Access to Justice Week BC
From Challenges to Possibilities: Reimagining Access to Justice
February 2 to 6, 2026
Access to Justice Week is an opportunity to engage with the access to justice movement that is taking place in BC and beyond.
Challenging periods often reveal where human systems fall short, but they also create space for reinvention. Across BC, access to justice is being tested by economic pressures, social inequities, and the realities of navigating complex or cumulative legal problems. Yet, these same challenges offer opportunities to transform what justice looks like, with a focus on people and addressing siloed or overly complicated processes.
This year’s A2J Week BC theme asks: What works, what doesn’t, and how do we know? We will explore how research, practice and innovation are coming together to better understand the outcomes that our legal system creates and to identify models that can reach those most at the margins. By focusing on effectiveness and specific populations, we can ask more meaningful questions about what justice feels like for those experiencing it and what it requires from those delivering it.
The week will also spotlight those who are shaping this change: From law students and community advocates to educators and legal professionals who are integrating access to justice efforts into their daily work. By learning from one another, we renew our collective purpose and commitment to building a system grounded in empathy and evidence. When external pressures meet user-centred ideation and approaches, transformation becomes possible.
Province of BC Proclamation
The Province of British Columbia proclaimed and declared that February 2 to 6, 2026, shall be known as Access to Justice Week.
Register Now!
Make sure you register for the week's events below!
You can also check out the websites of partner organizations, which provide access to justice information and educational opportunities throughout the year.
Mon Feb 2
The Future of Human Rights: International Conference on Race and Access to Justice
All day event
In person: Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC and online
With a formal keynote address followed by a panel of distinguished speakers, as well as debates by leading legal scholars and human rights experts, this conference provides an unparalleled opportunity to address issues of race and access to justice within Canada’s human rights system and the possibilities for reform.
UVic Law Inaugural Lecture - Access to Justice: Ancora Imparo
12:30–1:20 pm
In person: Fraser Bldg, Rm B142
UVic Law is pleased to host the Inaugural Lecture of Professor Michelle Lawrence, Director of the Access to Justice Centre for Excellence. In this lecture, Professor Lawrence will consider the uncomfortable question of whether barriers to access to justice are embedded within the law itself. Guided by legal and criminological research spanning criminal, civil, and administrative contexts, she will probe circumstances in which the requirements law and evidence may be inadvertently and unnecessarily frustrating the ambitions of justice for deserving litigants in Canada.
Speakers: Professor Michelle Lawrence, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria
Justice Kickoff
10:00-11:30 am
In person: Old Main Building Atrium
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Law is pleased to kick off A2J Week with this event, featuring an interactive experience designed to get students engaged with access to justice in a fun and accessible way. The event will include breakfast food, prizes, and hands-on mini-games such as Barrier Toss (breaking down justice barriers), Pin the Court (learning how jurisdiction and geography affect access to justice), Plain Language Challenge (translating legalese into everyday terms to show how difficult legal language can be), and Match the Need (pairing common legal problems with the organizations that can help). This event is designed to spark interest in access to justice while giving students a chance to learn, play, and win prizes.
Tue Feb 3
The Future of Human Rights: International Conference on Race and Access to Justice
All day event
In person: Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC and online
With a formal keynote address followed by a panel of distinguished speakers, as well as debates by leading legal scholars and human rights experts, this conference provides an unparalleled opportunity to address issues of race and access to justice within Canada’s human rights system and the possibilities for reform.
Integrating Access to Justice Work in Private Practice
Faculty of Law, University of Victoria
12:30–1:50 pm
Hybrid: Fraser Bldg, Rm 157
Link to be provided to UVic Law students wanting to join virtually.
UVic Law’s Access to Justice Student Club is pleased to host BC lawyers, Kate Scallion, Juliet Watts, and Rajiv Gandhi, for a panel discussion that will explore strategies for aspiring access to justice lawyers to meaningfully and productively engage in pro/low bono work while managing demanding private practice careers.
