More than a decade since the Supreme Court called for Canada's civil justice system to embrace a "culture shift" in Hryniak v. Mauldlin, major reforms of civil procedure are underway in Ontario and elsewhere. There is a renewed commitment to addressing procedural barriers and excessive delays and costs that risk putting civil justice out of reach for many and prompting businesses to choose arbitration over the civil courts.

This course will explore how to address these challenges by comparing Canadian courts to the U.S. federal court system. Drawing on our experience in both systems, we will address topics such as the goals of civil procedure, motions to dismiss, case management, discovery, settlement and mediation, and motions for summary judgment. Throughout the class, guest speakers — including scholars, judges, and counsel — who share their first-hand experiences of the challenges Canadian and U.S. courts have addressed similar challenges.