Access to Justice was previously an in-person half-day workshop for lawyers, paralegals and support workers working in Legal Aid settings. The following series of webcasts are an adaptation of the original scope to comply with safety and best practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. To keep up to date on our legal programming offerings, sign up for email notifications below.
How do you foster an inclusive workplace and strategically maximize positive outcomes for 2SLGBTQI people within legal systems?
Watch curated webcasts with experts from across Canada to share best practices and challenges to serving LGBTQI2S clients. Our guest speakers bring experiences from provincially funded legal aid clinics, tribunals and frontline community organizations. Discussions will cover a variety of topics to identify concepts, barriers and structures that perpetuate the marginalization of 2SLGBTQI people. Have a question you would like addressed? Submit it below and we will try to incorporate your query in a future episode.
Feb 25: Homophobia & Transphobia in Law and Legal Culture (LSO-Accredited Episode) Mar 4: Practical Approaches to Client-Centered Trauma-Informed Legal Services (LSO-Accredited Episode) Mar 11: Common Legal Issues for 2SLGBTQI Clients Mar 18: The Importance of ID for Trans Clients Mar 25: The Futures of Queer & Trans Law(s) Apr 1: Perspectives from Quebec on Justice & the Politics of Care for 2SLGBTQI People [bilingual]
Who is this for?
Legal aid clinic staff including:
Lawyers
Paralegals
Community legal workers
Law students
Social work students
Administrative staff
Private bar lawyers who work on legal aid certificates
Frontline workers partnering with legal aid clinics
Full Episodes
Episode 6: Perspectives from Quebec on Justice & the Politics of Care for 2SLGBTQI People [bilingual]
In our finale Episode 6 of ‘How Legal Professionals can Promote Access to Justice for LGBTQI2S People’, our panelists, Nora Butler Burke, Anaïs Zeledon, and Karine-Myrgianie Jean-François discuss Perspectives from Quebec on Justice and the Politics of Care for 2SLGBTQI People.
In Episode 5 of ‘How Legal Professionals can Promote Access to Justice for 2SLGBTQI People’, our panelists, Dr. Wesley Crichlow, Tuma Young, and Meenakshi Mannoe, discuss The Futures of Queer & Trans Law(s). Link in YouTube description for more information and resources.
Episode 4: The Importance of I.D. for Trans Clients
In Episode 4 of ‘How Legal Professionals can Promote Access to Justice for 2SLGBTQI People’, our panelists from UNB Imprint Trans ID Clinic, Osgoode Hall Law School, and Positive Space Network discuss The Importance of I.D. for Trans Clients. Link in YouTube description for more information and resources.
Episode 3: Common Legal Issues for 2SLGBTQI Clients
In Episode 3 of ‘How Legal Professionals can Promote Access to Justice for 2SLGBTQI People’, our panelists, Laurelle Harris, Adrienne Smith, and Audrey Huntley discuss Common Legal Issues for LGBTQI2S Clients. Link in YouTube description for more information and resources.
Episode 2: Practical Approaches to Client-Centred Trauma Informed Legal Services
In Episode 2 of ‘How Legal Professionals can Promote Access to Justice for 2SLGBTQI People’, our panelists, Myrna McCallum, Aruna Boodram, and Ruby Dhand discuss Practical Approaches to Client-Centred Trauma Informed Legal Services. Link in YouTube description for more information and resources.
Episode 1: Homophobia & Transphobia in Law and Legal Culture
Join us for the premiere of our ‘Access to Justice’ series. This LSO-Accredited Episode 1 invites panelists Hema Krueger Vyas, Florence Ashley, Marc-Alain Mallet, and Amber Chisholm, to discuss Homophobia & Transphobia in Law and Legal Culture. Link in YouTube description for more information and resources.
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Panelist Bios
Episode 6: Perspectives from Quebec on Justice & the Politics of Care for 2SLGBTQI People
Karine-Myrgianie Jean-François
With a background in law, Karine-Myrgianie (elle, she/her) has worked in the community sector in feminist and/or youth-oriented organizations for over 10 years. Born in Tiohtià:ke, this Black queer woman supports minoritized communities in their liberation. She is currently the Director of Operations and Projects at the DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada. (DAWN Canada). This eternal optimist believes in the power of communities and knows that we as folks that are always put at the margin have the power to change our world!
Nora Butler Burke
Nora Butler Burke (she/her) is a community educator, advocate and researcher based in Montreal. Her work focuses on building support for criminalized trans people – particularly sex workers and migrants. Nora currently collaborates with the frontline team of ASTT(e)Q, a by-and-for trans community project, to provide accompaniment, education and information around legal and administrative issues facing trans people. Her research has examined the punitive role of Canadian criminal and immigration regimes in migrant trans sex workers lives.
Anaïs Zeledon Montenegro
Anaïs Zeledon Montenegro (she/her) is a community worker at ASTTeQ (Action santé travesti(e)s et transsexuel(le)s du Québec), a project of CACTUS Montréal. ASTTeQ is run by-and-for trans people and provides support and advocacy for trans communities across Montreal, with a focus on supporting sex workers, migrants and low-income trans people. Over the past 20 years, Anaïs has worked and volunteered in several community organizations in the Centre Sud neighbourhood of Montréal. She has an extensive background of work in anti-poverty, disability, sex worker and LGBTQ+ community groups and social movements.
Episode 5: The Futures of Queer & Trans Law(s)
Meenakshi Mannoe
Tuma Young
Wesley Crichlow
Episode 4: Importance of I.D. for Trans Clients
Sarina Sarraf
Terry Riche
Ash Arsenault
Delaney Stymiest-Losier
Frank Nasca
Tara Chandran
Episode 3: Common Legal Issues for 2SLGBTQI Clients
Laurelle Harris
Audrey Huntley
Adrienne Smith
Episode 2: Practical Approaches to Client-Centred Trauma-Informed Legal Services
Aruna Boodram
Ruby Dhand
Myrna McCallum
Episode 1: Homophobia & Transphobia in Law and Legal Culture