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People-Centered Justice Has Become the Norm in Access to Justice
*This blog was originally published on Slaw.ca on December 6, 2024* People-centered approaches have quickly become the norm in access to justice. By the term norm I mean essentially the same thing as the use of the term in sociology, a widely accepted expectation or rule of behaviour – a way of doing things. People-centricity
Read NowA Changing Role for Lawyers in the Age of Self-Represented Litigants
In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of individuals who address a legal issue without the assistance of legal representation. Statistical data generated by the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ) indicates that approximately 11.4 million people in Canada will experience at least one everyday legal problem in a given
read nowSocial Impact Bonds and Access to Justice
There is a new socially innovative initiative, known as Social Impact Bonds (SIBs), whereby the private sector shares in the risk and reward associated with the outcome of social programs. With funding being a challenge for many not-for-profits and stakeholders working to improve access to justice across Canada, SIBs may provide a way forward for
read nowOne Problem, Many Responses? – A Multidisciplinary Approach to Access to Justice
An increasing amount of research and data point to the value of using both legal and non-legal services to address civil justice problems. For members of society who experience social exclusion, the ability to jointly access these resources bears additional significance. Canadian Forum on Civil Justice Senior Research Fellow, Dr. Jennifer Leitch discusses the merits
read nowAccess to Justice Advocate – Sarah McCoubrey
Much of the work that is being done to improve access to justice for Canadians comes down to access to justice advocates. As a part of our efforts to highlight the diverse range of individuals working across the access to justice arena, the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice was thrilled to recently speak with Sarah
read nowTracking Legal Need in Very Small Areas with the Legal Health Check-Up
The Legal Health Check-Up (LHC) is a uniquely valuable tool for documenting unmet legal need at a very fine-grained, local level. The LHC questionnaire is administered by community groups and service agencies to people seeking their services. Individuals who require service from the legal clinic are referred to the clinic. The LHC form becomes the
read nowDiscussing Ways to Improve the Economic Efficiency and Accessibility of the Civil Justice System – Reflections from the Civil Justice and Economics Conference
A couple months ago, I had the privilege of attending a conference centered on the theme of Civil Justice and Economics. This conference, presented by the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ) in partnership with the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ), featured presentations by a number of prominent researchers, academics, judges, legal
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