All four webinars were well attended with 455 unique registrants signing up for a total of 833 registrations throughout the week. The webinars were recorded and are now accessible to the public on the Faculty of Law’s YouTube channel.

Making Rights Real: A Vision for Providing Accessible Legal Services

Monday, October 27

Through the discussion of real-world based scenarios, this panel of experts with legal and/or accessibility experience, provided suggestions on how lawyers could and should provide accessible legal services.  This session took place over Zoom webinar and had simultaneous ASL translation.

This first panel, hosted by the Manitoba Bar Association’s Equality Section was moderated by Janell Jackson, a third-year law student at the UM Faculty of Law and MBA Equality Section Co-Chair. Panelists included: Darrin Davis [LLB/90], Director Legal Services Branch; Laurelle Harris, K.C. [LLB/01], University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law; Dr. Tess Sheldon, Associate Professor, University of Windsor, Faculty of Law; Dawn Steliga, Law student, University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law; and Peter Tonge [JD/06], Peter Tonge Consulting.

Watch the webinar.

A2J Week 2025: AI and Access to Justice: Promise, Pitfalls, and Practice

Tuesday, October 28

Everyone is talking about AI and how it will reshape our lives, including how we access justice.  Whether you are a lawyer, law student or member of the public, there are key things to understand when using AI for help with a legal matter.  This Zoom webinar explored: 

• A brief overview of generative AI and large language models (LLMs)
• Law Society guidelines for responsible and ethical use
• Practical uses for lawyers and self-represented litigants 
• Potential risks, including inaccuracies, confidentiality issues, and bias

Hosted by the Law Society of Manitoba, this panel was moderated by John Burchill [JD/10], Executive Director of the Manitoba Law Reform Commission. Panelists included: Suzie Dunn, Assistant Professor and interim director of the Law and Technology Institute at the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University; Alissa Schacter [LLB/94], Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, The Law Society of Manitoba; Dr. Katie Szilagyi, Assistant Professor, University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law; and Mary Troszko [LLB/79], Executive Director, Community Legal Education Association.

Watch the webinar.

Access to Justice through Art and Media

Wednesday, October 28

Focusing on podcasting, radio, murals, and graphic novels, this Zoom webinar event highlighted the role of art and media in breaking down legal barriers. Through discussions with creators and advocates, the event demonstrated how these mediums can educate, empower, and connect communities to their rights and the legal system.

Hosted by the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law, this panel was moderated by Quinn Saretsky, Gladue Writer, At the Root Consulting. Panelists included: Jessie Canard, a two-spirit Anishinaabe multi-disciplinary visual artist and law student at the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law; Allison Fenske [LLB/07], Clinical Counsel and Director of the UM Community Law Centre at the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law; Marc Kruse [JD/15], Director of Indigenous Legal Learning and Services, University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law; and Kirsten Wurmann a librarian at the Manitoba Law Library and founder of the Manitoba Library Association’s Prison Libraries Committee.

Watch the webinar.

Sentencing Circles, Gladue and IRCA Reports

Thursday, October 30

This Zoom webinar session highlighted the growing use of Gladue Reports, Impact of Race and Culture Assessments and sentencing circles in Canadian courts. Judges and legal experts discussed how these reports provide critical context in sentencing, helping to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous and racialized communities and advance meaningful access to justice.

Hosted by the Manitoba Bar Association Criminal Law Section, this panel was moderated by Wendy Martin White, K.C., a lawyer with Phillips Aiello. Panelists included: The Honourable Associate Chief Judge Lee Ann Martin [LLB/00], Provincial Court of Manitoba; The Honourable Judge Jerilee Ryle [LLB/05], Provincial Court of Manitoba; Melissa Brown, Justice Programs Manager, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc.; Dr. Patrina Duhaney, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary & founder of Nasura Consulting Inc.; and Zilla Jones [JD/11], Lawyer, Jones Law Office.

Watch the webinar.

