Lenczner Slaght Collaborates with Legal Aid Ontario
With a strong commitment to pro bono work and community service, Canada’s leading litigation firm is proud to collaborate with Legal Aid Ontario’s (LAO) Clinic Resource Office and community legal clinics on an exciting new initiative.
Over the past several months, our expert litigators have developed and run hands-on, skills-based training programs for the lawyers and paralegals at LAO’s 79 legal aid clinics and student legal service organizations across Ontario.
With more than 200 attendees participating, these sessions included tailored content that directly addresses the specific needs and unique challenges of LAO. Topics included “Direct Examination Skills and Preparing Your Witness” and “Cross Examinations”.
Given our deep experience advocating in both physical and virtual courtrooms, we are able to share our knowledge with the professionals working at LAO. We believe this training will assist LAO in their access to justice mandates which include providing consistent, high-quality legal aid services to low-income clients in a cost-effective and efficient manner and encouraging and facilitating flexibility and innovation in the provision of legal aid services.
“Our training has included perspectives from several Lenczner Slaght litigators, ranging in seniority and experience, to broaden and maximize the expertise shared with LAO,” says Rebecca Jones, Chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee. “While we all practice in the same profession, our experiences and challenges are very different. This collaboration has really been hands-on and eye-opening for all involved.”
“Legal clinics work tirelessly to make the best case possible for their vulnerable clients, often in very challenging circumstances. Lenczner Slaght is a pleasure to work with and committed to providing training tailored specifically to the issues that arise in clinic litigation. The sessions have been excellent and very well received,” says Lesli Bisgould, Barrister at LAO’s Clinic Resource Office.
We look forward to organizing additional sessions with LAO in the coming months.
About Legal Aid Ontario
Legal Aid Ontario provides legal help to low-income Ontarians, including providing funding for 72 legal aid clinics and 7 student legal services organizations across the province. These clinics, both general and specialized, play a vital role in serving their communities.