ENSURING ACCESS TO Your Law Office and Services for People with Disabilities CHAIR David Lepofsky, CM, O. Ont. Chair, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Visiting Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School Co-Chair, Barrier-Free Canada April 6, 2017 cpd (Continuing Professional Development) *CLE17-0040100-A-PUB* The Law Society of Upper Canada| Barreau du Haut-Canada DISCLAIMER: This work appears as part of The Law Society of Upper Canada’s initiatives in Continuing Professional Development (CPD). It provides information and various opinions to help legal professionals maintain and enhance their competence. It does not, however, represent or embody any official position of, or statement by, the Society, except where specifically indicated; nor does it attempt to set forth definitive practice standards or to provide legal advice. 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The Law Society of Upper Canada 130 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5H 2N6 Phone: 416-947-3315 or 1-800-668-7380 Ext. 3315 Fax: 416-947-3991 E-mail: [email protected] www.lsuc.on.ca Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Ensuring Access to Your Law Office and Services for People with Disabilities ISBN 978-1-77094-590-6 (PDF) ISBN 978-1-77094-589-0 (Microsoft Word) cpd (Continuing Professional Development) cpd (Continuing Professional Development) ENSURING ACCESS TO Your Law Office and Services for People with Disabilities Chair: David Lepofsky, CM, O. Ont., Chair, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance; Visiting Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School; Co-Chair, Barrier-Free Canada April 6, 2017 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Total CPD Hours = 2 h Professionalism The Law Society of Upper Canada 130 Queen Street West Toronto, ON CLE17-0040100 Agenda 4:00 p.m. – 4:10 p.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks David Lepofsky, CM, O. Ont., Chair, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance; Visiting Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School; Co-Chair, Barrier-Free Canada 1 4:10 p.m. – 4:25 p.m. Overview of AODA Requirements, Conducting a Barrier Audit Geordie Gibbon, Manager, Public Education and Partnerships Unit, Accessibility Directorate of Ontario 4:25 p.m. – 4:40 p.m. Practical Strategies for Making Your Law Office’s Built Environment Accessible Thea Kurdi, DesignABLE Environments Inc. 4:40 p.m. – 4:55 p.m. How to Make Your Law Office Digitally Accessible with Accessibility of Your Website and Documents Sambhavi Chandrashekar, Accessibility Program Manager, D2L, Adjunct Professor, Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University 4:55 p.m. – 5:05 p.m. Questions and Answers 5:05 p.m. – 5:50 p.m. Panel Discussion of Practical Ideas to Make Your Law Practice Accessible to Clients with Disabilities Colleen Bauman, Goldblatt Partners LLP Robert Lattanzio, Executive Director, ARCH Disability Law Centre Cynthia Petersen, Discrimination and Harassment Counsel, The Law Society of Upper Canada Joanne Silkauskas, Executive Director, ReachCanada, Equality and Justice for People with Disabilities 5:50 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Questions and Answers 6:00 p.m. Program Ends 2 ENSURING ACCESS TO Your Law Office and Services for People with Disabilities April 6, 2017 THE NEW OBLIGATIONS SKU CLE17-0040100 Table of Contents TAB 1 Overview of AODA Requirements, Conducting a Barrier Audit Easy first steps ............................................................................ 1 to 1 Geordie Gibbon Manager, Public Education and Partnerships Unit Accessibility Directorate of Ontario TAB 2 Practical Strategies for Making Your Law Office’s Built Environment Accessible Tip Sheet – Accessible Office Spaces ............................................. 1 to 1 Thea Kurdi DesignABLE Environments Inc. TAB 3 How to Make Your Law Office Digitally Accessible with Accessibility of Your Website and Documents Digital Accessibility Tips and Resources ........................................ 1 to 1 1 Sambhavi Chandrashekar Accessibility Program Manager, D2L, Adjunct Professor Inclusive Design Research Centre OCAD University TAB 4 Practical Ideas to Make Your Law Practice Accessible to Clients with Disabilities Providing Legal Services for People with Disabilities ..................... 1 to 43 Interacting with Persons who have a Disability ........................... 44 to 58 Robert Lattanzio, Executive Director ARCH Disability Law Centre Helpful Resources ...................................................................... 