Conference organizers are thankful for the hard work of the Faculty of Law’s Director of Access to Justice and Community Engagement, Natasha Brown [LLB/05], student research assistant Stefan Lewis (3L), the Law Society of Manitoba’s communications lead Deirdre O’Reilly [BComm/07] and digital learning specialist Clayton McKnight, and the Manitoba Bar Association’s Executive Director Michelle Falk.

Supporting the Work: How new lawyers are being trained to overcome A2J barriers

Monday’s event, “Supporting the Work: How new lawyers are being trained to overcome A2J barriers”was presented by The University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law and the Manitoba Bar Association’s Young Lawyers and Internationally Trained Lawyers sections. Panelists shared what legal supports are now becoming available for clients of diverse backgrounds including cultures, languages and faiths. Representatives from the three host organizations addressed what they are doing to train diverse lawyers who can help these diverse clients.

Panelists included Laurelle Harris, K.C., University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law; Kayleigh Lafontaine, University College of the North; and Ayodeji Olunlade, Restall & Restall LLP  (Co-chair, MBA’s Internationally Trained Lawyers Section) with moderator Mercedes Ayala, Mitousis Lemieux Howard (Co-chair, MBA’s Young Lawyers’ Section).

Watch a recording of “Supporting the Work”.

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Educating and Advocating in Manitoba Prisons

Tuesday’s webinar was on “Educating and Advocating in Manitoba Prisons.” Geared to practicing lawyers and students, this session presented an overview as to what different organizations are doing, parole and record suspensions, resources for clients who are, or may be, incarcerated, and an overview of issues related to prison libraries and literature in provincial prisons.

Panelists included Leif Jensen, University of Manitoba Community Law Centre; Marc Kruse, Director of Indigenous Legal Learning and Services at the Faculty of Law; Liz McCandless, Senior Instructor and Director of Clinical Programming at the Faculty of Law; and Kirsten Wurmann, Manitoba Law Library, Manitoba Library Association. Allison Fenske, Clinical Counsel at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law and Director of the University of Manitoba Community Law Centre acted as Moderator.

Watch a recording of “Educating and Advocating in Manitoba Prisons.”

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Victim Impact Statements and Community Impact Statements

On Wednesday, October 30, the webinar “Victim Impact Statements and Community Impact Statements”featured insights from both Crown and Defense perspectives. This session explored the powerful role these statements play in the justice system, highlighting some examples of how they can be used at sentencing hearings in Manitoba. Participants learned how these statements can give voice to both individual victims and affected communities.

Panelists included Kathrine Basarab, Manitoba Justice, Public Prosecutions; Caleigh Glawson, a criminal defence lawyer with Brodsky Amy & Gould; and Monique St. Germain, Canadian Centre for Child Protection Inc.

Watch a recording of “Victim Impact Statements and Community Impact Statements”.

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Family Law Services: Pathways to Healthy Separation

The final webinar took place on Thursday, October 31, and featured “Family Law Services: Pathways to Healthy Separation.” The panel members represented three different provisions of family legal services and hailed from the Community Legal Education Association, Family Resolution Services and Legal Aid Manitoba. They provided an explanation of the different pathways through the separation process and options available to avoid or at least reduce the conflict and stress of a traditional lawyer / court dispute.   This webinar was of interest to the general public to learn what is involved in the separation process and what alternatives might suit a particular situation.

Panelists included Nina Holatova, Community Legal Education Association; Michael Williams, Manitoba Justice, Family Resolution Services; Peter Kingsley, KC, Executive Director, Legal Aid Manitoba.

Watch a recording of “Family Law Services: Pathways to Healthy Separation.”

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The University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law is home to Manitoba’s Access to Justice Hub, which is an extension of the Director of Access to Justice and Community Engagement’s office at the Faculty of Law. The Hub’s blogspace is a central location for existing participants in the A2J network to connect to their community. 

