When Mathieu Bouchard was recently faced with a pro bono client who was anxious about an impending court hearing, the Montreal lawyer resorted to a technique he successfully used in the past, and drew a sketch of the courtroom, illustrating where the judge, court officials and the parties would sit, and explained in plain language what to expect.
“We may laugh but for someone who has never been to court it’s impressive and it can be very intimidating,” remarked Bouchard, a partner with Irving Mitchell Kalichman, at a seminar that explored ways to effectively manage pro bono legal work. “But if we can give them an idea as to what will take place before they set foot in court it can make a difference.”