Nancy Merrill
The scope of practice for paralegals, especially to help family litigants, has become a central issue in the debate over A2J in Canada. In this episode, Nancy Merrill, a family lawyer and mediator, and now the President of the BC Law Society, talks about her vision for expanding alternative legal services in BC, and her hopes for change. Will BC become a battleground for this issue as it has in Ontario, in the wake of the (still not implemented) Bonkalo report? Nancy’s commitment to the BC Law Society being a “courageous and innovative regulator” extends to rethinking legal education and training, promoting diversity initiatives, and increasing awareness about mental health challenges in the legal profession.
Related:
The Bonkalo Report (Ontario Ministry of the Attorney-General)
“B.C. Law Society benchers decide on pro bono, paralegal issues” (Lawyer’s Daily, March 8 2019)
In Other News:
In other news: NSRLP will have intervener status in a case at the Alberta Court of Appeal, in the context of the apparently increasing frequency with which SRLs are designated vexatious, or have contempt orders issued against them; the Ontario Court of Appeal has published an order providing CBC the right to place cameras in particular courtrooms to record, live-stream, and broadcast specific proceedings, and we’re hopeful this could result in more openness and transparency in court proceedings; the Ontario government has announced a fundamental change to the justice system by vastly expanding the pool of potential jurors, to better reflect economic and racial diversity; and finally, Julie and Bernie Mayer recently presented a joint keynote address for the annual conference of the Ontario Association of Family Mediators and the Ontario Collaborative Law Federation, discussing the role of mediators in administering access to justice.
NSRLP to have intervener status in Alberta Court of Appeal case
Court Order from Ontario Court of Appeal regarding filming in the courtroom
“Amendments to the Juries Act in Ontario” (Slaw)
Jumping Off the Ivory Tower is produced and hosted by Julie Macfarlane and Dayna Cornwall; production and editing by Brauntë Petric; Other News produced and hosted by Ali Tejani; promotion by Moya McAlister and Ali Tejani.
while paralegals have uses,, ie,, company incorporations,, wills drafting etc,, it seems a stretch to imagine them handling family cases, Just this week in BC we had the case of a man who failed to disclose assets , hid money,, and was verbally and emotionally abusive to his wife during their divorce proceedings, In family issues where abuse and dishonesty are issues,, and that is many,, women cannot deal with their abuser on their own,,, if they could,, they would not be in this position, Paralegals know how to draft documents,, helpful,, but how does it protect people who are dealing with situations like the above?? As well,, it is my observation that the courts show contempt and disrespect for women who ask for help, How is it helpful to impoverish women, and or mock them for asking for support??