• Monday, October 28, 2024
  Supporting the Work: How New Lawyers Are Being Trained to Overcome A2J Barriers
• Tuesday, October 29, 2024
  Educating and Advocating in Manitoba Prisons
• Wednesday, October 30, 2024
  Victim Impact Statements and Community Impact Statements
• Thursday, October 31, 2024
  Family Law Services: Pathways to Healthy Separation

Supporting the Work: How New Lawyers are being Trained to Overcome A2J Barriers – Monday

Monday’s event will feature panelists from the Faculty of Law and the Manitoba Bar Association’s Young Lawyers and Internationally Trained Lawyers sections who will discuss legal supports are now becoming available for clients of diverse backgrounds including cultures, languages and faiths. The three host organizations will address what they are doing to train diverse lawyers who can help these diverse clients.

Register for Supporting The Work: How New Lawyers Are Being Trained to Overcome A2J Barriers

Panelists:

• Mercedes Ayala, Mitousis Lemieux Howard (Co-chair, MBA’s Young Lawyers’ Section) (Moderator)
• Chidera Anadi-Mbanefo, Cam’s Law Office (Co-chair, MBA’s Internationally Trained Lawyers Section)
• Laurelle Harris, K.C., University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law
• Kayleigh Lafontaine, University College of the North
• Ayodeji Olunlade, Restall & Restall LLP  (Co-chair, MBA’s Internationally Trained Lawyers Section)
• Stephanie Bauch, Mitousis Lemieux Howard (MBA’s Young Lawyers’ Section)

Educating and Advocating in Manitoba Prisons – Tuesday

Tuesday’s event is geared to practicing lawyers and students, and will present an overview as to what different organizations are doing, parole and record suspensions, resources for clients who are, or may be, incarcerated, and provide an overview of issues related to prison libraries and literature in provincial prisons.

Register for Educating and Advocating in Manitoba Prisons

Panelists:

• Allison Fenske, The University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law (Moderator)
• Leif Jensen, University of Manitoba Community Law Centre
• Marc Kruse, The University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law
• Elizabeth McCandless, The University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law
• Kirsten Wurmann, Manitoba Law Library, Manitoba Library Association

Victim Impact Statements and Community Impact Statements – Wednesday

Wednesday’s webinar on Victim Impact Statements and Community Impact Statements, will feature insights from both Crown and Defense perspectives. This session will explore the powerful role these statements play in the justice system, highlighting some examples of how they can be used at sentencing hearings in Manitoba. Learn how these statements can give voice to both individual victims and affected communities.

Register for Victim Impact and Community Impact Statements

Panelists:

• Kathrine Basarab, Manitoba Justice, Public Prosecutions
• Caleigh Glawson, Brodsky Amy & Gould
• Monique St. Germain, Canadian Centre for Child Protection Inc.

Family Law Services: Pathways to Healthy Separation – Thursday

The panel members for this presentation represent three different provisions of family legal services.  Our three presenters from the Community Legal Education Association, Family Resolution Services and Legal Aid Manitoba will provide an explanation of the different pathways through the separation process and options available to avoid or at least reduce the conflict and stress of a traditional lawyer / court dispute.   Members of the public are invited to join us to learn what is involved in the separation process and what alternatives might suit each person’s particular situation.

Register for Family Law Services: Pathways to Healthy Separation

Panelists:

• Nina Holatova, Community Legal Education Association
• Michael Williams, Manitoba Justice, Family Resolution Services
• Peter Kingsley, KC, Legal Aid Manitoba

*Each of these programs offers 1.5 hours of CPD to members of the Manitoba legal profession, all of which may be reported as EPPM (Ethics, Professionalism, Practice Management) hours.

Brown has worked in Access to Justice for at least the past four years after having first practiced Family Law and worked as the Legal Director of the Legal Help Centre of Winnipeg for much of her legal career. She was a sessional instructor at the Faculty of Law, teaching Family Law, before becoming the Director of Professional Practice and Externships. She was Access to Justice Coordinator for the Law Society of Manitoba from May 2021 to May 2023 before returning to the Faculty of Law as Director of Access to Justice and Community Engagement. In her role at Robson Hall, Brown is responsible for coordinating the Access to Justice Advisory Network, which serves as a resource for justice system stakeholders and helps to address access to justice issues in Manitoba. She coordinates the annual Access to Justice week for Manitoba and brings an access to justice lens to the Faculty’s many clinical programs.

