The Advocates' Society

What The Advocates' Society does

The Advocates' Society (TAS) is a not-for-profit professional association founded in 1963 and headquartered in Toronto, serving more than 6,000 lawyers, judges, advocates, and law students across Canada. It is the country's largest dedicated provider of advocacy skills training and operates as the collective voice of the litigation bar, intervening in court cases affecting the profession and submitting on law and policy. Programs are organized around advocacy excellence, with hands-on, learn-by-doing workshops delivered by a faculty of trained leading litigators.

The Society's core products are continuing professional development programs (over 100 per year across civil, criminal, and special litigation), destination and regional events (Fall Convention, Spring Symposium, End of Term Dinner), and publications (The Advocates' Journal since 1982, Advocacy Matters and Keeping Tabs newsletters, and Best Practices guides on civility, remote hearings, civil trials, paperless trials, and Indigenous peoples). Member services include an online Member Directory, a Mentoring Portal powered by Mentorship Rocket, a litigation-focused Career Board, a CPD Tracker, 16 Practice Groups spanning all major litigation areas, and standing committees for Young Advocates (YASC) and Mid-Career Advocates (MASC). Program delivery uses video streaming (Vimeo), podcast distribution (Apple iTunes, Spotify), and webcast/virtual learning systems for coast-to-coast access.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual individual membership dues — ranging from $25 (student) to $615 (Toronto private practice), with government, not-for-profit, judicial, retired, and new-lawyer tiers — supplemented by paid CPD program registrations, non-member Journal subscriptions ($239/year), advertising and sponsorship in print and digital publications, Career Board postings, and facility rentals of the TAS Meeting & Events Space. Memberships operate on a calendar-year cycle with AutoPay, and a new $275 flat-rate New Lawyer Member category is launching January 1, 2026.

Name

The Advocates' Society

Legal name

The Advocates' Society

Website

https://www.advocates.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Advocates’ Society is a not-for-profit association of over 5,200 judges, lawyers and advocates from all practice areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Professional Association / Advocacy Skills Training

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Criminal Justice Reform & Legal System Advocacy (BPAGAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Advocacy skills training
• Legal professional development
• CPD programs
• Bar association membership
• Litigation education

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $25 (student) to $615 (Toronto private practice) depending on seniority at bar, location, and practice type. Membership renewals operate on a calendar year cycle with AutoPay option available.
2. CPD Programs and Events: Revenue from continuing professional development programs, workshops, and events. Members receive discounted rates. Solo, Small Firm, and Government members receive additional 25% discount on certain programs. New Lawyer members get free skills workshops when registering for Essential Skills program plenary sessions.
3. The Advocates' Journal Subscriptions: Quarterly journal provided complimentary to TAS members. Non-members can subscribe for $239 (+tax) per year.
4. Career Board: Litigation job board where TAS members post positions for free. Fee-based posting option for non-members or firms seeking to reach litigation bar candidates.
5. Advertising and Sponsorship: Revenue from advertising in The Advocates' Journal and digital newsletters (Advocacy Matters and Keeping Tabs), plus event sponsorship opportunities at select programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Advocates' Society operates as a Canadian not-for-profit membership association delivering advocacy skills training, continuing professional development (CPD) programs, and member services to over 6,000 lawyers, judges, advocates, and law students across Canada. Its core offerings include annual CPD programming across civil, criminal, and special litigation, learning-by-doing workshops, publications (The Advocates' Journal, Best Practices guides, newsletters), an online mentoring portal, a member directory, and signature events such as the Fall Convention.

