The Ontario Trial Lawyers Association hosts its 2026 Conference & Annual Meeting, The Power of Advocacy: 35 Years and Beyond, on May 7–8 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Marking the organization’s 35th anniversary, OTLA also plans a celebration on Thursday evening where attendees will gather to recognize the association’s longstanding advocacy and professional community. Our team looks forward to connecting with OTLA members throughout both the conference and anniversary celebration. Ben Elkin, Craig Wilkinson, and Jahvanna Ryan will be at booth #505 on Thursday, while Andrea Wadsworth will join Jahvanna at the booth on Friday.
Bringing together plaintiff lawyers, law clerks, paralegals, students, and industry partners from across Ontario, the conference focuses on current issues and developments in personal injury litigation. Chaired by Maria Damiano of Harte Law and Steve Rastin of Rastin Gluckstein,the conference program features plenary sessions, fireside chats, and dedicated tracks in motor vehicle collisions, sexual abuse, long-term disability, medical malpractice, and law clerk practice. Attendees will explore the role of artificial intelligence in legal practice, civil procedure reform, trauma-informed communication, and evidentiary strategy. Following the session on expert cross-examination, attendees interested in hearing an expert’s perspective are invited to stop by our booth to speak with Ben and Craig, who have both provided expert testimony and undergone cross-examination in collision reconstruction and biomechanics matters. The 2026 OTLA Conference program is available on the OTLA conference webpage.
The Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) is a non-profit association of more than 1,375 legal professionals across Ontario representing people injured in motor vehicle collisions, medical malpractice matters, long-term disability claims, sexual assault cases, slip and falls, product liability matters, and other personal injury claims. The association advocates for access to justice, promotes public safety, and works to ensure that legislative and insurance changes do not erode the quality of care and benefits available to injured individuals.