Webinar: Family law and domestic violence: the ethical obligations of judicial actors / Droit de la famille et violence conjugale : les obligations déontologiques des acteurs judiciaires
A number of Canadian jurisdictions recently amended their family law statutes to include a definition of domestic or family violence (“FV”), but are legal practitioners capable of identifying situations in which these provisions could be applied? Do they have the qualifications and training needed to handle FV cases?
This webinar discusses the rules of conduct for legal practitioners involved in FV cases and unfolds in three parts: 1) ethical obligations of lawyers, notaries, family mediators and judges in Quebec 2) current practices of family law judges and lawyers and issues surrounding errors of law and ethical misconduct 3) best practices for handling FV cases. This webinar is a presentation of the brief issue no. 18 titled Family Violence and Family Law: Ethical Obligations of Family Law Practitioners.
Speakers:
Dominique Bernier: Me Dominique Bernier is a professor in the Department of Legal Sciences at UQAM. A member of the Barreau du Québec since 2008, she holds a master’s degree in law from Université Laval and a doctorate in law from the University of Ottawa. Her doctoral studies focused on judicial control practices and social intervention strategies used with drug and alcohol users in the justice system. Her current research focuses on the criminal justice process and the effects of the waiver of rights, self-advocacy and access to justice, recognition of domestic violence, forms of alternative justice and specialized courts.
Daphnée B. Ménard: Lawyer and PhD Law student at the University of Ottawa, Daphnée B. Ménard participated in the Supporting the Health of Survivors of Family Violence in Family Law Proceedings project as a research professional for the Quebec team. She is also a lecturer in law at the Université de Sherbrooke.