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Trauma-Informed Advocacy: Ethical Advocacy, Client Dignity, and Effective Practice

An ethics-focused introduction to trauma-informed advocacy that equips legal professionals with practical tools to advocate effectively while protecting client dignity and professional well-being.
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Included with our Passes – Learn more

  • Instructor

Caryma Sa’d

  • Date

October 20, 2026 at 10:00am EST

  • Price

$30

  • Duration

1 hour

  • Format

Attend Live Online and On-Demand Recording

Summary

This course introduces legal professionals to trauma-informed advocacy and its role in ethical, client-centered legal practice. Participants will examine how trauma can affect memory, communication, behaviour, and decision-making, and how traditional legal processes may unintentionally re-trigger harm. Through practical strategies, reflective tools, and ethical frameworks, the course equips practitioners to conduct interviews, provide advice, and advocate effectively while preserving client dignity, informed consent, and professional competence. The program also addresses lawyer well-being and vicarious trauma, supporting sustainable and responsible legal practice.

What You'll Learn

  • How trauma affects client communication, memory, and behaviour, and how to recognize trauma responses in legal settings.
  • How to conduct trauma-informed interviews and client communications without compromising legal obligations.
  • How to integrate ethical, trauma-informed advocacy into litigation, tribunal work, and client advising.
  • How to maintain professional boundaries and competence while practicing empathy.
  • How to identify and manage vicarious trauma and burnout in legal practice.

Includes:

  • Attendance at the live webinar
  • Access to recorded webinar until December 31, 2027
  • Eligible for CPD Credits / Hours (listed under CPD Credits)
  • Certificate of Completion

$30

Enroll now

CPD Credits

For Lawyers and Paralegals

  • Law Society of Ontario
EDI: This program is eligible for up to 1 hour.

Course Outline

  • Understanding different forms of trauma
  • Acute, chronic, complex
  • Common sources of trauma encountered in legal practice
  • How trauma affects memory, communication, demeanour, and decision-making
  • Dispelling myths about “unreliable” or “difficult” clients

  • Power imbalances and client vulnerability
  • How standard legal processes can re-trigger trauma
  • Recognizing trauma responses in client behaviour
  • Withdrawal, anger, inconsistency, avoidance
  • Maintaining boundaries while practicing empathy

  • Creating psychological safety in client interactions
  • Asking necessary questions without unnecessary harm
  • Managing difficult disclosures and emotional responses
  • Informed consent and client autonomy in trauma-affected cases
  • Practical communication tools

  • Trauma-informed practice as an element of competence
  • Balancing zealous advocacy with client well-being
  • Seeking accommodations for tribunal and court processes

  • Recognizing vicarious trauma and burnout in legal professionals
  • Ethical implications of impaired practice
  • Strategies for sustainability without pathologizing

  • Trauma-informed checklist for legal practice
  • Red flags and common missteps
  • Integrating trauma-informed principles without compromising advocacy

  • Review of sample precedents
  • Brainstorming a sample cover letter
    • Key facts
    • Legal argument
    • Sample document checklist

(40 minutes)

  • Review of sample precedents
  • Brainstorming a sample cover letter
    • Key facts
    • Legal argument
    • Sample document checklist

(5 minutes)

Passes

This course is included in the following passes:

Annual Membership

$800

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Paralegal Pass

$400

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Fulfill your CPD requirements with our expertly curated passes. Dive deep into specialized topics or explore a wide range of courses—all in one convenient package. Learn more. 

Instructor

Caryma Sa'd

Lawyer

Founder, Law Office of Caryma Sa’d

Linkedin

Caryma believes that the legal system ought to provide justice to the people it is meant to serve. A major component of her current work involves advocacy with respect to affordable housing and drug policy reform.

 

An educator at heart, Caryma is frequently called upon by the media as a trusted source for their news stories. Her cases and legal commentary have been featured by reputable media outlets including Associated Press, BNN Bloomberg, CBC, Canadian Lawyer, CityNews Toronto, CP24, CTV, Global Toronto, Globe and Mail, Law Times, Ming Pao, Sing Tao, StarMetro Vancouver, Toronto Star, TVO, Winnipeg Free Press, and VICE News.

 

Caryma articled at a top-tier Bay Street litigation boutique where she had the opportunity to work under the direct tutelage of some of Canada’s leading litigators. She was selected for a secondment to one of the Big Five banks.

 

Caryma graduated cum laude from the University of Ottawa in 2015. She was ranked 1st out of 265 students in English Common Law during her first year, and received several prizes for academic excellence. She was awarded an Ontario Graduate Scholarship in support of her Master’s research on the intersection between law, identity politics, and gender-based violence.

 

Prior to attending law school, Caryma interned with a prominent human rights organization in India. She wrote and illustrated a simplified guide to domestic violence legislation, which has since been circulated to thousands of at-risk women across the country.

 

In her spare time, Caryma likes to watch professional wrestling.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Have questions? We’re here to help. Check out our FAQs to learn more about this Course.

Absolutely. Every LPEN course is recorded, and the recording is added to your account within a few business days. You can log in anytime to watch it on demand and still receive your digital certificate of completion.

LPEN seeks accreditation for each course from the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) and the Law Society of Ontario (LSO),the Law Society of BC (LSBC) when applicable. Accreditation details and approved CPD hours are listed in the CPD Credits section on each course page, so you can easily confirm how the course qualifies toward your professional development requirements.

A digital certificate of completion will be available once the course recording has been uploaded. After that, you can follow the steps at the top of your My Courses page—where you’ll also find a short video explaining how to download your certificate. Be sure to save it as part of your documentation for your CPD hours.

This course may be included in one or several LPEN Passes. Passes offer discounted rates and access to multiple courses, making CPD compliance simpler. Check out our Passes page to see where it is included.

You don’t need to create an account separately. When you register for a course or pass, an account is automatically created during checkout. You’ll be asked to enter your email address and set a password—these will be your login details for future access.

What People Say

Andrew Carvajal not only knows immigration law, he is also phenomenal at imparting his knowledge, breaking things down in simple terms and using real world examples to make sure you understand. I would highly recommend anyone wishing to learn immigration law to spend some time interacting with him.
Karl M.
Karl M.
I would say Andrew Carvajal and Chantal Desloges' course on study permits is the most informative and helpful CPD course I have taken so far. The course provided not only tons of information, but also answers to many questions that were confusing to me before. I was very impressed by the instructors’ professionalism and profound knowledge and will be recommending LPEN’s course to my colleagues.
Mark Wolf
Mark Wolf
Chantal Desloges is a wealth of knowledge and experience with an ability to make complex issues understandable. Frankly speaking, students have the opportunity to learn from one of the forefront experts in the field, but she always engages students at their level and makes them feel welcome by making herself available for them. You couldn’t ask for more experienced, stronger, more capable instructor who is also personable and approachable.
James C.
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