This address examines the challenges that litigants in person present within legal proceedings, and the responsibilities of the profession in ensuring their effective inclusion. These challenges are evolving as unrepresented parties increasingly use generative AI to produce submissions, which may appear sophisticated on the face, but contain error and confusion.
The common response is to point to pro bono. While pro bono has its place, it can only ever be part of the response and is not the focus of this address. Instead, I argue that more fundamental shifts in everyday legal practice are required. Drawing on over a decade of research into access to justice and the experiences of litigants in person, I will identify practical ways in which lawyers can better understand and respond to these challenges, including the growing presence of AI-assisted advocacy.
Speaker: Bridgette Toy-Cronin
Associate Professor Bridgette Toy-Cronin is the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Otago. A graduate of the University of Auckland (LLB(Hons) & BA), Harvard University (LLM) and the University of Otago (PhD), her research focuses on access to justice, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of litigants in person and the civil justice system. Before moving into academia, she practiced in civil litigation in both New Zealand and Australia.
Time:
10.00am – in-person arrival, morning tea and networking
10.30am – session stars in-person and live online
12.00pm – session ends, guests depart
