Presentation at LawTechCamp on May 12, 2012, University of Toronto Faculty of Law, as part of a line-up of Startup Demos.

1. Omar Ha-Redeye, JD
General Manager,
My Support Calculator

2. Family Law in Crisis
 Chief Justice Warren Winkler:
 The current family law system is too slow, too
complex, too adversarial and, above all, too costly. There
is no other area of the justice system where we have the
opportunity to bring about reforms that will have a
greater positive impact on Ontarians. Despite
improvements in family law services that have been
made in recent years, much more must be done if
substantial improvements are to be made. In my
opinion, family law reform must be our highest priority.

3. Public Outrage

4. Rules of Professional Conduct
4.06 (1) A lawyer shall encourage
public respect for and try to
improve the administration of
justice.

5. Why the Crisis?
 Nicholas Bala and Rachel Birnbaum (2011)
 inability to afford a lawyer
 unrepresented parties increases the costs for the
represented party and for justice system
 more difficult to settle
 delays due to lack of familiarity
 may cost more than not hiring a lawyer

6. Statement of Principles on Self-represented
Litigants and Accused Persons
 4. Self-represented persons, like all other litigants, are
subject to the provisions whereby courts maintain
control of their proceedings and procedures. In the
same manner as with other litigants, self-represented
persons may be treated as vexatious or abusive
litigants where the administration of justice requires
it. The ability of judges to promote access may be
affected by the actions of self-represented litigants
themselves.

7. The Lawyer as an Educator
 7% of lawyers report that self-represented litigants
believe they can do a better job than a lawyer
(Birnbaum & Bala)
 The Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAGs) are
not legislation, but are incredibly complex
 Essentially impossible for self-reps to accurately
calculate support

8. My Support Calculator
 launched in 2011
 only site in Canada providing the public free and
accurate child support and spousal support
calculations
 calculation is very simplified
 intended to provide a starting point for litigants
 rough estimate of support as a starting point for
calculations

9. The Rules (Again)
3.01(1) A lawyer shall make legal
services available to the public
in an efficient and convenient
way.

10. Unbundled Services
 85% lawyers already provide limited scope retainers
(Birnbaum & Bala)
 New Rules of Professional Conduct
 Website lists directory of practitioners, some of whom
offer unbundled services
 Public can more readily identify areas where they
require assistance
 Special expenses, dividends, self-employed, etc.

11. More Information
 http://mysupportcalculator.ca
 @MySupportCal
 omar@mysupportcalculator.ca
 Ha-Redeye, Omar, Litigating Family Law Economically: The Case Study
of My Support Calculator, and Lessons for the Civil Litigation Bar (April
30, 2012). Ontario Bar Association, "Litigating Economically.”
Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2047104