Defamation, Privacy and Media Law 2025

Product Type: Course

This course has no current sessions.

DescriptionMore DetailAgenda

Law, practice, and the anti-SLAPP revolution

—Rebroadcasts—
On the rebroadcast date, you will have until midnight of that rebroadcast date to access the course. Please note that technical support will be available during regular CLEBC business hours.

Last Kick at the Can Series 2025
Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Tuesday, December 16, 2025

(Original webinar date: March 13, 2025)

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Who should attend: Civil litigators and media industry personnel

Learning level: Intermediate/Advanced

Defamation law has long been known as a byzantine maze of technical rules and historical anomalies. The rise of online platforms, social media, cross-border publications, and anti-SLAPP laws has made defamation, privacy, and media law more challenging than ever.

This one-day program is aimed at demystifying the law and highlighting the newest developments and practical considerations facing counsel.

Anti-SLAPP laws are vital to anyone commencing or defending any action involving expression and will be explored both in law and practice. We will examine key battleground areas that drive successful or unsuccessful defamation actions.

The course will also explain the specialized test for defamation injunctions, untangle the confusing area of qualified privilege, and highlight significant changes on the horizon as reforms in the UK and Australia make their way to Canada.

This year's program will feature leading counsel on these and other key issues in this important and rapidly evolving area of law and practice.

Law Society of BC CPD Hours: 5 hours (this course will contain a minimum of 1 hour pertaining to professional responsibility and ethics, client care and relations, and/or practice management)

Course Chair
Daniel H. Coles — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver

*Last Kick at the Can 2025*
Rebroadcast	$479
Rebroadcast Articled Student	$239

Are you a member of the Indigenous legal community (lawyer/Articled Student/legal support staff/paralegal) or a non-lawyer Indigenous community member?
We value your contributions and encourage your participation in all of our programs. To increase accessibility, we offer a 50% discount* to all Indigenous lawyers/Articled Students/legal support staff/paralegals and a limited number of free online registrations to non-lawyer Indigenous community members. (*discount applies to Regular prices, not Early Bird prices). Please contact Customer Service to find out more.

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Registration includes an electronic copy of the reference materials.

CLEBC Program Lawyer*
Raymond Lee
rlee@cle.bc.ca
*non-practising

Course Chair
Daniel H. Coles — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver

About the Course Chair
Dan Coles is a trial lawyer and shareholder (partner) at Owen Bird in Vancouver. His practice has an emphasis on defamation law and acting as counsel to news media. He has experience in both bringing and resisting applications made under the Protection of Public Participation Act (anti-SLAPP legislation), including appeals.

Dan is an advocate for freedom of the press and other media. He appears regularly in court, and before tribunals, as counsel for news organizations. He assists journalists by providing pre-publication advice, as well as obtaining access to court exhibits and opposing publication bans, sealing orders, and in camera court proceedings.

Faculty
Daniel W. Burnett, KC — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver
Scott A. Dawson — Dennis Dawson James Aitken LLP, Vancouver
Kaley Pulfer — DMG Advocates LLP, Toronto
Daniel J. Reid — Harper Grey LLP, Vancouver
Danielle Stone — Senior Legal Counsel, CBC, Halifax
David F. Sutherland, KC — David F. Sutherland & Associates, Vancouver
Robyn P.M. Trask — Vice Chair, BC Labour Relations Board, Vancouver
Professor Hilary Young — UNB Faculty of Law, Fredericton

Course Materials Contributor
Gabriel Rincon — Dennis Dawson James Aitken LLP, Vancouver

Click here for full faculty bios

Course Introduction and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)

Raymond Lee — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Daniel H. Coles — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver

The Real Battlegrounds: Meaning, Responsibility and Fact v. Comment (9:10 – 10:05)

Daniel J. Reid — Harper Grey LLP, Vancouver
Danielle Stone — Senior Legal Counsel, CBC, Halifax
David F. Sutherland, KC — David F. Sutherland & Associates, Vancouver

BREAK (10:05 – 10:15)

Protection of Public Participation Act ("SLAPP") 101 (Substantive Law/Tests) (10:15 – 11:10)

Daniel J. Reid — Harper Grey LLP, Vancouver
David F. Sutherland, KC — David F. Sutherland & Associates, Vancouver
Robyn P.M. Trask — Vice Chair, BC Labour Relations Board, Vancouver

BREAK (11:10 – 11:20)

Political Speech, Social Movements, Injunctions, and the Law of Defamation (11:20 – 12:15)

Daniel W. Burnett, KC — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver
Scott A. Dawson — Dennis Dawson James Aitken LLP, Vancouver
Robyn P.M. Trask — Vice Chair, BC Labour Relations Board, Vancouver

LUNCH (12:15 – 1:00)

Defamation Law Reform in Canada and Elsewhere: Uniform Law Conference (1:00 – 1:55)

Daniel W. Burnett, KC — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver
Professor Hilary Young — UNB Faculty of Law, Fredericton

BREAK (1:55 – 2:05)

Protection of Public Participation Act ("SLAPP") 201 (Practice and Procedure) (2:05 – 3:05)

Daniel W. Burnett, KC — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver
Scott A. Dawson — Dennis Dawson James Aitken LLP, Vancouver
Kaley Pulfer — DMG Advocates LLP, Toronto

Closing Remarks (3:05 – 3:10)

Daniel H. Coles — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver

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