Battling the Many Barriers Facing People with Disabilities in Society: A New Legislative Alternative to Traditional Human Rights/Charter Litigation

The Research Group on Health and Law (RGHL), in collaboration with the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism (CHRLP), welcomes David Lepofsky, for a RGHL Seminar.

Abstract

Why have so many people with disabilities across Canada been demanding comprehensive federal and provincial accessibility legislation? Because they don’t want to have to battle every accessibility barrier they face, one at a time. Learn about laws they've won in Ontario and Manitoba, and the ones now under development in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and at the federal level. Find out about the critical role lawyers can play in social justice advocacy.

Refreshments will be served. The event is free, but registration is obligatory as spaces are limited. Kindly RSVP to rghl [dot] law [at] mcgill [dot] ca.

About the speaker

David Lepofsky is a visiting professor (part-time) at Osgoode Hall Law School and an adjunct member of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. He holds volunteer leadership roles in the disability community.  He is chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance and the chair of the Toronto District School Board’s Special Education Advisory Committee.

Admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1981, Lepofsky practised law with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General in Toronto from 1982 to 2015, in constitutional, civil, administrative and criminal law. In 2004, he was appointed to the position of General Counsel. He has appeared on at least 30 cases in the Supreme Court of Canada in his career, as counsel or co-counsel, and in some 200 cases in the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Since 1991, he has been a part-time member of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law, where he teaches an advanced constitutional law seminar on freedom of expression and press. In January 2016, he also became a part-time visiting professor of legal ethics and public interest advocacy at Osgoode Hall Law School. 

This seminar is accredited by a recognized provider for 1.5 hours of continuing legal education (CLE).