This webinar is a part of Access to Justice Week BC.

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Access to justice work is empowering, but it can also take a toll. Lawyers engaged in this area often face mental health challenges due to the intense and emotional work, with those from equity-deserving groups at even greater risk as societal, cultural and identity-related pressures magnify the strain. 

A panel of lawyers at different career stages share candid experiences of navigating burnout and trauma while staying grounded in the sense of purpose that access to justice provides. Learn from their stories and adopt strategies to strengthen your own resilience. 

About Julia Riddle

Julia is a lawyer at Arvay Finlay LLP practicing primarily in the areas of constitutional and administrative law, acting for clients including individuals, government, and private bodies. Their practice includes a focus on cases involving access to housing and the right to shelter for precariously housed and unhoused individuals, as well as police accountability, Indigenous rights, freedom of expression, and environmental law.


 

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About Myron Plett

Myron is a seasoned litigator with nearly twenty years of experience and a broad range of skills that has led to significant successes in the Provincial Court of British Columbia, the Supreme Court of British Columbia. He has also taken his clients to victory before tribunals such as the Residential Tenancy Branch and the BC Human Rights Tribunal. His wealth of knowledge and varied skills allows him to easily traverse such widely disparate areas of law as family law, wills and estates, contracts and leases, real estate, criminal law, and corporate / commercial transactions.

Myron is not a one-size-fits-all lawyer. He adapts his approach with each client to meet them at their point of need, always looking for an efficient resolution. As much as he relishes every opportunity to step into a courtroom, he frequently achieves success in mediation or by other methods of alternative dispute resolution, saving his client unnecessary expense, delay, and uncertainty.

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About Derek LaCroix, KC

Derek LaCroix, KC, joined LAPBC as our Executive Director in 1996. With 40 years work experience, he brings a sincere and valued perspective to his commitment to both the organization and to the BC legal profession. Derek practised law for 18 years and went on to expand his skills in business and counselling. This diverse range of interests has helped Derek become a respected leader in the legal, health care and recovery communities. He has served on committees with the Canadian Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He was a Commissioner of the Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) and the Chair of the annual CoLAP conference for several years. He is also on several non-profit boards of societies dealing with addictions, education and spirituality. He is often called upon to present seminars and workshops throughout the province, and is tireless in his efforts to make a positive difference in the lives of legal professionals and those who care about them. He received the designation of Queen's Counsel in 2004.
 

This webinar is hosted by CBABC, which is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam First Nations. We encourage our members to explore the rich history and knowledge of Indigenous people, and to continue learning about their experience in Canada, past and present.