Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/466000
Lerners enjoys a time honoured tradition of providing pro bono legal services. We are fortunate to have formed unique partnerships with organizations like CCLA, and to have been able to participate in programmes with a longer reach, such as the Law Help Ontario, Appeals Assistance and amicus curiae duty counsel programmes administered by PBLO. Fulfilling our commitment to pro bono services has led to many exciting and worthy advocacy opportunities including: • Acting for CCLA as intervener at the SCC on Khadr v. Edmonton, dealing with how the International Transfer of Offenders Act interacts with principles of youth criminal justice; • Acting as amicus curiae pursuant to a request from to court to PBLO for amicus counsel in a complex civil sexual assault trial involving an unrepresented defendant; and • Providing material and analysis for use in a significant report released by the CCLA in 2014 entitled: False promises, hidden costs: The case for reframing employment and volunteer police record check practices in Canada. Giving lawyers the opportunity to contribute their skills in the context of pro bono cases has a transformative effect on lawyers individually and on the culture of the law firms who support it. Pro bono retainers improve the quality of advice given by lawyers as they gain knowledge and a more informed perspective, and increase the lawyers' sense of professional satisfaction and value. LERNERS: TRANSFORMING LAWYERS, LAW FIRMS AND ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES, ONE CASE AT A TIME Our team at Lerners have been outstanding not only in their superb litigation skills and lawyering, but the deep commitment they have shown consistently through the years to pro bono work – to give back, to advance the public good, and to see that justice is delivered for all clients. We are fortunate to have had Lerners handle some of our most complex civil liberties cases. Sukanya Pillay – Executive Director and General Counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Education Trust Four of our lawyers currently engaged in pro bono work (clockwise from top left) Josh Koziebrocki, Jameel Madhany, Gillian Hnatiw, Jasmine Akbarali. 13