News

We are pleased to announce Erin Rubin as the winner of the 2026 CAN-TECH Rising Star in Tech Law Award!

Erin Rubin's practice is focused on complex commercial transactions involving technology, services, business processes, and strategic partnerships. She supports financial institutions, retailers, emerging and high growth companies, and other enterprises in drafting and negotiating commercial agreements and conducting IT-related procurements.

Erin regularly leads transactions in open banking, including data sharing agreements between fintechs and financial institutions, and has helped clients launch new financial products, expand into new lines of business, engage in high-value procurements, establish global capability centres, and enter co-branded credit card and other loyalty arrangements.

She supports clients across industries to contract for services leveraging artificial intelligence. Erin has been recognized as a Rising Star by IFLR and proudly co-led the Osler Women Lawyers’ Network.

We are pleased to announce that the 2026 CAN-TECH Law Award of Distinction winner is Lisa R. Lifshitz!

Lisa R. Lifshitz is a Partner at Torkin Manes LLP and Chair of its Technology Group, Co-Chair of its AI & Innovation Group and immediate past Chair of its Privacy, Data & Cybersecurity Group. She practices exclusively in technology, privacy, and cybersecurity law. Lisa has extensive expertise drafting and negotiating technology agreements, including managed services, AI, fintech, and digital agreements.

She represents both vendors and users across private and public sectors, excelling at negotiating large and complex technology transactions and procurements. She advises clients on Canadian privacy and cybersecurity compliance, including trans-border data transfers and breach coaching.

A prolific thought leader, Lisa has contributed to numerous publications including Business Law Today, Canadian Lawyer, The SciTech Lawyer, Oxford Law Pro and was the co-editor and a contributor to Cloud 3.0: Drafting and Negotiating Cloud Computing Agreements (ABA, 2019). Lisa holds elite rankings from Chambers Canada, Chambers Global, Best Lawyers in Canada, LEXPERT, and Lexology Index (Global Elite Thought Leader). She received the Lexology Index 2025 and 2026 Client Choice Award for Data in Ontario. Lisa is the Vice Chair of the ABA Business Law Section, co-Chair of its AI and Robotics Subcommittee and co-Editor in Chief of The Business Lawyer. She is a past Director and President of Can-Tech and is currently the Co-Chair of its Privacy & Cybersecurity Committee.

Thursday, September 10 2026, 12 to 1 p.m ET

Join our Privacy & Cybersecurity Committee for a detailed review of the private right of action under the proposed Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act. We will explain how it differs from PIPEDA in ways that make it a tool for class action litigation, raising the stakes for organizations. Following the detailed explanation, attendees will be invited to ask questions and make comments in a open session.

Click here to register

Host:

Jade Buchanan, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault

Jade is the co-chair of CAN-TECH’s Privacy & Cybersecurity Committee and facilitated the development of our DPA checklist. In his practice, he drafts and negotiates DPAs and sees them in action as a “breach coach” and in helping clients comply with their privacy obligations. With rankings from Chambers and Lexpert, and recognition as a 2024 Lexpert Rising Star and a 2021 Global Data Review 40 Under 40, Jade is one of British Columbia’s most recognized privacy and technology lawyers.

Presenter:

Thanasi Lampropoulos, Counsel, A.U.G. Signals Ltd.

Thanasi is a lawyer with experience spanning both private and in-house legal practice. Thanasi currently serves as legal counsel at A.U.G. Signals Ltd., a Toronto-based technology company, and advises on a range of commercial, corporate, product, privacy, intellectual property, technology, and procurement matters. Before moving in-house, Thanasi practiced commercial and civil litigation in Toronto, advocating for clients on a broad variety of legal areas at all levels of court in Ontario.

Fees:

FREE: CAN-TECH Members

$20: Non-Members (plus tax)

New York court rules that privilege lost when information typed into AI platform

In United States v. Heppner, the accused was advised by lawyers on his fraud charges, but also tried to formulate legal strategy on his own (explicitly not at the direction or suggestion of his lawyers).

For more details, please click here

UK court eviscerates credibility of witness due to “coaching” via smart glasses

The British case of UAB and Jakstys v. Oneta Limited et al. provides an instructive illustration of how trial witnesses may try to use technology to improperly aid or affect their testimony, and how this affects the court’s assessment of witness credibility in such a situation.

For more details, please click here

Forcible compulsion of fingerprint or facial scan would breach principle against self-incrimination and right to silence

In Re Application for Biometrics Scanning as part of a General Warrant, Justice Trevor A. Brown of the Ontario Court of Justice heard an application for a Search Warrant, General Warrant and a Sealing Order in an ongoing investigation.

For more details, please click here

The report highlights the risks of launching AI products without adequate safeguards against misuse and abuse

On June 11, 2026, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada released PIPEDA Findings #2026-004 concerning the artificial intelligence image-generation tool associated with the Grok chatbot, operated by X Corp. and developed by xAI.

For more details, please click here

The proposed new privacy law includes order-making powers, penalties but completely sidelines the existing Privacy Commissioner

On June 15, 2026, the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Even Solomon tabled in the House of Commons Bill C-36, called “An Act to enact the Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act, to amend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and to make amendments to other Acts”.

For more details, please click here

The proposed new online safety law expands its scope to AI chatbots, introduces strict age limits, and streamlines regulatory oversight under a single Commission.

On June 10, 2026 the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller tabled Bill C-34 in Parliament, called the “Safe Social Media Act”. This legislation follows Bill C-63 (called the “Online Harms Act”). 

For more details, please click here

The Canadian Technology Law Association (CAN-TECH) invites nominations for two esteemed awards:

1. Award of Distinction, recognizing members with a minimum of twenty (20) years of practice.
2. Rising Star in Tech Law Award, honoring early-career members within their first ten (10) years of practice.

Both awards celebrate extraordinary contributions in leadership, innovation, integrity, and commitment to the Technology Law Bar.

ELIGIBILITY:

Current CAN-TECH member in good standing (excluding Executive and Board of Directors).

NOMINATION PROCESS:

• Submission: Nominations to be made online, including a written document (max. 2 pages double-spaced) and the candidate's curriculum vitae.
• Consent: The candidate must be advised of the nomination and consent to it.
• Promotion: Solicitation through email, social media, CAN-TECH newsletter, and the awards page on the CAN-TECH website.

SELECTION PROCESS:

Selected by the Nomination Subcommittee, considering CAN-TECH guidelines on Diversity and Inclusion.

Only one award will be presented for each category.

PRESENTATION:

To be presented at the CAN-TECH Law Fall Conference Dinner, details to follow.

DEADLINE:

Online submissions is now closed.

Nominations from across Canada are encouraged. For additional details, see our award outline documents below:

• Rising Star Award
• Award of Distinction