Product overview

The Advocates' Society operates as a not-for-profit professional association serving Canadian litigators with a multi-faceted platform of products and services. The core offerings center on advocacy skills training through over 100 annual CPD programs including workshops, conferences, and certificate programs, supplemented by member publications (The Advocates' Journal, newsletters, Best Practices guides) and technology-enabled services (online mentoring portal, member directory, video archives, podcast). The society functions as a unified membership platform where professional development content, peer networking tools, and practice resources interconnect to support advocates throughout their careers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership in The Advocates' Society Annual individual membership tiers for Canadian lawyers, judges, advocates, and law students, granting access to CPD programs, mentoring, publications, and the member community. Pricing ranges from $25 (Student) to $615 (Toronto private practice) annually.
• New Lawyer Membership Category A new membership tier launching January 1, 2026 for lawyers called to the bar for less than three years at a flat annual rate of $275, including complimentary Essential Skills Workshops.
• CPD Programs (Continuing Professional Development) Annual calendar of 100+ CPD programs across civil, criminal, and special litigation, delivered in-person and virtually, featuring learning-by-doing workshops led by trained faculty of leading litigators. Members receive discounted rates; Solo, Small Firm, and Government members receive an additional 25% discount on certain programs.
• Learning-by-Doing Certificate Programs Hands-on advocacy skills workshops with trained faculty of leading litigators, emphasizing practical skills development through simulated exercises and coaching.
• TAS Video Collections Digital library of professional development programs available for rent and on-demand viewing, enabling members to earn CPD credits at their convenience from coast to coast.
• The Advocates' Journal Quarterly print and digital publication featuring articles on law and practice, in-depth interviews with leading advocates, and thought-provoking commentary. Free for TAS members; non-member subscription available for $239/year.
• Best Practices Publications Collection of practice guidance documents including Principles of Civility and Professionalism, Best Practices for Remote Hearings (co-developed with Ontario Bar Association, Federation of Ontario Law Associations, and Ontario Trial Lawyers Association), Best Practices for Civil Trials, and Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples (co-developed with Indigenous Bar Association and Law Society of Ontario).
• Friends Who Argue Podcast Podcast featuring intimate conversations with advocates from across Canada about their journeys and experiences in litigation practice. Available on Apple iTunes and Spotify.
• Mentoring Portal Online members-only platform connecting junior advocates with experienced TAS mentors for micro-mentoring sessions, career development, and skills guidance. Operates through integration with Mentorship Rocket.
• Member Directory Online directory searchable by name, city, and area of practice, available exclusively to TAS members for peer networking.
• Career Board Exclusive legal job board for litigation, ADR, and judicial vacancies. TAS members post positions for free; non-members and external firms pay a fee-based posting rate to reach litigation bar candidates.
• Fall Convention Annual signature destination conference for TAS members, held at international locations (e.g., Grand Velas Riviera Maya) offering an all-inclusive collegial experience.
• TAS Meeting & Events Space (Facility Rentals) TAS-owned meeting and events space available for rent to members (at a 20% discount) and external organizations.
• Free Member Resource Library Free 24/7 member access to archived TAS programming including the Litigation from Home Series, The Right to Be Heard, and Fireside Chats with Canadian Chief Justices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ CPD programs delivered annually across civil, criminal and special litigation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ontario Bar AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboratively developed Best Practices for Remote Hearings, Second Edition, with the E-Hearings Task Force. The document provides guidance for lawyers and parties about preparation and conduct of remote hearings.
• Federation of Ontario Law AssociationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnered in the E-Hearings Task Force to develop Best Practices for Remote Hearings, Second Edition, providing comprehensive guidance for remote court proceedings.
• Ontario Trial Lawyers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaborated on the E-Hearings Task Force producing Best Practices for Remote Hearings, Second Edition, offering practical checklists and guidance for remote hearings.
• Indigenous Bar AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018The Advocates' Society partnered with the Indigenous Bar Association and Law Society of Ontario to develop the Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples in 2018, with a First Supplement published in 2022. The guide serves as a resource for lawyers on important historical and cultural elements for representing Indigenous clients.
• Law Society of OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Co-developed the Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples with the Indigenous Bar Association and Law Society of Ontario. The guide and its 2022 supplement provide practical tools for representing Indigenous clients effectively.
• MNP ConsultantsminorOthersEvent sponsor for EOT@Home 2020 virtual celebration marking End of Term, demonstrating corporate support for TAS community events.
• Omni BridgewayminorOthersEvent sponsor for EOT@Home 2020 virtual celebration, providing support for TAS programming and community engagement.
• RSM CanadaminorOthersEvent sponsor for EOT@Home 2020 virtual celebration, supporting TAS member events and collegial activities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Bar Association: National voluntary legal association representing over 36,000 lawyers across all practice areas in Canada. Comparable as a national membership body delivering CPD, advocacy and publications, but broader than TAS's advocacy-skills niche.
• Ontario Bar Association: Ontario-focused bar association providing CPD, sections (including litigation sections), advocacy and member services. Overlaps with TAS in the Ontario litigation-skills market, and is also a collaboration partner on TAS's Best Practices publications.
• Law Society of Ontario: Ontario's legal regulator and a co-development partner on TAS's Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples. Comparable via CPD programming and interaction with the Ontario bar, though structurally a regulator rather than voluntary association.
• International Bar Association: Global organization for the legal profession with CPD, advocacy and bar-development programs. Comparable as an international membership association serving practitioners, though operating at a much larger scale than TAS.

Direct peers

• American College of Trial Lawyers: Invitation-only honorary society of U.S. and Canadian trial lawyers focused on excellence in advocacy. Closely comparable to TAS in advocacy-skills training, peer recognition and thought leadership, though U.S.-anchored.
• International Academy of Trial Lawyers: Limited-membership international trial lawyer organization focused on advocacy excellence, ethics and education. Comparable as a peer-recognized advocacy-skills body with educational programming and a journal publication.
• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA): U.S. national association of trial attorneys dedicated to preserving the civil jury system and improving trial advocacy through education. Comparable to TAS in advocacy-skills focus, training programs and membership-based professional development.
• National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA): U.S.-based provider of trial-skills training programs and CLE courses with a learn-by-doing pedagogy. Closely comparable to TAS's practical-skills training model and the 'learning-by-doing certificate programs' emphasis.

Others

• Federation of Law Societies of Canada: National body coordinating Canada's provincial and territorial law societies. Comparable as a national legal-policy body whose activities intersect with TAS's policy and advocacy mandate.

Regional players

• Australian Bar Association: Peak national body for Australian barristers, focused on advocacy, ethics and professional development. Comparable as a Commonwealth-jurisdiction counterpart to TAS targeting specialist advocates and barristers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/theadvocatessociety
• LinkedInca.linkedin.com/company/the-advocates%27%E2%80%8B-society
• Xx.com/advocates_soc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Advocates' Society