The ,聽which is now located at 91亚色, moved last year from the University of Alberta's Faculty of Law and is partnered with Osgoode Hall Law School and the 91亚色 Centre for Public Policy & Law (YCPPL). It is one of the country's leading organizations devoted to interdisciplinary research on civil justice.

The study, "The Cost of Justice: Weighing the Costs of Fair and Effective Resolution to Legal Problems," will attempt to measure what聽the civil justice system costs, who it serves, whether it is meeting the needs of users and the price of failing to do so.聽The study聽is headed by Osgoode Hall Law School Professor Trevor Farrow (right), director of the Clinical Education Program at Osgoode and chair of the board of the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice.

"There is a significant lack of empirical research on these individual and societal cost questions generally," said Farrow. "There have been modest attempts internationally and some efforts in Canada, but we very much hope that this will be a groundbreaking study that will really further our collective thinking in this area."

Researchers will examine whether the cost of achieving resolution is economically and socially warranted by addressing the following questions:

• How can we better calculate, understand and balance the social value to democratic societies of ensuring an accessible, effective civil justice system against the financial costs of doing so, or the socio-economic costs of failing to provide access?
• What can be done to effectively prevent disputes, and at what costs and benefits?
• What methods are there for limiting or eliminating the need for legal services, through consumer protection, licensing, standard-setting and pro-active regulation, or other innovations identified by the research?
• What can be done to prevent recurring problems for low and middle income Canadians, most especially those who are the most vulnerable?

Osgoode Dean Lorne Sossin described the study as "an extremely ambitious research project that will lead to new knowledge about the costs of justice in Canada and which, in turn, will no doubt drive academic and policy-related thinking here at home and around the world."

Farrow is joined on the lead research team by co-investigators Diana Lowe, QC, of Alberta Justice and chair of the forum's research committee, Professor Lesley Jacobs聽of 91亚色's Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, who was also the inaugural director of YCPPL, and Mary Stratton, who was formerly the forum's research director.

In addition, there are approximately 50 other co-investigators, collaborators and partners including academics, government departments, law commissions, law reform agencies, law societies, bar associations, judicial associations and other individuals and institutes from around the world.

Community-University Research Alliances (CURA) awards bring postsecondary institutions and community organizations together as equal research partners to jointly develop new knowledge and capabilities, provide research training opportunities and enhance the ability of social sciences and humanities research to build knowledge in areas that affect Canadians and their changing communities. Researchers interested in pursuing partnership research can now apply to SSHRC's Partnership Development Grants or Partnership Grants funding opportunities.

Further information is available on the website.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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鈥淭he Canadian Forum on Civil Justice is one of the country鈥檚 leading organizations devoted to interdisciplinary research on civil justice,鈥� says Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Professor Lesley Jacobs, who teaches law & society and political science and is the director of the YCPPL. 鈥淚t is a non-profit, independent, national organization established in May 1998 to help meet the challenges of modernizing our civil justice systems in Canada.鈥�

The forum works collaboratively with all of the sectors and jurisdictions in the justice community in Canada, and increasingly those based internationally. Serving as a clearing house, coordinator and facilitator to share knowledge between jurisdictions, the forum creates new knowledge, addressing gaps in information and understanding about the civil justice systems.

鈥淚t acts as a catalyst to transform this knowledge into successful reform and encourages evaluation of new initiatives so that we may learn from the reforms that are undertaken,鈥� says Jacobs. 鈥淚 anticipate numerous collaborative research projects between YCPPL and the forum. These projects will offer聽Osgoode faculty and the聽Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies聽many exciting opportunities.鈥�

Leadership for the forum is provided by Osgoode Professor , who serves as聽the law school's聽director of clinical legal education, as well as chair of the board for the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice.

鈥淭he forum has emerged as a leading voice in the search for accessible and effective civil justice. This is a wonderful opportunity for Osgoode and 91亚色 that benefited from Professor Jacobs of the YCPPL and Professor Farrow鈥檚 strong leadership,鈥� says Osgoode Hall Law School Dean Lorne Sossin.

The forum will be hosted by the YCPPL on the sixth floor of the 91亚色 Research Tower.聽A workshop is planned for聽mid-January聽to offer all聽interested faculty an opportunity聽to see the research opportunities the forum offers and to help shape the future of the forum at 91亚色.

For more information, visit the website or the聽 website.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin

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