Indigenous Clients and Cultural Safety Policy

Purpose

As our ESG Policy says, NEO supports the legal profession's response to Call to Action 27 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, which calls for cultural competency training for the profession. This policy sets out what that commitment means for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people who come to us for help.

Our commitments

1. Training. Our licensees complete the continuing professional development the Law Society of Ontario requires, including any Indigenous cultural competency training it requires, and we support learning beyond the minimum.
2. Culturally safe service. We work to make our services culturally safe: respectful of each person's identity, culture and history, and free of racism and discrimination. Discrimination and harassment are never tolerated, under our Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy.
3. Working the way that suits you. We ask how you would like to work with us. You may bring a family member, a community member or an Elder as a support person, under our Family Members, Friends and Support Persons Policy. We can meet by phone or video if travel is hard, and we try to plan meetings around ceremonies and community responsibilities where we can.
4. Language. If you would like to work in an Indigenous language, tell us, and we will try to arrange an interpreter, under our Interpreters and Translation Policy.
5. Your circumstances before the court. The law sometimes requires a court to consider the circumstances of an Indigenous person, for example when sentencing for a criminal offence. We explain this to you and, with your instructions, make sure the court hears about them.
6. Knowing when you need someone else. If your matter involves Aboriginal or treaty rights, or is outside a paralegal's scope or our experience, we tell you as early as we can, and help you find a lawyer or another service that can help.
7. Your feedback. We want to know how we can do better. You can raise a concern with the principal under our Client Complaints Policy. The Law Society of Ontario also funds a free, confidential Discrimination and Harassment Counsel for anyone who has experienced discrimination or harassment by a licensee.

Review

This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and whenever the Law Society's By-Laws or rules change. The principal approves every change.

Questions

Email info@neolegalservices.com, call 647-200-3526 or toll-free 888-519-2435, or write to us at Unit 236, 1099 Kingston Road, Pickering, Ontario L1V 1B5.