PHOTO: The National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP) and Windsor Law
Launched in January, “School for Family Litigants” was a free 12-week online pilot program offering information and strategies to help self-represented litigants understand and navigate the family law system in Canada. The Department of Justice Canada funded the program, which ran from January to April.
“We were blown away by the incredible response to this program,” said Dayna Cornwall, NSRLP project manager. “Broadening our resources for self-represented litigants in Canada is paramount.”
NSRLP staff and various family law experts across the country, including Justice Lloyd Dean of the Ontario Court of Justice, led the sessions. At the end of the program, each participant received a certificate of completion signed by Julie Macfarlane, the NSRLP founder.
NSRLP confirmed that when it opened registration in December 2021, the 40 slots it allotted had been filled in within two hours. Thus, it plans to offer the program again.
“Since this was a successful pilot program, we hope to offer the course again this fall and expand the offerings next year,” said Moya McAlister, NSRLP communications manager.
The National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP) builds on the National Self-Represented Litigants (SRL’s) Research Study conducted by Dr. Julie Macfarlane from 2011-2013. The Project takes its mandate from the Final Recommendations of the Research Report: 10 Actions Steps for the SRL Phenomenon.