On October 23, 2025, AFCC-O marked a commemorative Annual Conference in its 17th year.
The Annual Conference was provided as a hybrid format as done before, giving our members the opportunity to attend virtually and in-person at the Toronto Reference Library. We were thrilled to see high-levels of registration (in-person and virtual) from all types of professionals.
As part of our conference, we were honoured to have Professor Suzie Dunn (Assistant Professor Dalhousie University, Schulich School of Law, Director of the Law and Technology Institute), deliver the Keynote Address. The discussion focused on the growing challenges of digital evidence and technology in family law, discussing AI, deepfakes, and synthetic media complicate privacy this arises in high-conflict intimate partner cases, where technology is used for surveillance, harassment, and falsifying evidence. She noted that Ontario lacks a civil intimate image statute, and current legal and security systems struggle to address technology-facilitated abuse and the reliability of digital evidence.
At the Annual Conference, we had the privilege of having a roster of leading experts in the field of family law, technology and AI. Our speakers provided the most up-to-date research and cutting-edge practice perspectives.
For panels, we were fortunate to host an exceptional group of speakers: Steven Bradley (Safety and Technology Expert, Our Family Wizard), Barbara Hotson, MSW, RSW (Founder Family Matters Counselling & Assessment Services), Dr. Catherine Horvath, C. Psych (Founder & Executive Director, Ottawa Centre for Resilience), and Virginia Workman, BA, LLB, AccFM. Together, they delivered an engaging and comprehensive discussion on all things Our Family Wizard, highlighting the platform’s features and the valuable tools it offers to support professionals in managing communication, documentation and family dynamic.
Madam Justice Carolyn Leach, past AFCC-O President, also presented the Dena Moyal Award for Distinguished Service. This year, the Award was presented to Katherine Kavassalis, LLB (Katina) (Legal Counsel and Deputy Legal Director, Personal Rights Department, Office of the Children’s Lawyer), in recognition of her everlasting work at the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.
We further heard from Mikel Pearce (General Counsel and Breach Coach Relationship Manager). He discussed privacy obligations under PHIPA, emphasizing informed consent, transparency, and clients’ rights to access and correct information. He warned that AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot retain and use input data for training, meaning users and their data often become the product, and advised obtaining explicit informed consent from clients rather than relying on general retainers.
We then had a Senior Justice Update with the Honourable Justices Suzanne Stevenson and Sheilah O’Connell. We heard about the amendments to the Trial Scheduling Endorsement Form, the court’s digital transformation initiative, a Unified Family Court expansion, and appointments of new judges in the SCJ and OCJ.
Next, we heard from Margot Denommé, JD (Lawyer, Author, Speaker) about raising digital awareness for children, and the dangers of unregulated and unlegislated technology for children.
The session continued with a virtual AFCC-O Parenting Plan Guide update from Professor Nicholas Bala (Faculty of Law at Queen’s University). He discussed the uses of the Guide and a survey being conducted to create version 2.0.
The next speaker was Colleen McCulloch (Supervisor Indigenous anti-human trafficking initiatives, Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child and Family Services), who spoke to us about the types of exploitation and the risk factors associated with human trafficking, particularly affecting Indigenous women and girls.
Our last, and certainly not least, speaker was Aaron Franks who provided us with his always captivating caselaw update, keeping us all informed on the latest and greatest.
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our warmest and most sincere appreciation to our 2025 Annual Conference Co-Chairs, Catherine Horvath and Chantel Carvallo, to the dedicated members of the Annual Conference Committee, and to all of our generous sponsors. Thank you—your support, hard work, and commitment made this conference possible.
By: Jessica Farshait and Andrea Smart, AFCC-O Newsletter Committee