Event marks launch of Chief Justice Richard Wagner Awards for student volunteers
On Thursday March 5, the U of T and Osgoode chapters of Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC) held their joint Volunteer Appreciation Event at the Toronto office of PBSC’s national law firm partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP.
The event marked the launch of a new award for student volunteers, the inaugural Chief Justice Richard Wagner Awards. The awards recognize one extraordinary leader from each of PBSC’s participating law school chapters throughout Canada, while elevating the need for more engagement in the access to justice crisis.
The Right Honourable Richard Wagner was in attendance to present the awards.
PBSC student volunteers filled the room, and a number of pro bono lawyers as well as representatives of partner organizations were also present. Event attendees mingled, conversed over drinks and canapés, and enjoyed the 53rd floor view.
Nikki Gershbain, chief inclusion officer at McCarthy Tétrault and former national director at PBSC, made opening remarks about the importance of pro bono work. Samantha Hans (2L) and Christopher Dias, program coordinators of the U of T and Osgoode chapters, respectively, thanked student volunteers and spoke about some of their chapters’ milestones and accomplishments over the past year.
PBSC’s current national director, Brittany Twiss, took to the podium to highlight the impact of PBSC volunteers across the country. Twiss provided the audience with the context for the awards, explaining that the awards started as a small grassroots initiative at the University of Ottawa chapter in 2019, and are issued in honour of Chief Justice Wagner, given his commitment to closing the justice gap and embodying the PBSC values of dignity, integrity, and humility. Twiss proceeded to invite Dean Edward Iacobucci to introduce Chief Justice Wagner.
Chief Justice Wagner opened his speech with the importance of building public trust in the legal system. “When people lose confidence in the justice system, it’s a short step to losing confidence in society,” he said, stating that citizens who feel disempowered while caught up in the justice system become disengaged.
“What gives me great hope speaking to you tonight is your commitment to access to justice,” he said. “Please keep this sense of idealism alive.”
Chief Justice Wagner at the podium. Photo credit: Kenya-Jade Pinto.
Chief Justice Wagner reminded students that dedicating time and energy to serve underprivileged clients is not just for obtaining experience or for padding resumes, but “an integral part of what it means to be a lawyer in 2020.”
“Too many people fall through the cracks of the justice system every day,” said Chief Justice Wagner, reminding attendees that they have the ability to help individuals achieve access to justice and obtain legal solutions that empower them.
He also cautioned against treating pro bono cases like law school fact patterns, and encouraged students to truly connect with pro bono clients and act with humility. “Put your clients’ humanity front and centre in each of your interactions with them,” Chief Justice Wagner said, urging students to be empathetic and non-judgmental in order to gain a better understanding of the full picture.
Furthermore, Chief Justice Wagner noted that individual actions for justice are not enough on their own, and that even if every lawyer were to participate in pro bono work there would still remain gaps in access to justice.
He highlighted the necessity of taking action on the systemic level. A part of this includes making the legal profession more diverse, with a diverse bar and bench that would be more responsive to the public and more understanding of the public’s needs.
“We will never have a perfect system of justice but we must strive for something better,” said Chief Justice Wagner, concluding his speech, voicing a vision of a legal system that is “more just, more inclusive, and equal to all.”
He thanked PBSC for taking action and for making pro bono part of the fibre of the legal profession. He also thanked student volunteers, saying, “you are an inspiration to me. Your leadership is critical to advancing positive legal change in Canada.”
With that, Chief Justice Wagner introduced the U of T and Osgoode chapter recipients of the inaugural Chief Justice Richard Wagner Awards. U of T’s Crystal Park (GPLLM candidate) was recognized for her work with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association through PBSC, as well as volunteer work in the community.
Osgoode’s Julia Kennedy was recognized for her work with PBSC’s Trans ID Clinic in conjunction with The 519 and SKETCH Toronto.
Gordon Baird, chair of the McCarthy Tétrault National Pro Bono Committee, then took to the podium to thank Chief Justice Wagner for dedicating his name to the award. Baird reminded the audience that lawyering is more than a job. It is a profession that comes with additional obligations.
Tresa Zacharia (2L) and Matías Contreras León, program coordinators of the U of T and Osgoode Chapters respectively, again thanked PBSC’s partner organizations, lawyer supervisors and student volunteers, and brought the formal portion of the evening to an end.
Event attendees lingered for more conversation over dessert, and guests took home notebooks emblazoned with the logos of PBSC and McCarthy Tétrault and bearing a quotation from Chief Justice Wagner: “to deny access to justice is to deny people their dignity, to say that some people are worthy of justice and some aren’t.”
PBSC’s mission is to provide free legal support to people and communities facing barriers to justice. Each year, the organization recruits approximately 1,600 law student volunteers across 22 partnering law schools who work with community partners and under the supervision of pro bono lawyers to serve over 13,000 people.
The organization’s student volunteers provide approximately 130,000 hours of free legal support annually, helping to close the justice gap while providing students with opportunities to develop valuable skills and experiences.
*Editor’s Note: Angela Gu is a PBSC volunteer in the U of T Chapter.