Brown teaches a section of the Legal Profession and Professional Responsibility course which is mandatory for all upper-year law students. In 2020, she received the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence, given to sessional instructors demonstrating exceptional teaching and mentorship of  law students.

The Manitoba Bar Association’s Access to Justice Award recognizes an MBA member for outstanding pro bono legal services or outstanding contributions on the issue of access to justice. It is one of eight MBA Recognition Awards, honouring colleagues who demonstrate excellence and commitment to the law, the legal profession and the community at large.

The hybrid event featured a panel discussion with Darla Rettie, Pitblado Law; Yvan Larocque, Clinical Instructor and Supervising Lawyer at the L. Kerry Vickar Business Law Clinic; and Heather Berthelette, CEO, Spirit Healthcare Group of Companies.

Discussion centred around best practices when working with Indigenous community business leaders and entrepreneurs. In their conversation, Rettie and Berthelette emphasized that relationship-building was of primary importance.

“We are proud to collaborate with our partners to engage Manitoba’s legal community toward reconciliation,” said Michelle Falk, Executive Director of the Manitoba Bar Association.

“This event and its subject matter couldn’t be timelier,” said Larocque who moderated the panel. “Members of the Manitoba Bar will continue to have opportunities to engage in Reconciliations in their advocacy and representation of clients, and those in attendance gained invaluable knowledge that I’m sure will assist them in their contributions to Reconciliation throughout the Province for years to come.”

On October 2, The Law Society of Manitoba introduced a mandatory Indigenous intercultural awareness and competency training course for practicing Manitoba lawyers. The Path provides a basic foundation of knowledge about Indigenous peoples’ history and experiences essential to lawyer competence when dealing with Indigenous clients.

“This year’s event provided an excellent learning opportunity to hear from knowledgeable and compelling speakers on the topic of economic reconciliation, thanks in large part to the connections this partnership event fosters,” said Eileen Derksen, Director of Continuing Professional Development at the Law Society of Manitoba.

Meanwhile, the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba has been working to answer TRC Call to Action #28 by Indigenizing its curriculum and including mandatory content for all first year law students and a mandatory course for all upper-year students that builds on material and skills learned during first year law courses. The 28^th Call to Action calls upon law schools in Canada to require all law students to take a course in Aboriginal people and the law, which includes the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal-Crown relations. 

Taking place on Friday, February 24, 2023 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Robson Hall’s Harry Walsh, Q.C. Moot Courtroom, the conference titled “Queersay Evidence: 2SLGBTQ+ Perspectives on the Law in Manitoba,” is free and open to all, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Members of the MBA should register at the MBA website, and members of the general public are invited to register by sending an email to sections[at]cba-mb[dot]ca. 

One of the conference organizers, second-year law student Lou Lamari (they/them), explained that the inspiration behind planning the conference came from the lived experiences of fellow students. “We, as queer and trans members of OUTLaws, are constantly needing to grapple with the reality that our community faces unique obstacles, ranging from basic recognition, to acceptance, to systemic issues concerning health care and discrimination.”

Because both the law student and practicing professional communities are so small in Manitoba, the members of OUTLaws decided to plan a conference for both students and members of the practicing bar, to create an opportunity for the legal community at large to learn more about the specific issues the 2SLGBTQ+ community faces. “We have received excellent support from the Robson Hall faculty and administration, along with the Manitoba Bar Association and Manitoba Law Foundation,” said Lamari.  “It feels very affirming to have these organizations stand behind and alongside us, which gives us confidence that this is a topic that people are interested in learning more about.”

Access to Justice includes access to the study and practice of law. By centering 2SLGBTQ+ perspectives among legal experts, our goal is to provide representation for queer community members who may feel unwelcome or unsafe within the legal field.” – Seth Lozinski, 2L (they/them)

The lineup of guest speakers for the conference includes The Honourable Judge Kael McKenzie [LLB/2006], Kristine Barr (CUPE) [LLB/2005], and Dell Dyck (TDS) [JD/2019], and a discussion panel featuring service facilitators that work directly with the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Manitoba.

