Name of Organization: Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution
Website of Organization: https://winklerinstitute.ca/
Organization’s Mandate: Based at Osgoode Hall Law School, the Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution is a vibrant center for research on innovation in dispute resolution, access to justice and the future of the legal profession. Their projects range from exploring the potential for human-centered design and legal technology to transform justice services, to innovation in dispute prevention, resolution, and ADR, to new ways of thinking about the profession, legal education and empowerment.
Since opening its doors in 2014, the Winkler Institute has become a leading voice in Canadian justice innovation and reform.
Project Name: Dispute Resolution Access to Justice Research
Project Type: Public Legal Education (presentations, workshops, podcasts, brochures, blogs, etc.) & Research (memoranda used for internal purposes only)
Project Delivery: Remote
Description of Project: The pandemic has had a significant impact on the Canadian civil justice system. Backlogs are greater than ever, and there are profound implications for parties looking to resolve disputes.
Students will work with the Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution to collect and analyze information about a variety of tools being used to enhance access to justice in Canada. In particular, students will examine the potential benefits of using technology and artificial intelligence to enhance access to justice by reducing the cost of dispute resolution. Similarly, students will conduct research on the benefits of mandatory mediation and limited scope services arrangements in relation to civil dispute resolution with an eye toward expanding the Winkler Institute’s existing family law limited services directory.
Role of Student Volunteers: Students will conduct a jurisdictional review to detail how technology and AI are being used to reduce the time and cost of civil dispute resolution, the benefits of mandatory mediation, and availability of limited scope services arrangements in relation to civil dispute resolution. For each, students will identify models of innovation and help prepare a set of best practices for each.
The research will be complied into a research memo and published on the Winkler Institute website.
Role of Supervising Lawyer(s): The supervisor will train students, review, and approve student work prior to use by the partner organization, provide information about the Winkler Institute, and teach students about issues faced by the populations they serve.
Type of Law: Civil litigation, administrative law, family law.
Main Project Deliverable: Creating produced content (e.g. research memos, brochures, podcasts, etc.)
Number of Student Placements: 2 students
Hours per week the student volunteer(s) will be expected to work: 3-5 hours/week
Regular shifts or a flexible schedule: Flexible as research will be done remotely.
Is there a workspace provided for the student at the Organization: No
Devices and technologies the students will be required to have: Computer, internet access, Microsoft office.
Is there an expectation for the student(s) to be bilingual: No, but being multilingual is an asset.
Law School Pre-Requisites: Family law or an interest in civil dispute resolution are assets.
Other Requirements or Expectations: Students must have excellent research and writing skills.