2024 International Access to Justice Forum

Learn about the latest developments, innovations and practical solutions designed to address barriers to access to justice.

9:00 am
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5:00 pm
Oct 23, 2024
9:00 am
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5:00 pm
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Oct 25, 2024
Toronto, Canada

Our friends at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University in Canada are hosting the 2024 International Access to Justice Forum (IA2J Forum) in downtown Toronto from October 23-25, 2024.

The 2024 International Access to Justice Forum will bring together a diverse group of scholars, practitioners, policy makers and court and dispute resolution experts to discuss exciting new developments and ongoing challenges in access to justice.

Building on the rich legacy of previous conferences, there will be engaging discussions, inspiring presentations, and enriching cross-border dialogue. We encourage you to participate, whether as an in-person attendee or member of the online audience.

We are particularly excited to support staff from the Victoria Law Foundation and members of the community legal sector in attending this event. The full program of the Forum is available now.

Registration is open to attend the conference. 

Legal Need and Capability Really Matters – New Findings From the PULS in Victoria, Australia

VLF Research Director Dr Hugh McDonald will share the findings of our recently released Public Understanding of Law Survey (PULS) Volume 3. As a legal need survey incorporating new legal capability measures, the PULS provides a deeper understanding of legal problem-solving behaviour and demonstrates the need to humanise the justice system.

Measure for Measure: Investigating people-centred justice in Victoria, Australia

VLF Senior Researcher Dr Georgina Rychner will be presenting on our new research project, Measure for Measure. Building on the findings from our PULS and Data Mapping reports, this study examines effective strategies for addressing legal needs and capabilities throughout Victoria. The research aims to uncover both opportunities and obstacles in implementing people-centred justice approaches, including sustainable and scalable solutions.

Legal Problems are Bad for your Health

Using new PULS data and findings, VLF Executive Director Lynne Haultain will present on a new paper that explores the links between health and experience of legal problems. This paper will seek to better understand the intersections between health and legal capability at a population level.

Supporting the community legal sector

Victoria Law Foundation is excited to support members of the Victorian community legal sector from Eastern Community Legal Centre, Anika Legal, Northern Community Legal Centre, Justice Connect and Consumer Policy Research Centre to attend and present at the conference.

Participant details

Lynne Haultain

Executive Director
Victoria Law Foundation
Victoria Law Foundation

Lynne leads the Victoria Law Foundation team. She brings with her a wealth of experience in the fields of communications, journalism and management.

For 16 years, she worked with ABC Radio, including a stint hosting The Law Report on Radio National. She has also worked at the ACCC, the City of Melbourne, the Victorian Ombudsman and as a consultant. She has degrees in Law and English from the University of Western Australia and holds qualifications from the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Institute of Community Directors Australia and has attended the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership.

Dr Georgina Rychner

Senior Researcher

Georgina joined Victoria Law Foundation in June 2023 as a Senior Researcher.

Georgina has a PhD in Legal History from Monash University and has a history of quantitative and qualitative research, which includes working as a Senior Analyst for the Victorian Parliamentary Budget Office and several leading Australian universities.

Her work has been published in the International Journal for Crime, Justice, and Social Democracy, and other journals.

Hugh M. McDonald

Research Director
Victoria Law Foundation
Victoria Law Foundation

Studying legal need and capability from every angle, Hugh has worked on several landmark access the justice and legal needs projects. 

Previously at the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW for 15 years, Hugh joined Victoria Law Foundation in September 2019 as Principal Researcher, taking on the Research Director role in August 2024. He led the Foundation’s Data Mapping Project, a sustained examination of the use and utility of Victoria’s civil justice data and continues to work on the Public Understanding of Law Survey.

Throughout his career, Hugh has worked closely with legal aid commissions, community legal centres, and state and federal governments, giving him a deep understanding of legal institutions and access to justice issues throughout Australia.

Register

Event information

Host

Osgoode Hall Law School
York University
York University

Participants

Lynne Haultain
Executive Director
Victoria Law Foundation
Victoria Law Foundation
Dr Georgina Rychner
Senior Researcher
Hugh M. McDonald
Research Director
Victoria Law Foundation
Victoria Law Foundation

A New Perspective on Legal Need and Legal Capability is now available

The third report from the Public Understanding of Law Survey explores how attitudes, skills and confidence matter in satisfactorily resolving justiciable issues.