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Announcing CFCJ Director: Jean-Paul Bevilacqua
The Canadian Forum on Civil Justice is pleased to announce the appointment of Jean-Paul Bevilacqua as its next Director, effective May 1, 2026. Jean-Paul brings a distinguished record of leadership in access to justice through legal education, research, and community engagement. Most recently, at the Ontario Justice Education Network, he collaborated with schools, communities, and
Read NowUsing Interactive PLE Programming to Create Paths to Justice for Newcomers
The idea of paths to justice is a foundational metaphor for access to justice in the contemporary discourse on legal problems. In her seminal research, Professor Genn focused on the legal needs of the public rather than issues related to the courts. Her approach was to focus on the behaviour of members of the public
read nowThe Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Community Legal Clinics and Pro Bono Legal Services in Ontario
“IMPORTANT NOTICE: In light of COVID-19, we have moved to telephone only.” Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, community legal clinics, pro bono services, and other legal service providers have updated their websites with similar notices. The pandemic has prompted major changes to the delivery and focus of pro bono and legal clinic services
read nowCOVID, Tech, and the Legal System
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the court system in Canada was plagued by long wait times and constant delays. The pandemic brought new public health orders discouraging in-person proceedings, and so much of the Canadian court system moved online. Different courts reacted to the pandemic in different ways, but there is no court for which the
read nowA One-Stop-Shop for Civil Access to Justice
Introduction: Access to justice has been defined in a variety of ways and often encompasses a breadth of issues. The definition provided by Community Legal Education of Ontario (CLEO) is as follows: “access to justice exists when people can pursue their goals and address their law-related problems in ways that are consistent with fair legal
read nowTen Steps Forward on the Way to Justice for All
Introduction Change is happening on access to justice. While not a new concept, the idea of improving access to justice has taken on new significance in recent years. As discussed at Global Week for Justice and collaborative Access to Justice Week , the work toward providing justice for all is not finished. But we are
read nowCostly justice: Why communities in Sierra Leone turn to paralegals instead of Local Courts to resolve their justice problems
An estimated 70% of Sierra Leoneans depend on Local Courts for the resolution of justice problems such as child and spousal support, property, tenancy, and land disputes. However, emerging research findings suggest communities are shifting away from the State backed Local Court system, to paralegal organizations. In this blog, we explain the three main factors
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