Accessible Client Service Policy

A.        Purpose

Goldblatt Partners LLP strives for excellence in serving all of our clients.  The purpose of this policy is to meet service delivery expectations while serving clients with disabilities. We are committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal access to our legal services and receive the same quality of services, in a manner that respects their dignity and independence.

This policy has been adopted pursuant to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service enacted under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”), but it reflects the longstanding practice and commitment of our firm to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities in the provision of our services, and to eliminate barriers that may impede access to our services.

Our commitment is demonstrated in the following ways:

i.    Communication

We communicate with clients and visitors who have disabilities in ways that take into account their disability and facilitate effective communications. All members of our firm have been trained on how to communicate appropriately with people with various types of disabilities.

ii.    Assistive Devices

While we do not provide assistive devices to clients or visitors, we invite anyone to use their own assistive device in order to access or benefit from our services.  All members of our firm have been trained on how to interact with people who use a variety of assistive devices.

iii.    Support Persons

We welcome clients and visitors who are accompanied by a support person to our premises.  At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while in our offices.  All members of our firm have been trained on how to interact with people who are accompanied by a support person.  We have policies in place to safeguard a client’s confidential information when communications occur in the presence of the client’s support person.

iv.    Service Animals

We welcome clients and visitors who rely on service animals.  We will ensure that individuals are comfortable bringing a service animal into our premises and that the animal’s working role will be respected at all times.  All members of our firm have been trained on how to interact properly with people who rely on service animals.

B.    Training

We will provide further training to our employees in the above-noted areas as part of our orientation for newly hired employees, as well as ongoing training whenever changes are made to relevant policies or procedures.

C.    Feedback

Our goal is to ensure unimpeded access to our services for all persons with disabilities, in a manner that respects their dignity and independence and is consistent with the principles of integration and equal opportunity. We welcome and appreciate feedback on whether our services are being provided to persons with disabilities in a manner that achieves this goal.

Feedback can be provided to us by phone or in writing by email, fax, regular mail or personal delivery.  If you prefer to provide feedback in person, an appointment will be arranged.  Please address your feedback or appointment request to one of the following individuals:

In our Toronto Office:

Danielle Leon Foun Lin
Goldblatt Partners LLP
20 Dundas West, Suite 1039
Toronto, ON   M5G 2C2

Telephone:  416-979-6439
Toll free telephone:  1-800-387-5422  or  1-866-746-5291
Fax: 416-591-7333
Email:  dleonfounlin@goldblattpartners.com

In our Ottawa Office:

Colleen Bauman
Goldblatt Partners LLP
30 Metcalfe Street, Suite 500
Ottawa, ON  K1P 5L4

Telephone:  613-482-2463
Toll free telephone:  1-888-746-6881
Fax:  613-235-3041
Email:  cbauman@goldblattpartners.com

The privacy and confidentiality of individuals who contact us will be respected.  However, we also welcome anonymous feedback.

We will endeavour to acknowledge all feedback (except anonymous feedback) within five business days, with the understanding that follow-up may be required.  All feedback will be reviewed for possible action that can be taken to improve our service delivery.  Where possible, complaints will be addressed immediately.  However, some complaints may require more time to address.  Complainants will be notified of the anticipated time required to address their concerns and of the actions that are ultimately taken by the firm.

We will respond to all feedback in a manner that takes into account the complainant’s disability, if any.