59 to 59 Cynthia Petersen, Discrimination and Harassment Cousnel The Law Society of Upper Canada Resources and Links (Reach Canada) ......................................... 60 to 61 Joanne Silkauskas, Executive Directo ReachCanada, Equality and Justice for People with Disabilities TAB 5 Tips Considerations for Law Firms ........................................................ 1 to 1 Colleen Bauman, Goldblatt Partners LLP Reach Canada ................................................................................ 2 to 2 Joanne Silkauskas, Executive Director, ReachCanada, Equality and Justice for People with Disabilities General starting points and suggestions regarding disability Related accommodations and accessibility .................................... 3 to 3 Helpful materials as a resources as a starting point ........................ 3 to 4 Robert Lattanzio, Executive Director ARCH Disability Law Centre 2 Sample Memorandum Re: Designating an Office Point Person on Disability Accessibility and Accommodation .................................. 5 to 5 David Lepofsky, CM, O. Ont. Chair, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Visiting Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School Co-Chair, Barrier-Free Canada TAB 6 Brief to the Ontario Government on Necessary Revisions to the 2007 Customer Service Accessibility Standard (March 15, 2016) ......................................................................... 1 to 14 Prepared by: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance ARCH Disability Law Centre 3 The Law Society of Upper Canada| Barreau du Haut-Canada TAB 1 ENSURING ACCESS TO Your Law Office and Services for People with Disabilities Overview of AODA Requirements, Conducting a Barrier Audit Easy First Steps Geordie Gibbon Manager, Public Education and Partnerships Unit Accessibility Directorate of Ontario April 6, 2017 cpd (Continuing Professional Development Easy first steps: Ontario has accessibility laws. For a complete list of your organization’s requirements visit - www.ontario.ca/accessibility Use these free online resources to complete training requirements, and learn about accessible customer service - http://www.accessforward.ca/training Train your staff on how the Ontario Human Rights Code AODA work together - http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/learning/working-together-code-and-aoda Use this toolkit to make your workplace more accessible to employees with disabilities - http://www.conferenceboard.ca/accessibility/toolkit.aspx If your business or non-profit has 20 or more employees you are required to file a 2017 accessibility compliance report by December 31, 2017 - www.ontario.ca\accessibilityreport. We can help. Contact the AODA Help Desk at: Email: [email protected] Toll-free: 1-866-515-2025 TTY: 416-325-3408 / 1-800-268-7095 1 The Law Society of Upper Canada| Barreau du Haut-Canada TAB 2 ENSURING ACCESS TO Your Law Office and Services for People with Disabilities Practical Strategies for Making Your Law Office’s Built Environment Accessible Tip Sheet – Accessible Office Spaces Thea Kurdi DesignABLE Environments Inc. April 6, 2017 cpd (Continuing Professional Development) Tip Sheet - Accessible Office Spaces Simply put, it’s about equal access and a welcoming environment for a variety of needs and abilities – mobility, vision, hearing, cognitive, hand function, arm function, aging, etc. Create an office that serves a lifetime of changing needs and abilities. Here’s our top 5 get started items: 1. Office entrance – entry door may or may not be part of the base building – check your lease a. Power operator at the front door; b. Door handles lever hardware and door edge that’s colour contrasted; c. Door frame is colour contrasted to wall; d. Door threshold needs to be flush with the rest of the floor; and e. Clear door width of at least 860mm but better if it’s 950mm. 2. Interior Path of Travel – part of the leased space a. Any vestibule with doors in series requires at least 1500mm measured from the open door. If the doors are at right angles a turn space of at least 1500mm, recommend at least 2100mm; b. Clear path at least 1100mm but recommend 1800 for main paths and at least 1800mm turn spaces at decision making points; and c. Provide from entrance to all facilities within the office for both public and staff. 3. Reception area – part of the leased space a. Counter height no more than 865mm; b. Good lighting for lip reading; c. Hearing loop system for people with hearing aids and a sign so people know you have it; and d. Seating area that’s on an accessible route with the