FREDERICTON, NB: Jessica Melanson, a lawyer with Melanson Law, co-chaired a Canadian Bar Association (CBA) conference that was held in Fredericton. The conference took place on September 26, 2025; it was co-chaired by Melanson, George A. McAllister, K.C., and Mitchell L.H. Fraser.
The Canadian Bar Association is the largest association for legal professionals in Canada, representing over 40,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, academics, and students. It offers a variety of in-person conferences throughout the country, as well as online learning, with the goal of boosting professional development in the legal profession in Canada.
The conference covered a wide range of topics which focused on the theme of experts and evidence. Some of the presentation topics covered included: new leading cases from the Supreme Court of Canada; the use of documents in a joint book of exhibits; tips for cross-examining expert witnesses, evidence issues in summary judgement motions, leveraging artificial intelligence for reviewing and analyzing evidence, partial settlement agreements, and the rules around using surveillance in a civil litigation claim. Participants of the conference were eligible for accreditation worth up to 6.5 hours of mandatory continuing professional development.
“Co-chairing a CBA conference is an honour. The conference was a success, thanks to the speakers who volunteered to share their experience and expertise”, said Melanson. “The presenters covered a wide range of different topics within the theme of experts and evidence. The material covered in the presentations will help attendees navigate some of the challenging elements of our profession. Some presenters focused on issues that are specifically relevant to civil litigation lawyers working in New Brunswick; others discussed broad changes facing our line of work, including how to leverage legal technology while respecting ethical obligations. Altogether, the conference was informative, and I believe many of the attendees will make good use of the information in their practices going forward.”
Melanson Law is a law firm in New Brunswick that has been helping people with accident and injury claims for over 35 years. It focuses on a broad range of cases, including denial of benefits, wrongful death, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, medical malpractice, slip & fall accidents, car accidents, product liability, and more.
