About Us

The Human Rights Legal Support Centre is an independent agency, funded by the Government of Ontario, to provide legal services to individuals who believe that they have experienced discrimination. The Centre will provide legal assistance to individuals in taking an application to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario to resolve a human rights dispute.

ANAND, RAJ

Raj Anand is a partner with the Toronto law firm WeirFoulds LLP, where his practice includes human rights and employment law. He is a former Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission and has adjudicated complaints under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Mr. Anand acts for a variety of non-governmental organizations in public interest litigation. Mr. Anand graduated with the Dean's Key in 1978 from the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law. In 1997, he was the first recipient of the Advocates' Society Award of Justice. Mr. Anand has spoken and written on diverse subjects including trial, appellate and administrative advocacy and human rights.

PAPAGEORGIOU, EUGENIA (GINA)

Eugenia Papageorgiou is Counsel to the Class Proceedings Committee of the Law Foundation of Ontario. Prior to this, she was Litigation Partner at McCarthy Tetrault LLP, Assistant General Counsel at York University and Assistant Crown Attorney at the Ministry of the Attorney General. Ms. Papageorgiou is the current President and a board member of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic and a member of the Christian Development committee at Humbercrest United Church.

GIGNAC, NANCY

Nancy Gignac has served as an elementary school teacher, vice-principal, and principal with the Greater Essex County District School Board. She also served as Supervising Principal of Special Education, primarily responsible for special education programs and services in both elementary and secondary schools. Ms. Gignac has been a Program Developer and Sessional Instructor with the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor, and is currently working as a self-employed education consultant. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Windsor-Essex Children's Aid Society and the Maryvale Adolescent and Family services as both Board member and President.

GUSELLA, MARY

Mary Gusella has served as the Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, Canadian Chair of the International Joint Commission of Canada and the United States, a member of the Public Service Commission, President of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Chair and President of Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation. In addition, she was a Board member and President of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada and a member of the Canadian Human Rights Museum Advisory Committee. Ms. Gusella holds membership with the Law Society of Upper Canada and the International Commission of Jurists - Canadian Section. She has a Certificate from the Canadian Securities Institute and holds undergraduate degrees from the Universities of Toronto and Ottawa.

NADJIWAN, PATRICK

Patrick Nadjiwan is a member of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation. Mr. Nadjiwan has practiced Aboriginal Law for the past fifteen years, providing general legal counsel to clientele of First Nations Governments, Tribal Councils, Aboriginal organizations, and Aboriginal individuals. Mr. Nadjiwan operates his own legal firm, Nadjiwan Law Office, and has diverse experience in areas such as litigation, First Nation governance, corporate governance, administrative law, employment law, and constitutional law.

THOMAS, JAMES (JIM) RONALD

Jim Thomas is the President of the Centre for Creative Change, a change management consulting firm. He has over fourteen years of experience assisting Boards of Directors and large organizations in areas of Board effectiveness and governance. He conducts negotiations on behalf of the Ontario government and has facilitated many disputes and conflicts within the broader public sector. He is a former Ontario Deputy Minister of Labour and Management Board and is a lawyer and engineer.

LAIRD, KATHERINE

Katherine Laird served as a Vice Chair at the previous Human Rights Board of Inquiry from 1994 to 2001 and at the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal. From 1990 to 1994, Kathy was Counsel to the Chair of the Human Rights Board of Inquiry; from May 2007 to May 2008, Kathy served as Counsel to the Chair of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Acting).

In addition to her years in the tribunal sector, Ms Laird has been employed as a senior policy advisor at the Human Rights Commission and she practiced administrative law, including human rights law, for many years in Ontario’s legal clinic system.

Ms Laird is the 2004 recipient of the medal given by the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators for outstanding contribution to the administrative justice sector in Ontario.

The Staff of the Legal Centre includes:

  • Three legal services teams made up of Counsel and Legal Service Representatives
  • Each team will be linked to a region of the province and will deliver services in that region or support the legal services provided in that region by local service partners (including lawyers, legal clinics and other community-based partners)