Speakers:
The Future of Justice with B.C.’s Attorney General
4:30–5:30 pm
Online
Counsel pursuing access to justice for clients can only do so much by themselves.
To enact real change for British Columbians, the systems in place need to support those efforts. The Honourable Niki Sharma, KC, Attorney General of BC, provides her perspective on key issues in this area, the BC government’s plans to increase access to justice, and strategies for lawyers to amplify these prospective solutions.
Come prepared with your pressing questions for the AG and participate in an interactive dialogue on the future of access to justice.
Tue Feb 3
Panel Event: A2J Interior BC Perspectives
6:00-7:30 pm
Location: TBD
TRU Law will host a panel discussion focused on access to justice in Interior BC, bringing together legal professionals to share their experiences working in rural and interior communities. The panel will explore the challenges that arise from geography, limited resources, and systemic barriers, while also highlighting creative solutions and emerging possibilities in access to justice. The discussion will give students insight into how access to justice challenges uniquely affect communities outside major urban centres.
Speakers:
Odette Dempsey-Caputo, Executive Director, Okanagan Thompson Legal Clinic and Anusha Joshi, Articling Student, TRU Community Legal Clinic
Wed Feb 4
How Courts and Tribunals Are Working with Self‑Litigants Who Use AI
12:00–1:30 pm
Online
This three‑part event opens with a presentation by Professor Amy Salyzyn, who will discuss how BC courts and tribunals are currently working with self‑litigants who use AI.
The program then moves into a panel discussion moderated by Professor Andrew Pilliar.
The event concludes with a Q&A session facilitated by Jenny Gu, Lawyer and Co‑Chair of Amici Curiae Friendship Society's Technology Committee.
Restorative Routes to Justice
12:30–1:30 pm
Online
When the adversarial approach falls short in meeting people’s needs, restorative justice offers a user-centered alternative. Focused on dialogue, accountability and healing, restorative justice approaches lead to better outcomes for everyone involved and reduce the number of cases that go to trial.
This fireside chat brings together lawyers across practice areas to share real-life examples of restorative justice in action. Explore principles to use in your practice when formal programs are inaccessible and how to apply them to criminal files, employment mediation and conflict resolution.
Thu Feb 5
Managing Advocacy’s Mental Toll
4:30–5:30 pm
Online
Access to justice work is empowering, but it can also take a toll. Lawyers engaged in this area often face mental health challenges due to the intense and emotional work, with those from equity-deserving groups at even greater risk as societal, cultural and identity-related pressures magnify the strain.
A panel of lawyers at different career stages share candid experiences of navigating burnout and trauma while staying grounded in the sense of purpose that access to justice provides. Learn from their stories and adopt strategies to strengthen your own resilience.
Flourishing: Lessons for Law Schools to Strengthen Public Legal Education & Information
12:30-1:30 pm
In-person: Fraser Bldg, Rm B261
Professor Catherine Dauvergne will share findings from her groundbreaking report, Flourishing: A Plan to Strengthen Public Legal Education and Information (PLEI), including key recommendations for law school in relation to future research priorities, curriculum development and support for student-led PLEI initiatives.
Speaker: Professor Catherine Dauvergne
Moderator: Professor Andrew Pilliar
Fri Feb 6
Where We’re Going Together: Learning, Connecting, and Shaping the Future of Access to Justice
12:00–2:00pm
Online
Join Access to Justice BC (A2JBC) and the Transform the Family Justice System (TFJS) Collaborative for an interactive, dialogue to explore where we’re headed and how you can help shape the path forward. Designed for both long-time participants and those new to our work, we’ll walk through A2JBC’s new Strategic Plan and TFJS Strategy Map, share what we’re learning, and invite your reflections on what’s needed next. Expect meaningful conversation, space to connect with others and some A2J trivia to keep things lively! Together, we’ll reflect on what’s working, what’s missing, and what we want to build next.
Supporting Organizations
