📍Calgary, Alberta
For Julia McGraw, family law is about helping people navigate some of the most stressful and emotional moments of their lives. Whether she’s assisting a parent with a matter during divorce proceedings, assisting as duty counsel in child welfare court or helping someone obtain an Emergency Protection Order (EPO), her goal is to make sure her clients understand their options and feel supported.
McGraw’s passion for family law was sparked during law school at the University of Calgary, where she was volunteering with Pro Bono Students Canada and matched with Legal Aid Alberta to shadow duty counsel lawyers at the Calgary courthouse. The experience gave her a firsthand look at the challenges clients experience and impact that quality legal assistance has on their lives.
That experience ultimately shaped her path and career goals. After being called to the bar in 2016, she spent a few years practising family law before joining Legal Aid Alberta (LAA) in 2018.
“I really like being at Legal Aid Alberta specifically, because you’re dealing with multiple clients every single day,” said McGraw. “You’re getting a lot of that people interaction. It’s not just dealing with numbers or documents.”
Helping clients through difficult moments
Many of the clients McGraw meets are navigating highly emotional situations involving parenting disputes, child welfare matters or family violence. A key part of her role is helping clients understand their options so they can make informed decisions about what comes next.
In child welfare matters, for instance, clients are often faced with significant decisions over guardianship of their children, and conditions that can be placed on their own lives for many months. McGraw helps ensure they have the time and information necessary to carefully consider those decisions before moving forward.
She says support can be just as important as legal advice.
“They’re often really nervous speaking to a judge, and I think for them, just having someone stand beside them and helping them, really reinforces that they are not alone,” says McGraw. “I find they’re really appreciative of that.”
Why duty counsel matters
Duty counsel are a critical resource for people who cannot afford a lawyer and need legal assistance on the day of their court appearance.
In family law and child welfare matters, McGraw says duty counsel help ensure clients have access to proper legal advice and a better understanding of the process.
“It’s really being able to sit down with someone properly, meet them at their level and explain what’s going on in a way that’s not just in legal terms,” she says.
For many clients, that support can help level the playing field when one party has legal representation and the other does not.
Making a difference
Some of the moments that stand out to McGraw the most come after helping clients obtain an Emergency Protection Order.
“They’re often really thankful and relived.” And seeing that relief is a reminder of the impact duty counsel can help.
As Duty Counsel Day shines a light on the lawyers who provide courthouse assistance across the country, McGraw hopes more people understand that support is available when they need it most.
“Duty counsel is there to help,” she said.