Canadian lawyer conferences, events, and summits in 2026

Lawyer conferences are affairs that do not just bring together several legal professionals in one place but also provide inputs that are helpful in one's legal career. These events give you opportunities to gain valuable insights, earn Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits, and even network with some of the best industry leaders.

Below are several lawyer conferences and legal summits in 2026 you may want to attend.

Canadian Legal Summit (Canadian Lawyer Magazine)

• Date and venue: TBC

One of the major lawyer conferences to watch in 2026 is the Canadian Legal Summit. This annual event, presented by Canadian Lawyer Magazine and Lexpert, offers several flagship streams for legal professionals at every career stage.

Why attend the Canadian Legal Summit 2026

Attending the Canadian Legal Summit can help you stay ahead in a changing legal environment. The summit brings together founders, managing partners, and legal leaders to share practical ideas about the future of practice.

As a participant, you can gain access to:

• insights for your legal practice: in-depth analysis of emerging practice areas, legal technology, and new client trends
• guidance on practice management: honest discussions on law firm culture, compensation and pay models, and equitable work allocation structures
• improving personal professionalism: leadership insights into managing burnout, fostering inclusion, and talent retention strategies
• networking opportunities: build relationships that support growth across your practice and personal brand

Watch this video to see what happened during last year's Canadian Legal Summit, which was held at the Toronto Event Centre last October 2025:

Bookmark our Events page to see more upcoming lawyer conferences and summits you can attend this 2026.

Event details of the Canadian Legal Summit 2026

We will announce the final details, including the date and venue, for the Canadian Legal Summit 2026. You can also join the Canadian Legal Summit 2026 waitlist while final details are confirmed.

Canadian Legal Summit 2025 Event Highlights

To pique your interest in the upcoming 2026 event, here's an overview of the three streams during the Canadian Legal Summit 2025:

• Private Practice: the 2025 Summit delivered the tools and insights that lawyers in the private practice needed to thrive and grow their practice, whether working in solos, boutiques, or in big law firms
• In-House Legal Teams: for general counsels, legal executives, and in-house advisors, the 2025 Summit provided frameworks and peer insights to elevate one's practice through different topics like AI policies and leadership
• Legal Tech: the 2025 Summit's technology-focused stream explored innovations that transform the legal work, such as AI tools for tech-savvy legal professionals and decision-makers

Canadian Law Awards (Canadian Lawyer Magazine)

• Date: May 5, 2026
• Venue: Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto

The Canadian Law Awards is another annual event organized by Canadian Lawyer. This event recognizes lawyers, law firms, and in‑house teams across Canada for their impact on the profession.

Watch this video to see the highlights and some of the awardees of the 2025 Canadian Law Awards:

Head over to Lexpert's Award page and see the previous awardees of the Canadian Law Awards and the Lexpert Rising Stars.

Event timeline for the Canadian Law Awards 2026

• November 17, 2025 – January 30, 2026: nominations period for the different award categories to be awarded on the event night
• March 16, 2026: Excellence Awardees will be announced
• May 5, 2026: the Canadian Law Awards Night will be held at Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Why attend the Canadian Law Awards 2026

Here are key reasons to attend the Canadian Law Awards or nominate colleagues in the profession:

• recognition and celebration of achievements of colleagues in the legal field
• media exposure through features and interviews during the awards night
• networking opportunities, not just with new collaborators, but also possible clients
• enhance your employer brand and brand visibility across different platforms

Awards presented at the Canadian Law Awards

In this event, several awards will be given under four award categories:

• Deal and Case Awards:
  • Capital Markets Deal of the Year
  • Infrastructure & Projects Deal of the Year
  • Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year
  • M&A Deal of the Year
  • Mid-Market Deal of the Year
  • Commercial Litigation Team of the Year
• In-House Awards:
  • Lifetime Achievement in the Legal Profession – In-House
  • The Lawson Lundell Law Department Leader of the Year
  • The Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP Award for Construction, Infrastructure and Transportation Law Department of the Year
  • Banking & Financial Services Law Department of the Year
  • Canadian Law Department of the Year
  • Law Department Innovation
• Firm Awards:
  • Lifetime Achievement in the Legal Profession – Private Practice
  • Best Use of Technology in a Law Firm
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year
  • Law Firm of the Year (different categories for Boutique and Regional)
  • Litigator of the Year
  • Managing Partner of the Year
• Legal Profession Awards:
  • Diversity Initiative of the Year
  • Female Trailblazer of the Year (for Academia & In-House, and for Private Practice)
  • Pro Bono Initiative of the Year

Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40 Awards (Lexpert)

• Date: November 12, 2026
• Venue: Liberty Grand, Toronto

Lexpert's Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40 Awards is another key event on the legal calendar. In this annual awards night, lawyers 40 years old and under from different law firms, in-house departments, and other practices are recognized for their contributions to the legal profession.

Event timeline for Rising Stars Awards 2026

• May 11, 2026: members of the legal profession can start nominating qualified colleagues for the award
• November 12, 2026: the in-person gala will be held at Liberty Grand, Toronto to award the winners of the Lexpert Rising Stars Awards

See what happened during last year's Rising Star Awards, which was held on November 20, 2025, at the same venue:

Check out more awards and rankings in Canadian Lawyer's Special Reports page.

National conferences (Canadian Bar Association)

The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) hosts several lawyer conferences offering sessions on regulatory updates and emerging legal issues. These conferences attract legal professionals from across the country, and offer networking, CLE credits, and sessions on issues facing the profession.

Here are the upcoming lawyer conferences organized by the CBA this 2026:

• Legal Ethics Forum:
  • March 27, 2026
  • OBA Conference Centre, Toronto, ON
• Environmental Energy and Resources Law Summit:
  • April 27-28, 2026
  • Halifax Convention Centre, Halifax, NS
• Spring Competition Law Conference:
  • April 30, 2026
  • Hôtel William Gray, Montreal, QC
• Health Law Summit:
  • May 21-23, 2026
  • Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Quebec City, QC
• Immigration Law Conference:
  • May 28-30, 2026
  • Rogers Centre Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
• IP Day:
  • May 28, 2026
  • The Westin Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
• Federal Court Judges' Dinner:
  • May 28, 2026
  • Rogers Centre Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
• Tax Law for Lawyers Conference:
  • May 31-June 4, 2026
  • Pillar and Post Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON

CLE programs (Federation of Law Societies of Canada)

Here are two of the CLE programs offered by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada (FLSC):

• 2026 National Criminal Law Program (annual):
  • July 6-10, 2026
  • Delta Hotel Prince Edward, Charlottetown, PE
• 2026 National Family Law Program (biennial):
  • July 13-16, 2026
  • Delta Hotel Okanagan Grand Resort, Kelowna, BC

Lawyers who attend any of these programs may earn CPD (continuing professional development) credits required by their provincial and territorial law society.

Lawyer conferences by lawyer organizations

Here is a list of other lawyer conferences held across Canada this 2026 organized by different Canadian lawyer organizations:

• 2026 CILA Conference:
  • October 5, 2026
  • The Quay, Toronto, ON
  • organized by the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA)
• HRPA HR Law Conference:
  • May 5, 2026
  • The Carlu, Toronto, ON
  • organized by the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA)
• IBA 37th Annual Conference:
  • mid-October 2026
  • Winnipeg, MB
  • organized by the Indigenous Bar Association (IBA)
• 54th Annual CLA Fall Conference:
  • November 20-21, 2026
  • Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel, Toronto, ON
  • organized by the Criminal Lawyers' Association (CLA)

Lawyer conferences in Canada: Supporting a stronger legal profession

As new technologies emerge, client expectations shift, and regulatory frameworks evolve, the legal industry in Canada is also transforming. Because of this, lawyers are under increasing pressure to adapt and still stay committed to professional development and innovation.

These conferences give lawyers and firms the knowledge, networks, and ideas they need to lead in a changing profession. These events are more than networking venues. They also explore current legal trends and practical insights.

Check out our Practice Management page for updates about upcoming lawyer conferences in Canada.