Program Chairs:
Marc-Antoine Côté,
Woods LLP (Montreal)
Joshua Lerner,
Lerners LLP (Toronto)
Sara Romeih,
Aird & Berlis LLP (Toronto)
Jenna Vivian,
Bennett Jones LLP (Edmonton)
For 20 years, Fall Forum has been the program that junior litigators and their firms look to as a turning point. It has been the place where they found their footing, built their network, and discovered what kind of advocate they wanted to become. In 2026, we mark that milestone by asking the question that has always been at the heart of this program: what does it take to become an exceptional advocate? The answer has never mattered more.
AI can research. AI can draft. AI can organize. What it cannot do is walk into a courtroom and command the room. It cannot build the relationship that wins a client’s trust, read the judge’s mood mid-argument, or navigate a difficult opposing counsel with grace and confidence.
That’s the work of a human advocate and it is a skill set that must be deliberately built.
Fall Forum 2026: The Human Advocate is TAS’s biennial conference for junior litigators, designed to help them develop the practical skills, professional judgment, and community connections that define exceptional counsel. In an era when AI is reshaping the litigation workflow, the question is no longer whether to use it, it’s how to remain indispensably human while you do.
This year’s program tackles that challenge across two distinct themes:
Day 1: AI and the Litigation Practice. How do you integrate AI into your workflow intelligently and responsibly, from client intake to trial preparation, without compromising judgment, quality, or client trust? And what does it take to become a "lead lawyer" in 2026?
Day 2: The Human Side of Advocacy. How do you build the people-centred skills that define exceptional counsel — community, resilience, credibility, situational awareness, and the ability to navigate challenging moments with professionalism and confidence?
For Firms
Fall Forum is one of the highest-return investments you can make in your junior talent. Two days at Blue Mountain, with structured learning, small-group discussions, peer networking, and mentorship, accelerates the development of the skills your associates need to become strong lead counsel. Past participants consistently describe Fall Forum as a formative experience in their early years of practice.
You Will Learn:
- How to integrate AI into your litigation workflow, from client intake to trial preparation, without compromising judgment, quality or client trust
- What tasks can and should be delegated to AI tools, and what should not
- The core competencies of a “lead lawyer” in an AI-assisted practice
- How to cultivate resilience, credibility and professional judgment under pressure
- Strategies for building a sustainable practice through mentorship and community
- How to read the room and adapt your advocacy style in real time
- How to navigate difficult moments in litigation with opposing counsel, judges, clients, and witnesses, with professionalism and confidence
Fall Forum is not just a CPD program. It's about community. In between the CPD sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to relax and connect at the Friday night gala dinner, and celebrate the recipient of the
Patrick D. Schmidt Future of Family Law Award.
Your Fall Forum registration includes:
- CPD program registration and materials
- Friday lunch
- Friday gala dinner (with hosted Cocktail reception and After Party)
- Saturday breakfast
Hotel accommodations are not included in the registration package. See Accommodations tab for more information on our hotel block.
Limited sponsorship opportunities are available for Fall Forum. If you are interested in supporting this signature conference for young advocates, please contact Miriam Reiken at
[email protected].