The Canadian Institute's 12th Annual National Forum on
CLASS ACTIONS LITIGATION
Managing Litigation Risk, Crafting Settlements and Conducting Common Issues Trials in an Era of
Escalating Certification Rates
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Canada’s only truly nation-wide class action litigation event that directly responds to the needs of experienced plaintiffs’ and defence counsel, in-house counsel, Crown counsel, and Canadian and U.S. cross-border class action litigation participants
Dear Colleagues,
The Canadian Institute is proud to introduce this year’s significantly expanded and even more comprehensive format for the 12th ANNUAL NATIONAL FORUM ON CLASS ACTION LITIGATION. Learn from judges, leading mediators, in-house counsel and renowned class action litigation practitioners across Canada and the U.S. on strategies to navigate new domestic and cross-border developments, implement effective settlement tactics, and manage the common issues trial process.
Class actions litigation is maturing across Canada. Multijurisdictional issues are moving closer to resolution with this Fall’s expected draft proposal from the National Class Actions Taskforce, and work is being conducted to decipher litigation protocols in cross-border actions. Meanwhile, new areas of class actions litigation – such as privacy and franchising actions – are emerging, and U.S. legislative reforms and new case law are increasing the attractiveness of commencing a class action in Canada.
Certifications across Canada are also becoming commonplace: counsel on both sides of the bar are thinking more seriously about how their litigation strategies will be impacted, and reconsidering how their time and resources should be allocated. And, if an action proceeds to a common issues trial, what can counsel expect procedurally and in terms of file management? If an action settles, given that take-up rates in Canada are notoriously low as compared with the U.S. – particularly obvious in the context of cross-border actions – how can notice programs be streamlined to improve take-up rates?
This forum offers a unique opportunity for class action litigators to learn directly from their peers across the country and from the U.S., as well as from leading experts with direct experience of settling both complex and cross-border class actions and conducting common issues trials. In-house counsel will benefit from identifying key risk management and resource allocation considerations, while Canadian and U.S. cross-border class action practitioners will learn how best to coordinate litigation and protect their clients on both sides of the border.