PRE-CONFERENCE SOCIAL DINNER - Tuesday, November 19, 2024

5:30pm-8:30pm - Social Dinner for National GC Network Regular members and Pre-Conference Social Dinner sponsor only (Arbequina Restaurant, 325 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto)

CONFERENCE DAY - Wednesday, November 20, 2024

9:00am-9:30am - Registration, Breakfast, Networking

9:30am-9:45am - Land Acknowledgement and Welcome Remarks

Conference Co-Chairs:

Leola Pon, Associate Director of Education, Organizational Transformation, Accountability, and Legal, Toronto District School Board

Jeanette Lee, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Arterra Wines Canada

9:45am-10:30am - Transforming Leadership Moments Through Micro Acts of Courage

Ontario: This program contains 15 minutes of Professionalism Content and 30 minutes of EDI Professionalism Content

In the face of growing intolerance and conflict, leaders must retool themselves. In this session, you will learn to increase your confidence to challenge persistent inequities and make meaningful contributions to more inclusive and equitable spaces.

Speaker:

Nouman Ashraf, Associate Professor, Rotman School of Management

10:30am -10:40am - Break

10:40am - 11:40am - Governance: Powered by Progress

Ontario: This program contains 35 minutes of EDI Professionalism Content and 25 minutes of Substantive Content

Explore the vital role of governance in fostering Truth and Reconciliation, and promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Discover the business imperatives of integrating EDI and Reconciliation, navigate diverse perspectives, governance models and challenges, and gain practical strategies for effective implementation. Learn how good governance can drive meaningful progress and innovation within organizations while balancing complex trade-offs and having long-term impacts on society and business.

Speakers:

Jessica George, M&A and Indigenous Law Partner, Gowling WLG

Sarah Kaplan, Distinguished Professor and Founding Director, Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE)

Poonam Puri, Professor & Chair in Corporate Governance, Osgoode Hall Law School, and Corporate Securities Lawyer and Affiliated Scholar, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

Moderator:

Christine Chen, General Counsel, University Pension Plan Ontario

11:40am -11:50am - Break

11:50am-12:40pm - Keynote Address

Ontario: This program contains 50 minutes of EDI Professionalism

As Tareq Hadhad shares his unique story of immigration and activism, you will hear about building a cause through entrepreneurship and community. He will delve into the challenges that come with rapid growth, in expanding to new markets and gaining national distribution while staying true to the peace-based cause that started it all.

Tareq Hadhad, Founder and CEO, Peace by Chocolate

12:40pm-1:30pm - Lunch

1:30pm - 2:30pm - Winning Body Language for Leaders

Ontario: This program contains 1 hour of Professionalism Content

Mark Bowden is a world-renowned expert in body language, human behaviour, and non-verbal communication. His energetic and motivational style captivates audiences, helping them learn tools to stand out, win trust and gain credibility every time they communicate. Legal executives are key leaders of their business, in addition to being lawyers. We will explore how we can use body language to improve our presence and clarity, be influential and persuasive in our communication, to achieve results and inspire our leadership.

Speaker:

Mark Bowden, Founder/President, TRUTHPLANE

2:30pm - 2:40pm - Break

2:40pm -3:40pm - Balancing the Scales: Mental Health and Well-being in the Legal Profession

Ontario: This program contains 30 minutes of Professionalism Content and 30 minutes of EDI Professionalism Content

We will dive into the important topic of mental health and wellness in the legal profession and the factors that both challenge and promote bringing your best to work and personal lives. Speakers include authors of the book “The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in The Legal Profession”, and a lawyer turned registered social worker and psychotherapist.

Speakers:

Carole Dagher, LSM, Executive Legal Counsel, Mental Health Advocate, and Author

Doron Gold,  Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist, The Lawyer Therapist

Imran Kamal, Counsel, Certified Specialist - Indigenous Legal Issues, Ministry of the Attorney General

Yadesha Satheaswaran, Assistant Crown Counsel, Ministry of the Attorney General

Moderator:

Rustam Juma, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Volkswagen Group Canada Inc.

3:40pm-3:50pm - Break

3:50pm-4:40pm - A Behind-the-Scenes Perspective on Corporate Fraud with Lawyer-Filmmaker Garrick Apollon

Ontario: This program contains 35 minutes of Professionalism Content and 15 minutes of EDI Professionalism Content

Discover how corporate culture and ethics shape fraud prevention with lawyer-filmmaker Garrick Apollon’s behind-the-scenes insights from his documentaries on major financial scandals.

Speaker:

Garrick Apollon, Lawyer-Filmmaker and Founder, CPE Studios

4:40pm-4:50pm - President’s Award Ceremony

The 2024 President’s Award is a peer-adjudicated award that recognizes a legal professional who is Black, Indigenous or a person of colour (BIPOC) for their remarkable impact or service to the advance of Truth & Reconciliation and equity, diversity and inclusion.

4:50pm-5:00pm - Closing Remarks

5:30pm-6:30pm - Cocktail Reception (Woods Restaurant, 45 Colborne St., Toronto)

6:30pm-9:00pm - Dinner (Woods Restaurant, 45 Colborne St., Toronto)