Architects of Justice: Exploring Access to Justice in Ontario

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Latest Episodes:

AOJ 204: Paralegals as Access to Justice Champions Sep 25, 2018

The Law Society of Ontario assumed responsibility for the regulation of paralegals in 2007 making the province the first jurisdiction in North America to regulate paralegals. Today, nearly 9000 paralegals are licensed in Ontario providing consumers with more choice, protection and improved access to justice. This episode help to mark a decade of paralegal regulation by featuring a range of voices from this professional community.

Robert Burd, Bencher and Chair of the Paralegal Standing Committee at the Law Society of Ontario
Michelle Haigh, Bencher at the Law Society of Ontario
Stephanie Ball, Ball Executive Dean of the School of Justice & Emergency Services and School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Durham College.
Stephen Parker, President of the Ontario Paralegal Association
Laurie Marshall, Director of the Ontario Paralegal Association
Brian Houghton, Litigation Projects Manager for Pro Bono Ontario

Resources

Practice Direction on Representation before Social Justice Tribunals Ontario http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/documents/sjto/Practice%20Directions/Representation%20before%20SJTO.html

AOJ 203: Improving Health, Improving Service Sep 18, 2018

Recent research indicate that lawyers are at a higher risk for anxiety, substance abuse and depression than those in the general population. This susceptibility begins in law school and eventually has an impact on society by affecting people who rely on lawyers to manage their everyday legal problems. This episode will speak with a range of access to justice advocates about status and mental health in the legal profession.

Patrick Krill, Principal and Founder of Krill Strategies
Doron Gold, Staff Clinician Homewood Health
Yukimi Henry, Manager, Academic/Personal and Wellness Coordinator at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law

Resources

Member Assistance Program https://www.lsuc.on.ca/map/

AOJ 202: Millennial Influence Sep 11, 2018

At 37% millennials are currently the largest generation in the workforce. They make over a quarter of the population in Canada and the most educated among them are women – they make up the majority in professions. In 2019, millennials will make up the largest block of voters. This generation is shaping our expectations around technology and convenience. In this episode we look at how they are influencing the justice sector.

Last year we worked with Abacus Data to publish a report that examined how Ontario millennials looked at access to justice technology. Our results found that millennials show keen interest in a range of access to justice initiatives. The most appealing was an online legal database that allows user to search for information about common legal problems, learn from other people’s experiences, or find a legal professional in their area. Nine in ten (91%) respondents felt this initiative was a good or very good idea.

But what does this mean for the justice sector more broadly – how is it responding? We spoke with Ontario’s former Attorney General Yasir Naqvi for his thoughts.

Guests:

Yasir Naqvi, former Attorney General of Ontario
David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data
Geevith Rubakumar, Founder of ParDONE

Resources

Report: Millennials, Technology and Access to Justice in Ontario https://theactiongroup.ca/2017/10/millennials-technology-and-access-to-justice/

AOJ 201: Beyond Tweets Sep 04, 2018

Recent high profile cases have sparked new dialogue about sexual violence. High profile cases, mandatory training for judges in sexual assault law and the role of social media in accelerating conversations all point to a significant shift towards survivor informed paths to justice. But what does that mean? Current discussions have focused on sexual violence at home, at work, on public transit and everywhere in between indicating that this issue is a concern for the majority of the population. Even if it’s not happening to you, there’s a high likelihood that it’s happening or has happened to someone you know. Movements like #MeToo have highlighted the ubiquity of the issue and are shaping a more nuanced understanding of sexual violence. We speak with three advocates about this critical moment and what needs to come next to ensure inclusive access to justice outcomes.

