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Practical Guide to Litigating in the IRB: Examinations, Client Preparation and Oral Submissions 2023

  • When

Live webinar

  • Instructors

Adrienne Smith

  • Duration

5 hours

This course is no longer for sale but we have an updated version!

This course ran in February 2023 and the recording is no longer available. A current course covers the same ground.

Preparing Witnesses for Interviews, Examinations and Hearings 2026

Summary

Advocacy skills before the IRB have changed as a result of the onset of virtual hearings. The manner in which counsel prepare for and conduct hearings requires a melding of old and new skills. This course will provide an in-depth discussion of what advocacy skills are necessary for virtual hearings and how to ensure your client is prepared for testimony in a virtual setting. Administrative changes will be discussed, as well their practical implications on refugee and sponsorship hearings. The instructor will also provide some general tips on examinations and making submissions before both the RPD, RAD and IAD.

Course outline

  • Overview of Recent Practice Notices
  • BOC Preparation
  • Disclosure
  • Preparing your client for the hearing
  • Counsel preparation and hearing appearances
  • Oral Advocacy Skills
  • Oral Advocacy Skills: Addressing Common Issues
  • Written Advocacy Tips
    • Drafting appeal submissions before the RAD
    • Drafting written submissions before the RPD
    • Drafting written submissions before the IAD
  • Written Advocacy Tips: Addressing Common Issues
    • How to address conflicting country conditions in written submissions
    • How to address BOC inconsistencies in written submissions
    • How to address adverse facts in written submissions
    • How to address a Ministerial intervention in written submissions
  • Oral Advocacy: Practice Exercise & Debrief
  • Communicating with your client after the IRB decision
See Full Course Outline

CPD credits as accredited in 2023

For Lawyers and Paralegals

Law Society of Ontario

  • Substantive Hours: This program is eligible for up to 5 hours

Law Society of British Columbia

  • Approved for 5 CPD credits

Law Societies of Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia

  • For members of these Law Societies, consider including this course as a CPD learning activity in your mandatory annual requirements

For Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants

College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants

  • Approved for 5 CPD hours
  • Video recording valid until February 8, 2024

Further accreditation pending approval

Your Instructor

Adrienne Smith

B.A., M.A., J.D.

Barrister & Solicitor

Adrienne has a full-service legal practice with expertise in litigation and administrative appeals. Her legal experience is concentrated in matters before Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Federal Court and the Immigration and Refugee Board.

She regularly represents clients with all types of permanent and temporary applications to Canada, including medical and criminal inadmissibility issues, sponsorship applications and appeals, refugee claims and appeals, Federal Court applications, humanitarian and compassionate applications, study and visitor visas, and detention reviews.

Adrienne has been invited as an expert to speak on medical inadmissibility before Canada’s House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, which monitor’s federal immigration policies.

She is an Instructor with Ryerson’s Faculty of Law and the University of British Columbia’s Continuing Education Program. Adrienne has been invited to speak as a guest lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law and York University’s Centre for Refugee Studies.