The Misuse of NDAs

The Every Lawyer

In this episode of the Every Lawyer we discuss restricting the use of NDAs in Canada’s legal system. Joining Julia for this timely discussion are:

Jo-Anne Stark is a lawyer and Certified Legal Coach and operates Stark Solutions Legal Coaching and Consulting which offers virtual help to self-represented litigants and training to lawyers who want to offer legal coaching to their own clients; she is the volunteer President of Legal Coaches Association, a non-profit she founded in 2019 to increase access to justice, a role which she has kindly agreed to talk about with us in another upcoming A2J episode of the Every Lawyer; she is also a former Director of Advocacy at CBABC.

Julie MacFarlane is a Distinguished University Professor (Emerita) at the University of Windsor. Julie has also held numerous visiting appointments at universities all over the world. Her books include The New Lawyer : How Clients are Transforming the Practice of Law 2nd edition, UBC Press 2017; Islamic Divorce in North America : Choosing a Shari’a Path in a Secular Society (OUP 2012).; and Going Public: a Survivor’s Journey from Grief to Action Between the Lines Press, 2020). Julie has received many awards for her work, including the International Academy of Mediators Award of Excellence (2005), the David Mundell Medal for Legal Writing (2016), and one of Canada’s 25 Most Influential Lawyers (2017). In 2020 she was named to the Order of Canada. She is co-founder with Zelda Perkins of Can’t Buy My Silence, which campaigns for a change in the law on the misuse of Non-Disclosure Agreements. Julie is also an authority on self-represented litigants and hosts a podcast on this topic which we highly recommend, Jumping Off the Ivory Tower.

Jumping Off the Ivory Tower with Prof Julie Mac – NSRLP (representingyourselfcanada.com)

Ronald A. Pink, K.C. practices in the fields of governance for organizations both public and private, pensions and benefits law, collective bargaining for public and private clients, municipal law, and labour and employment law. An advocate for labour relations, employment standards, and pensions and benefits, Ron has a long history with the Canadian Bar Association. He has served as President of the Nova Scotia Branch, Chair of the National Continuing Legal Education Committee, the first Chair of the International Development Committee and as acting Director of the Canadian Bar Insurance Association.

Jennifer Khor is Supervising Lawyer and Project Manager for the Community Legal Assistance Society’s SHARP Workplaces Legal Clinic. Jennifer provides legal advice and delivers education and training on workplace sexual harassment. She is also a member of the Uniform Law Conference of Canada’s working group on NDA’s.