PLEAC Conference 2026 | Plenary – Recent developments in online legal information
Legal information developed for online use takes many shapes and sizes. This panel brings in leaders who are thinking about how to develop and deliver online legal information, from three different angles: how to survive the AI revolution; the use of guided interviews in helping people navigate a legal process; and how to integrate ethical design thinking when developing community-responsive legal tech tools.
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PLEAC Conference 2026 | Keynote Address and Plenary – The role of public legal educators in building an understanding of the Rule of Law
Keynote Address: At the outset of 2026, “rule of law” continues to receive intense and deserved attention. People across Canada hear, talk and ask questions about the rule of law and its importance in our free and democratic society and throughout the world. As foundation and framework, rule of law attracts concern and curiosity;
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Resilient Nonprofits: Avoiding Legal Crises Before They Start
How can we help nonprofits avoid costly legal crises that undermine their ability to deliver vital programs to their communities? Working with regional partners, LawForNonProfits.ca is expanding its successful no-cost, low-barrier, AI-enabled digital platform across the country to do just that. Hear how the Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society (PLEO) is doing and what it can mean for sectoral resilience.
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Journey to Housing Stability for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence
Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO) launched their report, The Journey to Housing Stability for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence, which explores survivors’ journeys navigating the housing legal system in Ontario, identifies key barriers they face along their journey, and calls for urgently needed specialized services and policy changes to increase their access to justice and housing stability.
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Tips for designing youth websites with Justice Education Society of BC
Emily and Nora share insights into the creation of the new FamiliesChange.ca teen and kids sites, as well as the upcoming launch of LegalRightsForYouth.ca. They will discuss the process behind designing websites tailored specifically for young audiences, including conducting a needs assessment, surveying youth, collaborating with writers experienced in working with young people,
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Virtual Fair – Learning as we go: what makes for effective PLEI evaluation
What have we done? What have we learned? Join Lois Gander, a leader in the field of public legal education (PLEI) practice and evaluation, as she shares her experience and perspectives on the state of evaluation in Canada. How has the evaluation of PLEI evolved in the last few decades? What have we learned?
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Virtual Fair – Community justice work on the ground
Panelists from community-based organizations in Newfoundland, Ontario, and Nunavut will share their experiences in helping community members who come to them for support, including support with problems that may involve the law. The conversation will give the panelists a chance to talk about their work and is likely to touch on challenges in doing the work,
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Virtual Fair – Learning from initiatives in other jurisdictions
Tara Mulqueen, associate professor at the School of Law at the University of Warwick (UK), will share findings from her recent research. In that study, she co-produced research with trusted intermediaries on the experiences of marginalized groups in dealing with law-related issues, particularly during and in the aftermath of the pandemic.
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Virtual Fair – Reaching people on both sides of the divide
Panelists from three organizations that provide public legal education with and for their communities will share reflections on the impact of the digital divide on the communities they serve, how the digital divide influences the work of their organizations, and how it informs their decisions about delivery channels and learning strategies.
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How We Built a Scary-Good Legal Chatbot for BC
People’s Law School will take you on a behind-the-scenes tour of Beagle+, the inspired AI chatbot built by the legal experts at People’s Law School and the technical experts at Tangowork.
See the amazing results they have achieved and some tricky conversations that Beagle+ handled with ease and learn how the technology behind Beagle+ works,