The Young Bar of Montreal launches its new Human Rights Tribunal hearing preparation service

The Young Bar of Montreal ("JBM"), with the support of the Bar of Montreal, is proud to announce the launch of a new hearing preparation service ("SPA") at the Human Rights Tribunal. This service will enable unrepresented parties involved in proceedings before the Human Rights Tribunal to receive free assistance from a volunteer lawyer to prepare their case and familiarize themselves with the hearing process.

This new JBM service is part of a drive to make justice more accessible and to simplify the public's experience before the Human Rights Tribunal. In addition to the preparation of proceedings service offered by Justice Pro bono to litigants who have received a decision from the Commission des droits de la personne et de la jeunesse to cease acting in their case (under the provisions of the Quebec Human Rights Act), the JBM is now able to offer the public the opportunity to have their case heard by the Human Rights Tribunal.(under sections 80 and 84 of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms), the SPA will enable litigants, both plaintiffs and defendants, to appear before the Human Rights Tribunal better prepared and informed.

"We are pleased to improve access to justice with the launch of the Service de préparation à l'audition au Tribunal des droits de la personne, which is part of the JBM's dual mission. It's thanks to this type of initiative that litigants can have better access to justice. "

- Alexandra Paquette, President of the Young Bar of Montreal

This new hearing preparation service adds to the JBM's already extensive range of services designed to facilitate interaction between the public and the legal system. Every year, hundreds of litigants receive pro bono legal services from JBM volunteer lawyers, enabling them to better prepare for their hearing, assert their rights and present a complete defense.

About the JBM

Founded in 1898, the JBM brings together lawyers with ten years' practice or less in Montreal, representing over 6,000 members, or one-third of the lawyers called to the Montreal Bar. This makes it one of the largest associations of young lawyers in the world, in terms of numbers for a single city. Its mission is twofold. On the one hand, it defends and promotes the interests of its members. On the other, it provides legal information to the public on a pro bono basis, and offers a number of services to help Quebecers gain access to justice. To find out more about our commitments to the public, visit the Services to the public section of our website: http://ajbm.qc.ca.

Press contact

Adam Alaoui | Communications and Public Relations Manager

514 954-6936 | aalaoui@ajbm.qc.ca | www.ajbm.qc.ca