Trauma Informed Care for the Legal Profession Webinar Series

"Trauma Informed Care for the Legal Profession" is a 6 part webinar series, focused on the core concepts of trauma informed care (Safety, Trustworthiness and Transparency, Peer Support, Collaboration and Mutuality, Empowerment and Cultural, Historical and Gender Issues).

The webinar will include evidence supporting the relevance of this model, and review how trauma is experienced and the impact of trauma on every day life. The science and neuro-biology will be reviewed, with references to studies and articles published in academic journals. Learning objectives are specified to meet the Law Society’s definition of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as a means to maintain or enhance a lawyer or paralegal’s professional knowledge, skills, attitudes and professionalism.

Accreditation by The Law Society of Ontario:

This program contains 7 hours and 30 minutes of Professionalism content and 1 hour and 30 minutes of EDI Professionalism content.

Webinar Outline:

• Participants will complete an assessment tool before and after training, identifying their understanding of trauma informed care, and changes for implementation of this model into practice/workplace
  
• Trauma informed care helps lawyers and legal staff provide more enhanced client advocacy and support, by creating an environment of safety, trust, and respect
  
• Participants will better understand the experiences, needs, & goals of clients, staff, colleagues, resulting in more effective legal representation
  
• Participants will identify signs of big T and little T trauma and neurodiversity in others, & provide empathy
  
• Professional legal services will be enhanced by new tools for collaboration & mutuality with a focus on psychological, professional, & client safety
  
• Participants will learn the neuroscience of the impact of trauma on brain development, structure and function, learn about developmental trauma, accident trauma, and how trauma impacts the brain and body over the life span (personal stress in daily functioning will be reviewed with tools)
  
• Trauma often disrupts the individual's ability to form healthy attachments, thus a review of attachment theory (a key component to trauma informed care) will support participants in relating to others
  
• Participants will learn how to set healthy personal, relational & professional boundaries, tools for emotional regulation & distress (in self and others), moving to a strengths based model for empowering voice and choice
  
• Models for solution focused, interpersonal & inter-professional effectiveness will be discussed, with a focus on collaboration, sensitivity training and conflict resolution
  
• The balance of information sharing, trustworthiness & transparency in legal proceedings will be discussed, with specific guides for how to proceed, using trauma informed care
  
• Ethical and legal obligations will be reviewed, with a focus on promoting safety and reducing risks for professionals
  
• EDI: Cultural awareness and sensitivity will be reviewed with tools for mindful and intentional practice and exercises for transformational practice by challenging limiting beliefs ("othering") for professional competency
  
• All topics will be reviewed using case examples, stories, videos designed towards achieving desired outcomes