Friends Who Argue
Welcome to Friends Who Argue, a podcast for the litigation bar brought to you by The Advocates’ Society and hosted by our Young Advocates' and 10+ Standing Committees. Friends Who Argue features intimate conversations with advocates from across Canada, who will share stories from their journeys as advocates. As litigators, we live in an adversarial world but we all have one thing in common - we are officers of the court who are passionate about the profession of law and advocating for our clients. We hope you find these conversations informative, inspiring and most of all, entertaining. By Advocates. For Advocates. Land Acknowledgement: The Advocates’ Society acknowledges that our offices, located in Toronto, are on the customary and traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinabek, the Huron-Wendat and now home to many First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples. We acknowledge current treaty holders, the Mississaugas of the Credit and honour their long history of welcoming many nations to this territory. While The Advocates’ Society is based in Toronto, we are a national organization with Directors and members located across Canada in the treaty and traditional territories of many Indigenous Peoples. We encourage our members to reflect upon their relationships with the Indigenous Peoples in these territories, and the history of the land on which they live and work. We acknowledge the devastating impacts of colonization, including the history of residential schools, for many Indigenous peoples, families, and communities and commit to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in an informed legal profession in Canada and within The Advocates’ Society.
Episodes
36 episodes
Interview with Adrienne S. Smith - 2024 recipient of The Joe Arvay Award
In this episode, Samantha Chang of Dentons Vancouver interviews Adrienne Smith, a transgender human rights activist and social justice lawyer, and winner of the 2024 Joe Arvay Award. The award recognizes an advocate in British Columbia for adva...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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33:01
The Right to Disconnect - Part 3 with Dr. Lwam Ghebrehariat
This is the third and final segment of the Right to Disconnect limited series podcast. In this segment, Young Advocates Standing Committee Member James Hardy moderates a discussion with Dr. Ghebrehariat, who practises as a psychiatrist and lawy...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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22:26
The Right to Disconnect - Part 2 with Erin Durant
This is the second of three segments in a limited series on the Right to Disconnect. In this segment, Young Advocates' Standing Committee Member James Hardy moderates a discussion with Ms. Erin Durant, who founded Durant Barristers in Ottawa af...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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33:06
The Right to Disconnect - Part 1 with The Honourable George R. Strathy
This is the first of three podcast segments in a limited series on ongoing practice and procedural issues affecting young lawyers inspired by the Right to Disconnect policy incorporated into the Employment Standards Act, 2000 on December 2, 202...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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39:27
Inquiries and Inquests from Coast to Coast - Part 2
In this second episode of a 2-part podcast on inquisitorial proceedings, our expert TAS panel from across the country explains how they bring their own experience and perspective to their work on public inquiries and coroner’s inquests. In this...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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29:27
Inquiries and Inquests from Coast to Coast - Part 1
Public inquiries and coroner’s inquests are many things, but they are not trials. In this first episode of a 2-part podcast, TAS members from across the country share their perspectives on inquests and inquiries, how they function, what they ac...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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37:40
Crypto assets: Dealing with emerging currencies in the litigation context
The Mid-Career Advocates’ Standing Commi...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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37:24
Interview with Frank Walwyn
In this episode, Michael Ding sits down for a conversation with Frank Walwyn, recipient of the 2022 Eric Hoaken Excellence in Mentoring Award. The pair discuss Frank’s career, what inspired him to become a litigation lawyer and Frank’s approach...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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34:02
Managing Partners Roundtable
In this episode, Kim Potter speaks with Yola Ventresca and Emily Lawrence about their experiences as managing partners of their respective law firms. They discuss how Yola and Emily came to be appointed to those leadership roles, what the...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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42:11
Interview with 2022 Catzman Award Recipient Neha Chugh
In this episode, Webnesh Haile speaks with Neha Chugh, the 2022 recipient of The Advocates’ Society’s Catzman Award for Professionalism and Civility. Neha and Web discuss non-linear career paths, the line between zealous representation and inci...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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25:37
The open court principle and Sherman Estate v. Donovan
