Page 38 - ACTL Journal_Sum24

The Beverley McLachlin Access to Justice Award was created in 2018 to honour the legacy of the Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Chief Justice McLachlin was a strong advocate for access to justice and pro bono issues and a vocal critic of the high cost of legal representation. The Award in her honour recognises Judges and Members of the Bar, whether Fellows of the College or not, who have played exceptional roles in creating and promoting ac- cess to justice in the United States and in Canada.
The Award has been presented only twice in the past six years.
The third recipient of this prestigious honour is a pair of attorneys who founded the Montreal law firm Novalex. Unlike most firms named for their founders, Novalex - New Law – is named for its mission. Its website proclaims that “Novalex is a for-profit social enterprise that actively and concretely makes a difference in reinvesting a por- tion of its profits to generate measurable social impact. Our mission is to make quality legal services accessible to all, regardless of their financial means.”
How many firms do you know who do that?
The founders of Novalex are Ryan Hillier and Sophie Tremblay, both of whom left lucrative practices to follow their dream. Created in 2016, the firm dedicated 25,000 hours to pro bono work during its first two years of operation. At an average of $300 per hour, $7.5 million of value.
Effective January 1, 2024, Novalex merged its practice with the Montreal law firm Dele- gatus, which has announced that it will continue the mission of Novalex to provide free legal services and representation through a legal clinic, Clinique Juste, to low-income individuals who would otherwise be unable to access justice.
The founders of Novalex, Ryan Hillier and Sophie Tremblay, accepted the Award at our Spring Meeting in Phoenix. Their abridged remarks follow:
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Novalex shoots to provide one hour of pro bono work for every hour of paid commercial work. To ensure that they stay true, an independent board annually audits the hours.