Guests:

Farrah Khan, Manager of the Office of Sexual Violence Support and Education at Ryerson University
Deepa Mattoo, Legal Director of the Barbra Schlifer Clinic
Lucrezia Spagnolo, CEO of Vesta Social Innovation Technologies

Resources List

Independent Legal Advice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Pilot Program https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/ovss/ila.php
Farrah Khan https://www.farrahkhan.ca/
Sexually Harrassed At Work? Here’s How to File a Formal Complaint (from Chatelaine) http://www.chatelaine.com/living/sexual-harassment-resource-guide-canada/
VESTA http://www.legalinnovationzone.ca/startup/vesta-social-innovation-technologies/
Barbra Schlifer Clinic http://schliferclinic.com/
Unfounded – Will the Police Believe You (from the Globe and Mail) https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/investigations/compare-unfounded-sex-assault-rates-across-canada/article33855643/
Facts About Sexual Assault and Harrassment (from the Canadian Women’s Foundation) https://www.canadianwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Facts-About-Sexual-Assault-and-Harassment.pdf

AOJ 04: Digital Diversity Sep 26, 2017

The justice sector is under pressure to use more technology. But how does this affect those who don’t have regular access to a computer or the internet? In this episode we feature different perspectives on how technology-based solutions can reflect the diverse needs of justice system users.

Michael Gottheil, Executive Chair, Social Justice Tribunals Ontario
Monica Goyal, Lawyer, Engineer, Entrepreneur, Adjunct Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School
Amina Juma, Student-at-Law
Julie Mathews, Executive Director, Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO)
Gabe Sawhney, Executive Director, Code for Canada

Want to learn more about Steps to Justice? Check out the full list of partners and legal topics.

AOJ 03: Going Solo Sep 19, 2017

The number of people representing themselves, without a lawyer or paralegal, is growing every day. In this episode we learn about what it is like to navigate a complex system on your own. We hear from a self-represented litigant and access to justice advocates who discuss how the self-rep experience is changing the legal system in Ontario.

Sylvia Green, Self-Represented Litigant
Brian Houghton, Litigations Projects Manager, Pro Bono Ontario
Jennifer Leitch, Research Fellow, Canadian Forum on Civil Justice, Adjunct Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School
David Milosevic, Litigator, Milosevic Fiske LLP, Volunteer, Pro Bono Ontario
Julie Macfarlane, Professor, Faculty of Law at the University of Windsor, Project Director, National Self-Represented Litigants Project

Want to learn more about self-represented litigants? Check out these resources:

Want to learn more about being a self-represented litigant? Check out this guide from the Ontario Court of Justice.

Ontario Court of Justice Guide for Self-Represented Litigants in Family Court Trials

AOJ 02: Cindy Blackstock Sep 12, 2017

Today more Indigenous children are in the child welfare system than at the height of residential schools. In this episode we speak with Indigenous child welfare advocate Cindy Blackstock about the decade long battle against Canada’s discrimination against First Nations children. You will also hear excerpts from Cindy’s keynote address at Connect, Create, Communicate: Public Legal Education and the Access to Justice Movement.

Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada

Learn more about the complaint made by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal by reading this article.

AOJ 01: Law a la Carte? Sep 05, 2017

Unbundled legal services are when a legal professional takes on some aspects of your case. Together you determine what they should handle and what you can do on your own. Unbundling is about affordability but it is also about shifting the relationship between a client and a legal professional. In this episode we follow a lawyer who has based her practice around this approach. With:

Renatta Austin, Lawyer and Notary Public
Tami Moscoe, Counsel, Office of the Chief Justice, Superior Court of Justice, Ministry of the Attorney General
Paul Schabas, Treasurer, Law Society of Upper Canada

AOJ 00: Introducing Architects of Justice Mar 27, 2017

Introducing Architects of Justice a podcast that explores how people are finding new ways to improve access to justice in Ontario. In the coming weeks, we will cover topics like technology, child welfare, and self-represented litigants. We will explore how to make the justice system more inclusive, effective, and efficient.

Our first episode is coming soon! Be an Architect of Justice by joining us!

Watch for updates on Twitter @TAGActionGroup

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