WHO WE ARE

Founding President of Legal Coaches Association

Jo-Anne has been a lawyer since 1993 and a strong advocate for access to justice, having worked as a legal coach in the Province of Saskatchewan.  As a member of both the British Columbia and Saskatchewan Bar, Jo-Anne has been invited to make numerous presentations on the topic of legal coaching and the use of technology to create efficiencies in the delivery of legal services, for both lawyers and law students.  Having spent many years as an arbitrator hearing thousands of cases, she is keenly aware of the challenges faced by self-represented litigants who are unable to afford lawyers and who do not qualify for legal aid services. Her development of a unique and affordable business model has transformed the way legal services can be provided virtually to self-represented clients.  Jo-Anne has created a training program to certify legal coaches and has written a book on legal coaching, Mastering the Art of Legal Coaching: The Legal Professional’s Guide to Empowering Clients.  She also served as the Director of Advocacy for the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch) and operates Stark Solutions Legal Coaching & Consulting, the first all-virtual law firm dedicated to legal coaching and consulting.

Anne is a collaborative family law lawyer in Ontario, Canada. She has been practicing law since 2003, focused primarily on family law and wills. For eight years Anne was the managing partner in a general practice firm. For the past decade she has also been a law instructor at the university and college level. In her very limited free time, Anne enjoys curling up with her dog and a good science fiction or fantasy novel.

Learn more about Anne at http://www.vespry.ca/

Terry Becker, M.Ed, CLC

Decades of working in the law firm have provided Terry with many skills. Among them, a planner, problem solver, change management stickhandler, policy wonk, educator, and livelong learner. A big believer in solid foundations built on trust. Fascinated with organizational theory, and a Workhuman follower. Educated as a paralegal, she chose to add teaching to her resume, and now educates the next generation of Legal Administrative Assistants, and Paralegals. She adds good health and mental wellness into classrooms along with the substantive and transactional curriculum to develop a well-rounded education to the next generation of legal professionals.

A 16-year cancer survivor dedicated to remaining that way! After losing her loyal and true friends, mini Schnauzers Miss P in 2016 and Casey in 2019, I rescued Lucy, a Schnoodle and Buddy, a Mini Schnauzer, and together they are em”barking” on a journey to enjoy the best of the rest!

Susan Justice, LLB., CLC

Susan Justice, a devoted family lawyer, brings her unwavering commitment and passion to her role as a member of the Board of Directors for the Legal Coaches Association. Her commitment to providing equal access to justice is evident in her dual approach to advocacy: she zealously represents her clients while also serving as a legal coach for individuals who cannot afford full legal services or prefer to represent themselves. Through her coaching, Susan empowers clients in the process of self-representation, breaking down barriers within the legal system. As a passionate community advocate, Susan co-founded South Asians Against Child Abuse (www.childhood.network), a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and providing resources to combat child abuse within the South Asian community. Her compassion for underprivileged children led her to author the book Children Who Dance in the Rain, which delves into the lives of these children while highlighting the importance of gratitude and privilege. To further support her cause, Susan donates 100% of the proceeds from every fourth copy of her book to various trusted charities, including GiveWell and Save the Children, helping underprivileged children worldwide.

Susan’s tireless efforts to give a voice to those in need and her unwavering passion for making the legal system more accessible showcase her remarkable dedication to social justice and community empowerment.

Crystal Hallett, CLC

Crystal began her career 10 years ago in Lloydminster Saskatchewan/Alberta working in various civil and family litigation matters. After moving to Red Deer Alberta to join the team at the Central Alberta Community Legal Clinic in 2019 as a Family Law Paralegal, she was offered an amazing opportunity to run and develop a Tenant Advocate Program with focus on tenancy matters and working with the vulnerable population to minimize homelessness.  In 2013, Crystal joined the Alberta Association of Professional Paralegals and in 2021, she joined the board as the Treasurer of the AAPP. In 2023, Crystal obtained her Legal Coaching certification and remains passionate about assisting self-represented litigations navigate through the often complex justice system.

As a proactive advocate for the regulation of the Paralegal profession, Crystal has been working towards her designation of becoming a Certified Mediator for dispute resolutions. Crystal enjoys spending time with her family and friends, spoiling her beautiful Grand-Daughters, camping, hiking and spending hot summer days on the Saskatchewan lakes with a fishing rod. And coffee.

Matt Canzer, LLB., CLC

Bailey Curtis, CLC

Bailey Curtis is a family law paralegal that brings almost ten years of dedicated experience to assisting families during hard times. Bailey has a strong understanding of the complexities in difficult relationships and high-conflict parenting situations. As a family law paralegal, she is a huge advocate for finding creative solutions to legal problems outside of court. She believes that most family law issues can be resolved amicably if experienced professionals are brought in to help navigate the dispute and to help fix any underlying communication issues.

Bailey understands the barriers to accessing justice with an underfunded Legal Aid system and the high costs required to hire a lawyer for representation. Bailey is the founder of the Edmonton Family Network and she aims to be part of the solution by making relevant information and resources accessible for those that need them.

Sarah O’Donnell, CLC

Sarah O’Donnell is a professional paralegal in Comox, BC and is a Certified Legal Coach. She is also an amateur equestrian. She works with Cowichan Tribes on Vancouver Island.

Jennifer Buckley, CLC

Jennifer has been working as a litigation paralegal since 2013 and specifically in the field of family law since 2014. Jennifer currently works as designated paralegal/certified legal coach at a family law firm, supporting the firm’s lawyers on many of their files

Jennifer also takes on her cases, assisting self-represented litigants navigate their family law cases in all 3 levels of court as well as alternative dispute resolution cases. In 2022, Jennifer became an approved participant with the Law Society’s Innovation Sandbox which has allowed her to expand her services and become more involved in her client’s cases.

Outside of her day job, Jennifer volunteers with a non-profit society as a manager and volunteer paralegal assisting self-represented litigants draft legal forms as well as provide educational resources to the general public. Jennifer has become dedicated to finding ways to help others find affordable ways to access legal education and knowledge so the public can feel empowered while navigating their own legal matters.