Loading Events

« All Events

The New Tort of Intimate Partner Violence: Practical Strategies After Ahluwalia 2026

September 16 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

A practical update on the Supreme Court of Canada’s recognition of the tort of intimate partner violence

Wednesday, September 16, 2026
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
via webinar only

Can’t make the webinar or rebroadcasts?
Want online CPD available 24/7?
Subscribe to Courses On Demand, our comprehensive online resource with 4,000+ videos and 6,300+ papers from CLEBC courses. This course will be added to Courses on Demand approximately 30 days from the original course date.

Who should attend: Civil litigators, family law lawyers, criminal defence counsel

Learning level: All levels

The Supreme Court of Canada’s landmark decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia has reshaped the legal landscape for claims arising from intimate partner violence. By recognizing a new tort of intimate partner violence (“IPV”), the court has created new opportunities—and new challenges—for family law and civil litigation practitioners.

This focused 90-minute program examines the elements of the new tort, the role of coercive control, and how IPV claims interact with existing tort remedies, family law proceedings, and damage awards. Faculty will explore practical considerations for pleading, evidence gathering, settlement negotiations, limitation periods, and the relationship between tort damages and family law remedies.

You will learn:

  • the key elements of the new tort of intimate partner violence
  • how coercive control shapes liability and evidentiary requirements
  • when to pursue IPV claims alongside assault, battery, or other torts
  • how courts may approach damages, causation, and compensation
  • the interaction between tort claims and family law remedies
  • emerging litigation strategies and unresolved issues following Ahluwalia

Whether you practice primarily in family law or civil litigation, this program will help you understand the practical implications of one of the most significant recent developments in Canadian tort law.

Law Society of BC CPD Hours: 1.5 hours (this course does not contain professional responsibility and ethics, client care and relations, and/or practice management)

Course Instructors
Sandra L. Kovacs  KazLaw Injury Lawyers, Vancouver
Janelle O’Connor  Murphy Battista LLP, Vancouver

Register here.