I began my career by wanting to be a veterinarian. I have a bachelor of science from the University of Saskatchewan. I then took a law degree. I wanted to be an environmental lawyer but there were few opportunities. A particularly bad winter in Saskatchewan got me down and I decided to move to more … Continue reading Activists Speaking 8: Sherry MacLennan of MyLawBC
One of the most promising developments in online advice provision is the gradual exploration of the interactive possibilities of the internet. A number of advice websites – such as Victoria Legal Aid’s Legal Checker– now incorporate elements of Q and As to narrow down relevant areas of information which are then given in familiar linear … Continue reading Access to justice and interactive digital provision
Many jurisdictions have a lead site or sites which provides some combination of information, assistance and referral. The balance between the three functions differs which makes comparison difficult – but not impossible. This, however, is the direction in which we should go. It is notable that the last year has been characterised less by any … Continue reading Online portals and general sources of information, advice and referral
The common features of family breakdown around the world allow transnational comparison of advice provision. So, as examples of two different approaches, let’s put the national citizens advice site for England and Wales against MyLawBC. The latter is a survivor of the Rechtwijzer demise originally developed by the Legal Services Society of British Columbia (LSS) … Continue reading Inching towards Interactivity: MylawBC v Citizens Advice
The origin of ‘triage’, which I always took to be division into three, turns out to be the French word for selection. So, in essence, triage can be separation into any number. It is, however, often taken to be three and, in medical terms, usually signifies in an emergency situation the dying, the surviving and … Continue reading Triage portals – three gets challenged by four