As the pace of technological innovation accelerates and geopolitical fault lines reshape our assumptions about trade, security, and data sovereignty, Canada finds itself at a critical inflection point. From the rise of generative AI to intensifying trade tensions with the U.S., Canadian technology lawyers must navigate a world where clear legal frameworks often lag behind technological realities. With no comprehensive AI legislation on the books — as AIDA stalls — and global standards emerging unevenly, our role is more vital than ever. Canada’s homegrown strengths — our leading AI research hubs like MILA and the Vector Institute and the appointment of a Minister of AI and Digital Innovation — position us uniquely to lead responsibly, but only if our legal community remains agile, innovative, and bold.
We will explore what it means to stay grounded in principle and ethics, while acting global in mindset and reach. How do we advise clients who build for a borderless digital economy in an era of rising protectionism? How do we protect Canadian innovation, empower our businesses, and push for thoughtful regulation when the rules are still being written?
Join us as we chart a course for how Canadian tech lawyers can prepare, excel, and shape the future — transforming uncertainty into opportunity in a rapidly shifting legal landscape.