Keynote speaker Judge Kael McKenzie

McKenzie is Canada’s first transgender judge, who was appointed to the Provincial Court of Manitoba in December of 2016. He graduated from the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law in 2006 and worked both in private practice and as a Crown prosecutor in family, commercial and civil law. He is a proud member of the Manitoba Métis Nation and formerly served in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Barr graduated from the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law in 2005 and practiced law at a private firm and a not-for-profit organization providing domestic violence legal services before working for CUPE as a labour lawyer.

Dyck is a Métis-Cree person from the Red River Settlement and an associate lawyer at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman, practicing primarily in the areas of Privacy and Data Protection law, Wills and Estate Planning and Administration, and Aboriginal law. She graduated from the Faculty of Law in 2019.

A live-streamed virtual option will be made available. The MBA will share the link with registrants the day of the event.

Karen Busby has been with the Faculty since 1988, and she was the founding Director of the Centre for Human Rights Research. She has a J.D. (Manitoba, 1981) and LL.M. (Columbia, 1988). She was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1982 and she practiced for a year with Thompson, Dorfman, Sweatman. After studying in France for a year, she was the first clerk with the Federal Court of Appeal (1984-87).

Professor Karen Busby’s research and teaching interests include gender-based violence (GBV), constitutional law, in particular human rights and equality law, civil procedure and administrative law. The GVB and equality law research is action-oriented, inter-disciplinary and collaborative; civil procedure research involves conventional legal scholarship (a fastidiously technical pursuit); and administrative law marries law and politics. Her research is also directed at diverse audiences including equality theorists (legal and non-legal); students in different disciplines (Law and Women’s Studies); practitioners; judges across Canada and the grassroots women’s movement.

In September, 2021, the Faculty of Law celebrated her more than 30 years of teaching at the University of Manitoba, and the legacy of her contributions to Human Rights research.

Isabel Ross (MacLean) Hunt (1894 – 1990) was the first woman to earn a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the University of Manitoba. She graduated in 1916, was called to the bar in 1917, and was the first woman in Western Canada to establish a law office in 1918. She temporarily withdrew from practice upon getting married, but returned after her husband’s death in 1923. In 1928, she joined the City of Winnipeg’s legal team, served as a solicitor in the department of welfare for 30 years, and was an expert in family law.

In 1952, she was the first woman to receive the Queen’s Counsel designation in the province of Manitoba. In 1983, she received the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case for her role in improving the status of women in the legal field in Canada.  The Manitoba Bar Association created the Isabel Ross MacLean Hunt Award in 2011 to recognize role models for women lawyers deserving of special recognition.

This panel was a collaborative event between the Feminist Legal Forum (FLF), the Robson Hall Mental Health Group, the Manitoba Bar Association Representative (MBA Rep), the Robson Hall Movember Fundraising Team, and it was graciously sponsored by LexisNexis.

The event was held on Tuesday, November 15th in the Robson Hall Common Room, and featured a variety of legal professionals from both the law school and the Winnipeg legal community. The panel featured Professor Brandon Trask [JD/2012], Greg Evans, K.C. (of Evans Family Law) [LLB/1997], articling students Shawn Singh [JD/2022] and Rowan Greger [JD/2022] (both at Manitoba Prosecutions), and Steve Silva (a Therapist through the Wellness Program at Manitoba Justice). The panel was moderated by Dean of Law, Dr. Richard Jochelson.

The goal of the event was to encourage men’s voices around mental health, to create a supportive environment for male students to make connections, and to share resources with male and non-male students about how we can all support the mental health of our male colleagues. While this event focused on men’s mental health, all students were encouraged to attend, regardless of gender.

At the event, the six-person panel discussed a variety of topics relating to mental health in the legal profession, as well as the barriers that are faced by men in the profession. Some of the topics covered included the panelist’s own experiences throughout law school, articling, and practice, how to reach out for support, networks and supports available to law students and lawyers, how to find ways to take care of mental health, and how to make time for mental health.

