Support builds clients’ trust: Spotlight on Hamilton duty counsel Wardha Khokhar

Safeguarding peoples’ rights is crucial to the role of duty counsel, says Wardha Khokhar, criminal duty counsel with Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) in Hamilton. She believes these efforts help make the justice system more accessible to everyone.

Wardha graduated from law school at the Université de Montréal in 2022, wrote the Quebec bar exam in 2023 and subsequently articled with the city of Montreal. She was called to the Quebec bar in 2024 and worked as a Crown attorney at Montreal’s municipal court for about 18 months before joining LAO’s Hamilton office in August 2025.

Growing up in Quebec, Wardha pursued most of her education in French and can assist clients in that language, but she also speaks Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi and English. These language skills enable her to converse with many clients in their native tongue.

In her current job, Wardha assists people who are charged with a criminal offence, either to obtain bail, connect with their family or friends to work out a release plan, or direct them to resources to address mental health or substance abuse issues. As institutional duty counsel, she also assists people in custody, spending two days a week at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre.

There she helps clients review and understand legal documents, speaks with the Crown attorney, provides summary legal advice and guides people through the legal process.

Challenging and rewarding work

Communicating with some clients can be difficult if they lack a fixed address or access to a phone. Other job challenges arise when a client refuses to listen to the legal advice being offered or is overcome with emotion. “When someone is charged with a criminal offence, they’re often very upset and take out their frustration on us, even though we’re trying to help them.”

Despite the challenges, Wardha loves serving as duty counsel. “I’m passionate about safeguarding peoples’ rights, especially those who are very vulnerable. As a woman of colour, I’m aware of the importance of helping people who have been marginalized.”

Support builds trust

Building trust can take time, particularly when clients are initially reluctant to discuss their legal matters. “I’ve been in situations when I’ve tried to speak with someone to get background or anything that would help me argue for bail or a resolution, and they would not open up at all.”

In those situations, Wardha says the best approach is to give people some space and time. “One fellow I visited in prison was very closed off and barely spoke to me,” she says. “I continued sitting with him and just listened until he started talking about his rural cabin and garden.

Letting people talk, even if it’s about things unrelated to their case, allows them to relax, observes Wardha. “Our jobs are very hectic, but I’ve found that being patient and listening, even if they talk about something else for a bit, can help people to trust us.” Once the client calms down, Wardha can then gently prompt them to describe their legal situation. “It’s about building a rapport.”

She understands why some clients are hesitant to disclose details of their matter when they first meet her. “If I were in that situation, I wouldn’t necessarily be comfortable opening up to a perfect stranger either, but I find if we just let people talk about something they’re comfortable sharing, that helps to build trust.”