The Science of Crime | This program has been accredited by the Law Society of Upper Canada for eight (8) hours – Criminal Law Specialty. |
| October 25-27, 2007 | 25 Years of the Charter | This program has been accredited by the Criminal Law Specialty Committee of the Law Society of Upper Canada for 10.5 hours towards the professional development required for certification. |
| November 3-4, 2006 | The Expanding Boundaries of Criminal Law | This program has been accredited by the Criminal Law Specialty Committee of the Law Society of Upper Canada for 10.5 hours towards the professional development required for certification. |
| October 22-25, 2005 | The Compleat Criminal Lawyer: Tips & Techniques for the total advocate | This program has been accredited by the Criminal Law Specialty Committee of the Law Society of Upper Canada for 10.5 hours towards the professional development required for certification. |
| October 28-30, 2004 | Evidence and Advocacy: The Lifeblood of Criminal Defence | This program has been accredited by the Criminal Law Specialty Committee of the Law Society of Upper Canada for 11.5 hours (immediate level) towards the professional development requirement for certification. |
| November 7-8, 2003 | Criminal Law in a Changing World | 11.5 CLE |
| October 25-26, 2002 | 20 Years of the Charter: “Making it work for you” | 10.5 CLE |
| October 26 – 27, 2001 | Myths & Magic: Evidence, Experts & Legislation | 10.5 CLE |
| November 10 – 11, 2000 | Defence of the Defence Bar: Ethical and Evidenciary Issues in a Changing Justice System | 11.5 CLE |
| November 12 – 13, 1999 | The Case for the Defence | 10.5 CLE |
| Date of Spring Conference | Title of Conference | Accreditation |
| Saturday, May 25, 2013 | Hit it Out of the Park | This program has been accredited by the Law Society for one (1) Professionalism Hour. This program is also eligible for up to 3.0 Substantive Hours. |
| Saturday, June 2, 2012 | The Not Guilty Plea “Is my defence a defence” | This program was accredited by the Law Society for .75 Professionalism Hour(s). This program offers 3.75 Substantive hours. |
| May 7, 2011 | Domestic Violence “all in the family” | The CLA spring program has 2.75 hours of programming that can be used toward the 9 hour annual requirement for CPD (continuing professional development). The spring program is not accredited for the 3 hours of required CPD for professionalism content. |
| May 15, 2010 | Show me the Disclosure | 4 hours; Criminal Law Specialty; Intermediate Program Level |
| May 30, 2009 | Driving Miss Daisy | The program has been accredited by the Law Society of Upper Canada for 3.5 hours towards the professional development requirement for certification. |
| May 10, 2008 | What? Found Guilty. Now what? | The 2008 CLA Spring Conference has been granted accreditation of 3.5 hours CLA |
| May 12, 2007 | Pre-Trial Applications – Should O “Stay” or Should I Go? | 3.5 hours; Criminal Law Specialty; Essential, Intermediate, Advanced Program Level |
| May 6, 2006 | Spring Fever – Hot Topics in Criminal Law | The 2006 CLA Spring Program has been accredited by the Criminal Law Specialty Committee of the Law Society of Upper Canada for 3.5 hours towards the professional development requirement for certification. |
| May 7, 2005 | Good Things Come in 3′s | 4 hours; Criminal Law Specialty; Intermediate Program Level |
| May 15, 2004 | Spring Cleaning. Are the Courts Tidying up the Charter? | 3 hours; Criminal Law Specialty |
| May 10, 2003 | Bread and Butter Defences | 4 CLE |
| May 4, 2002 | Collateral Damage | 4 CLE |
| April 21, 2001 | Sentencing: You Cant Always Get What You Want | |
| May 13, 2000 | The Science of Crime | 4 CLE |
| Date of Program | Title of Program | Accreditation |
| February 26, 2014 | CLA Recent Call Committee Presents: Building and Managing a Great Practice | This program has been accredited for 2 hr 0 min Professionalism Content. |
| June 18, 2013 | CLA Recent Call Committee Presents: Criminal Lawyer as Negotiator | This program has been accredited by the Law Society for 2.0 Professionalism Hours |
| April 25, 2013 | Criminal Court Update – Ethics, Police Reviews, HIV & Mental Health | This has been accredited for 1.0 Professionalism Hour(s). This program is also eligible for up to 2.25 Substantive Hours |
| February 12, 2013 | Criminal Law War Stories: Ethical Practices and Practical Ethics | This program has been accredited for 3.75 professionalism hours. |
| November 17-18, 2012 | How to Challenge a Search Warrant | This program has been accredited for 2.75 Professionalism Hours. This program is also eligible for up to 3.25 Substantive Hours |
| May 16, 2012 | Guilty Plea & Sentencing Seminar | This program has been accredited for 2.0 New Member CPD Hours and/or 0.5 Professionalism Hour for experienced members. |
| May 3, 2012 | Women in Criminal Law: Building a Criminal Law Practice that Will Stand the Test of Time | This program has been accredited for 3.0 Professionalism Hours. |
| April 11, 2012 | Financial Planning for Young Lawyers | This program has been accredited for 2.0 New Member CPD Hours and/or 0.75 Professionalism Hour for experienced members. |
| October 22, 2011 | CLA Young Lawyers Program Learning From the Legends of Cross-Examination |
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| October 20, 2011 | Cooper Garage Services Part 4: Women in Law & Top 11 Cases in 2011 | |
| September 22, 2011 | Cooper Garage Series Financial Crimes |
Viewers of the webcast are eligible for CPD accreditation. This program has been accredited by the Law Society for 1 Professionalism Hour This program has been accredited by the Law Society for 2.5 New Member CPD Hours |
| June 16, 2011 | Cooper Garage Series Mental Disorders and the Criminal Justice System |
Viewers of the webcast are eligible for CPD accreditation. This program has been accredited by the LSUC for 1 hours towards the annual professionalism hours. This program has been accredited by the LSUC for 2.5 hours towards the annual new member requirement.This program is now available to watch in the members only section of the CLA website. |
| May 26, 2011 | Cooper Garage Series The Greenspan Brothers: the Ethics and Practice of Criminal Law |
Viewers of the webcast are eligible for CPD accreditation. This program has been accredited by the LSUC for 3 hours towards the annual professionalism hours. This program has been accredited by the LSUC for 3 hours towards the annual new member requirement. This program is now available to watch in the members only section of the CLA website. |
The Canada Criminal Lawyers’ Associations programs are available on WestLegalEdcentre CARSWELL. Choose from numerous previously recorded video programs. Order online and view from anywhere you have internet access. Each program is available for $65.
Please visit westlegaledcentrecarswell.com for complete listings and program information. Search under the Browse Programs section, select Content Partners then click on CLA.
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