During the panel discussion, Dean of Law, Richard Jochelson (2nd from right) and lawyer Greg Evans, K.C. (far right), shared with law students how both used music as a way to practice self-care. Photo: Jayden Wlasichuk (2L).

“It is important for members of the legal community to speak openly and candidly about mental health,” said Jochelson. “I am grateful for the organizers of this event and for the practitioners and faculty who gave of their time to share their stories and good advice with the attendees. We know that speaking about our mental health is a first critical step in a lifelong journey of healing and wellness. Events like this evening help us embark on this project.”

“We are very pleased with how this event went,” said Jayden Wlasichuk, a second-year law student and the 2022-23 Women’s Legal Forum Liaison for the FLF. “It was the first event of this type that the FLF has hosted, particularly with this group of collaborators. We are happy with the student turnout, as well as the broader support that this event received from the faculty at Robson Hall and the legal community.”

“It sounds silly, but this event came together because of a book I read over the summer,” Wlasichuk said. “‘Man Enough: Undefining my Masculinity’ by Justin Baldoni really got me thinking about the ways in which we all need to learn how to support men’s mental health, and how impactful an open conversation and supportive environment can be. November 19^th is International Men’s Day, so I pitched the idea to the FLF team at our first meeting of the year to host a panel-style event on men’s mental health, and I was met with so much support and enthusiasm to make this event happen! Collaborating with the Mental Health Group and the Movember team made sense because they would be able to bring knowledge and experience to the event, and the MBA Rep was on board to support the event through planning, advertising, and connecting us to resources in the legal community.”

Sawarn Benning, a 2L student and member of the Robson Hall Mental Health Group, spoke about the stigma of mental health. “It’s common to see mental health events catered toward certain groups, like law students or women. While all these considerations are important and impactful, it was great to see the expansion of this topic to men as well.”

The stigma and socially constructed hesitancy on men’s mental health isn’t new to hear about, but it’s events like these that actively combat the barriers surrounding men’s mental health. Mental health isn’t sanctioned to a specific group of individuals, it affects us all. As such, it was an initiative that the Mental Health Group was excited to endorse.

– Sawarn Benning, 2L

While the panel was facilitated by students of all gender identities, ensuring men’s voices were heard was a priority for planners.

“It was important from the beginning of planning to ensure that this event was championed by men, so the panel was all-male professionals, speaking directly about their experiences. This allowed all attendees to learn from people in similar circumstances about what support is available, how to ask for support, and most importantly, how to support one another,” said Wlasichuk.

“I was thrilled when FLF reached out to collaborate in organizing a panel for such an important topic” said Eric Gagnon, the MBA Representative for the Manitoba Law Students’ Association. “Both the pressures of law school and the pandemic have really taken a toll on folks’ mental health. Nor is this a problem that is unique to Manitoba; across Canada, law students are facing difficulties keeping up and taking care of their mental well-being. What’s more, as men there are unique barriers that we face in reaching out for support. Thankfully, this event was an important step in breaking down those walls and creating community through candid conversations about our mental health.”

One of the additional impacts of the Panel was the opportunity to raise money for the Robson Hall Movember Team Fundraiser.

“Movember is a wonderful initiative that focuses on raising awareness and funds for men’s mental health, suicide prevention, and research for prostate and testicular cancer throughout the month of November,” said Liam Menec, a third-year law student and this year’s captain of the Robson Hall Movember Team. “The Men’s Mental Health Panel was an opportunity for the Movember team to raise funds and to help bring together male students to talk about men’s mental health. I am proud of the participation from Robson Hall for this amazing cause and it is really fun to see all of the growing moustaches around the school,” he added.

Law students Liam Menec, Benjamin Manness, Justin Paulic, and Connor Stewart grew moustaches for Men’s health in Movember.

Events on mental health are important, particularly as we move into the stress of exam season. Event organizers want to emphasize the importance of reaching out for help, whether to peers, administration, campus counselling services, or other trusted sources. In addition to growing moustaches, the Robson Hall Movember team is still accepting donations.