Partner Caitlin Ohama-Darcus to Panel Webinar on Landmark Supreme Court Decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia

The Supreme Court of Canada recently issued a landmark decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, recognizing a new tort of intimate partner violence for the first time in Canadian history. In its ruling, the court acknowledged that intimate partner violence is a complex, cumulative harm which often involves ongoing patterns of coercion, intimidation, surveillance, deprivation, threats and control that strip away a person's autonomy and freedom.

Lawson Lundell partner Caitlin Ohama-Darcus will be a panelist for a webinar hosted by Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS). Having acted as counsel representing BWSS in its intervention before the Supreme Court of Canada in this matter, Caitlin will offer professional insight into the case's journey, the legal strategy and its profound ripple effects.

This discussion is essential for legal advocates, family law practitioners, civil litigators and anyone working at the intersection of access to justice and survivor support.

Key discussion topics:

• The Supreme Court’s core reasoning and legal findings
• How the court integrated the concept of coercive control into civil law
• Direct implications for survivors and legal advocates
• What this landmark shift means for the future of family and civil litigation
• The relationship between cumulative harm, autonomy and intimate partner violence
• Broader systemic implications for the Canadian legal system moving forward
  

Event details:

• Date: Friday, June 5, 2026
• Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. PT
• Location: Online webinar (Free registration)
  

Register for the webinar here.