In this episode, Kristen Duerhammer speaks with Ewa Krajewska and Andrea Gonsalves about the implications of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Sherman Estate v. Donovan, 2021 SCC 25. They discuss the constitutional foundations ...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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38:22
Celebrating Black History Month: A Chat with Kayla Smith of Cassels on Access to the Profession, Tackling the “Pipeline Issue”, Representation, and Effective Allyship
In this episode, Chris Horkins sits down with his colleague Kayla Smith, a TAS member committed to making a difference for aspiring young Black lawyers in Canada. They discuss Kayla’s involvement in various initiatives and tackling the “p...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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39:34
The New Normal – Young advocates views on work arrangements “post-pandemic”
From fall 2021 to early 2022, three members of the Young Advocates Standing Committee’s Future of the Profession working group, Brendan McArthur-Stevens, Sara McGregor, and Zac Thiffault, conducted a survey of young advocates asking what they h...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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34:48
“Van Breda, 10 years on”: A Chat about the Conflict of Laws with the Honourable Louis LeBel and Paul-Erik Veel
This episode features a conversation about private international law hosted by Gabriel Poliquin (Olthuis van Ert) with retired Supreme Court of Canada Justice Louis LeBel and Paul-Erik Veel (Lenczner Slaght). Marking the 10th anniversary of the...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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57:49
Observations on Advocacy from The Hon. John I. Laskin
In this episode, The Hon. John I. Laskin, a former justice at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, sits down with Natalia Rodriguez, Partner at Conway Baxter Wilson LLP, to share his observations on oral and written advocacy. The wide-ranging...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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43:52
Introduction to Indigenous Law and Legal Orders – Part 2: The Way Forward
In Part 2 of this two-part series, our panel continues their discussion on Indigenous laws and legal traditions, with a focus on the way forward. They discuss some of the work that is already taking place in Indigenous communities to revitalize...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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59:49
Introduction to Indigenous Law and Legal Orders – Part 1: Introducing Indigenous Legal Orders and Indigenous – Western Legal System Interactions
In Part 1 of this two-part series, Aria Laskin speaks with Prof. Aimée Craft, Prof. Alan Hanna and Christina Gray about Indigenous laws and legal orders, and the interactions of those systems with Western legal traditions. The panelists introdu...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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33:18
Interview with Award of Justice Recipient David Nahwegahbow
In this episode, Kathleen Lickers, IPC, LSM interviews David Nahwegahbow, IPC, LSM, the 2021 recipient of The Advocates' Society's Award of Justice. In their fascinating and highly informative conversation, Kathleen and David discuss liti...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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37:02
Excellence in Advocacy – An Interview with Sarit Batner
Excellence in Advocacy – An Interview with Sarit BatnerSarit Batner (McCarthy Tetrault LLP) is the 2020 recipient of the Douglas K. Laidlaw Medal for Excellence in Advocacy. In this episode of Friends Who Argue, Chloe Snider (Dent...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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36:10
Behind the Scenes Look at TAS’s Modern Advocacy Task Force - Part 2
On this episode of Friends Who Argue, we’re sharing Part 2 of our behind-the-scenes look at the work of The Advocates’ Society’s Modern Advocacy Task Force and its final report, the Right to be Heard: The Future of Advocacy in Canada. ...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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50:51
Behind the Scenes Look at TAS’s Modern Advocacy Task Force - Part 1
On this episode of Friend Who Argue, we’re sharing Part 1 of our behind-the-scenes look at the work of The Advocates’ Society’s (TAS) Modern Advocacy Task Force (MATF) and its final report, the Right to be Heard: The Future of Advocacy in C...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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39:43
Transitioning Between Public and Private Practice: A Conversation
Andrea Bolieiro (Constitutional Law Branch, MAG Ontario) sits down with Daniel Baum of Langlois in Montréal and Ravi Amarnath of the Constitutional Law Branch, MAG Ontario, who have each worked in both public practice and private practice. ...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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36:42
Connecting to Achieve Change
In this episode of Friends Who Argue, moderator Dominique Hussey reunites panelists Atrisha Lewis, Breanna Needham and Erin Durant who originally spoke at The Advocates’ Society 2019 Fall Convention panel on “Connecting to Achieve Change”. ...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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48:15
Pro Bono Sports Arbitration: Canadian Boxer seeks KO in sex discrimination case
In this episode of Friends Who Argue, Gowling WLG partner Erin Farrell interviews Sylvie Rodrigue and Sarah Whitmore of Torys LLP. Sylvie and Sarah recently represented decorated Canadian boxer, Mandy Bujold, in her fight to attend the Tokyo Ol...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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41:31