Episode 93: Telling a New Family Law Story
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Episode 93: Telling a New Family Law Story
Broadcast Date: September 26, 2024
SUMMARY
David Lazzam, CIAJ’s articling student, welcomes back to the podcast Diana Lowe and Justice Rod Jerke to discuss the role of storytelling in effecting systemic change within family law systems, while also catching up on the new story being told at the Reforming the Family Justice System (RFJS) initiative.
Guests
- The Honourable Justice Rodney A. Jerke, Court of King’s Bench of Alberta
- Diana Lowe, K.C., Justice System Consulting at Re-imagining Justice and Co-Lead of the RFJS
Host
- David Lazzam, Articling Student, CIAJ
BIOGRAPHIES
- The Honourable Justice Rodney A. Jerke, Court of King’s Bench of Alberta
Justice Jerke has been a justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta since March 2011, originally resident in Lethbridge, and more recently in Edmonton. In addition to his sitting duties with the Court, since September 2018 he has been the Court’s Co-Convenor of the Reforming the Family Justice System initiative which is inspiring the re-imagining the family justice system to improve outcomes for children and families. He has served as a Co-Chair of the Court’s Access to Justice Steering Committee, and continues to be an ad hoc member of the Court’s Diversity, Inclusion and Access Steering Committee. Prior to his appointment, Justice Jerke practiced civil litigation in Lethbridge, Alberta. He was a frequent lecturer in trial advocacy and an active member of the Law Society of Alberta. He served as President of the Law Society from 2010-2011 and was also the President of Pro Bono Law Alberta, and the Chair of the Law Society of Alberta Conduct Committee.
- Diana Lowe, KC – lawyer and justice system consultant, Re-imagining Justice
Diana Lowe, KC is a lawyer with 40 years of experience which includes legal practice, research and reform of the civil and family justice systems in Canada, and most recently as Executive Counsel to the Chief Justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta. Since retiring from the Court in late 2020, Diana has established a consulting practice – “Re-imagining Justice”. She continues to support the Reforming the Family Justice System (RFJS) initiative in Alberta, and also works with other jurisdictions interested in justice system transformation. While many people are hesitant to undertake real change, she has come to recognize that she is “afraid not to” when it comes to the transformation that is needed in so many of our systems.
- David Lazzam, articling student, CIAJ
David is CIAJ’s 2024-25 articling student, having recently graduated from the University of Ottawa Common Law program. He previously obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Political Studies from Queen’s University. While in law school, he conducted legal research pertaining to law reform for groups such as the Ottawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic and the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, and served as the Canadian Bureau Chief of the international legal news site JURIST.
RELATED DOCUMENTATION
Book: “The Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era” by Harold R. Johnson
Report: The Story of Re-Imagining the Family Justice System, Study Leave Report by Justice R.A. Jerke, Court of King’s Bench of Alberta (May 25, 2023)
Video: During the Grande Prairie “Family Well-Being” Symposium held in February 2024, a mock hearing was recorded, which demonstrates the underlying approach in the RFJS, explains why this pilot is needed and highlights the community readiness that underpins this new approach to family practice. We encourage you to watch the edited (33 min) recording of that mock hearing: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/8p16z70nc1egddmatr6md/AOfB9jxcmOMHE13PtF7DZTQ?e=2&preview=RFJS_Courtroom+Scene_V3.mp4&rlkey=y6trgu433dhe8vnur9pk14rk2&st=8egc5yof&dl=0
Video: This video is based on the same facts, but demonstrates how applications are likely to proceed once the Notice to the Profession & Public is in effect, if indeed an application is even needed.
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/rD5deJJxKrHJb928oTDotDoYEaHITTrQPHbc91ioVS2OoDWTF1b7IE538wECQ2jk.L1udnl_8tfffFiis
Passcode: p.AsXM=0
Video: Justice Rod Jerke and Diana Lowe, KC were invited to speak to the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary on October 12, 2023 and a video of that presentation is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ5AfWBYrhU
Notice to the Profession and Public: https://albertacourts.ca/docs/default-source/qb/npp-2024-10-04-grande-prairie-pilot-project.pdf?sfvrsn=3c10982_7
Notice to the Profession & Public: RFJS Action Team Commentary
2024 Annual Conference on “Families and the Law”:
- Webpage: https://ciaj-icaj.ca/en/upcoming-programs/2024-annual-conference/
- Program: https://ciaj-icaj.ca/wp-content/uploads/events/2022/05/brochure_2024-annual-conference_en.pdf
- Registration form: https://www.imakeanonlinedonation.org/ciaj-icaj/P333/
Podcasts: Three-part series on “Family Law Reform”:
- Episode #48: Family Law Reform Part I: The Right to a Good Life – With guest Diana Lowe, K.C. (Justice System Consulting at Re-imagining Justice and Co-Lead of the RFJS)
- Episode #49: Family Law Reform Part II: Brain Science, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Resilience – With guests Nicole Sherren, PhD (Principal Consultant & Founder, R2P Solutions) and Diana Lowe, K.C. (Justice System Consulting at Re-imagining Justice and Co-Lead of the RFJS)
- Episode #50: Family Law Reform Part III: It’s All About the Children – With guests The Honourable Justice Rodney A. Jerke (Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta) and Diana Lowe, K.C. (Justice System Consulting at Re-imagining Justice and Co-Lead of the RFJS)
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