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It’s very satisfying to know I’m keeping backlogs down and helping victims feel like they’re being heard.

In the media, we hear a lot about the slow wheels of justice. But thanks to an innovative initiative within our courts system, paralegals like Sandi Myers are successfully reducing wait times and the number of cases pending. Through the Front End Project, paralegals now provide an alternative to Crown Attorneys attending court.

“For all first appearances in the courtroom,” Myers says, “we act as agents for the Crown. This allows the attorneys to spend more of their time preparing cases.”In other words, the paralegals take on the necessary administrative functions so the attorneys can focus on practicing the law. On any given day, Myers collaborates with a host of stakeholders to facilitate the smooth administration of justice. Paralegals have daily contact with Manitoba Corrections, the Winnipeg Police Service, Probation Services, and the Federal Crown Attorneys’ Office.

Thanks to the Front End Project, victims of crime now only have one initial contact person to deal if they have questions or concerns. In the past, they may have had to speak to any number of available Crown Attorneys.

“It’s very satisfying to know I’m keeping backlogs down and helping victims feel like they’re being heard,” Myers says. “Ultimately, it’s about justice being served as fairly and effectively as possible.”

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