Paul Scargall to speak to University of Windsor law students on ‘Advocacy before Administrative Tribunals’ October 22

Paul Scargall will address the topic of ‘Advocacy before Administrative Tribunals 2018’ as a guest lecturer at the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Law on October 22.

Ontario has over 230 administrative tribunals, established under federal or provincial legislation to carry out a number of functions, with decision-making assigned to members who have specific expertise in the matters that will be under review. Comparable to a court trial, the adjudicators can conduct hearings, consider the evidence, summon witnesses, and apply the appropriate evaluation tools to resolve the issue. However, tribunals offer a faster and less formal way to settle disputes, demanding a specialized approach for advocates.

While there is a diverse range of tribunals and their accompanying policies, there are some common techniques across the spectrum of tribunal advocacy. Learning how to recognize the protocols of a particular tribunal, together with awareness of the distinctions between courtroom and tribunal advocacy practice, will enable law students to act effectively for their clients.